The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-14

numpef one, toward the west Sidewalk Wnere tn0
two companies Of the Seventh, Captain Allisons
ana Smiths were drawn mp in line Of battle
the other three companies OF the right wing
OF the Seventh being vet In the street. The men,
bers OF the Ninth dashed into these companies
throwing many Of the men out OF the ranks and
against the walls OF the houses Several OF them
continued to fire In all directions az they ran, and
large number broke headlong through the glass
doors and windows OF store and
TOOK REFUGE
therein. Others made their way, heltcr sKelter INTO
the cross streets and disappeared. In minute
aiterward where the Ninth had stood by companies
IN the street there clear space not one OF the
members OF the regiment being visible In the street
but two who were lying on the pavement, one ap-
same Time a number OF the Eighty.iourth were seen
Tying down the aide street. During the confusion
the TWO companies OF tne seven.n 10 Drawn up p
on the sidewalks reformed their ranks thai had been
so broken up BY the night Of the Ninth and re.
got excited and fired shot each It the house ops
on the opposite SIDE OF the street,
In conversation HERALD reporter mad with one
OF the officers who had acommand In the right wing
OF the Seventh he remarked:-"l In my opinion the
Ninth seemed 70 be utterly panIc.sIrcRen ana in
breaking for the west sidewalk discharged
Their inusxss IN an , directions l,. saw
the ground Others, again. fred wnle in the act OF
endangeriDg the lives OF the men OF their own regl-
ment who were near them. Two men, after get.
the curb and fired at the opposite houses.
''Have you any idea how the two members OF the
Ninth you saw lying in the street were wounded or
We'll, ono OF them who had shastIv wound in
t9e back OF MS head must have been Killed by one
-'What makes You think sos"
For the reason that the wound was low down In
the back OF the head, ana That he was IN the front
rank. My Idea is that In
the CONFUSION
that enSued after the firing one OF the rear rank
discharged his musket before he mad raised II high
enough to clear the man In front OF hun, and thus
'.tould he not have been shot by one OF the men
OF the seventh VINO fred from the sdewakss''
THAT could not be. The few shots that were
fired were directed AZ the roofs or the opposite
houses Then, again, the two men had fallen before
that. They fell while the Ninth were firing indls.
crminatcy just previous to their break for the side
walk"
.'Was On order given for the Ninth to 1ref"
"where we're you at the time Of the nrlng2r
'.stu.iing beside the two companies Of the right
wing that were drawn up on the west Sidewalk"
"WaS the break OF the Ninth bad Onef"
"Tt was. 1t was SO great that was nearly pitched
head0ng into the store with the glass door, into
which 30 many OF the men ran. DIR. Parker, OF our
regiment, was knocaed by the rush into cellar
way"
Were the ranks Of the two companies OF the
Seventh broken by the rush"
.'rhey were nut they were quickly reformed"
"who was IN command OF the Ninth at the timer
saw AdIutant Alien Oh the ground"
odd you see
during the days"
III did noLn
J 'Woul you have been likely to have seen him If
he had been la command or present during the fir
ingf" ,,,,,,, ,,n,s III va. , o,.
In tue street sOinewhero.' --' e. "a W.
"Wno did you understand to be in commando E"
Lieutenant Colonel Bralne."
What was the cause Of the break OF the Ninth
.'The princlpc cause suppose. was the conf,l.
sion they were thrown into ny the firing from tho
..Any other causcs"
'.Weli don't care TO venture an opinion on the
''wAs 1T CowAnD,cRw
81 90 not tnlnk It was In TACT, from what
know Of the officers aud men, am certain that Il
Was NOT. 1hcv are as brave fellows as the bravest
you can nnd. but brave men must be wen disci-
pinned in q regiment to keep cool Under nre."
Then II WAS their want OF Discipline ?''
'ldont say that, exactly; but there nre many
new incn IN tho regiment who have not been drilled
greatly increased in numbers Of iasu by recruits and
many OF them know very little Of the proper hand.
ling Of musket. A few fresh men ~ = regiment
.bo you suppose thar The members OF the Ninth
who fired 30 unfortunately while In the ACT Of
RAW kEoRUiTs"
cotosg1. clARx's STATEMENT
Colonel Clark gives the following version OF the
opening OF tue hre by the troops. II viii be
that 4 precisely the same as that cy Quarter
Tue Seventh had the right Of the line, the left
wing being In 'front.' General vsrian had gwen
Eighth avenue, between Twenty NTH and Twenty.
sixth streets. while the procession was passing.
across the way. and IN case shots were
fired from any OF them to return the IRE. The
Of the seventh We're marcSnH IN iou H on the
street, past the Ninth for tho purpose OF joining
the other portion Of the rssmens They mad passed
killed, and tho Ninth began an indiscrfmnate dire
without orders. These fell Dack at the same time,
sidewalk. the nring was kept up for some time,
although Adjutant Fitzgerald dashed up to Liculen.
ant Ooonel Braine and ocsged him Tor Gods SAKE
AN OFFICIAL INQUIRY.
In order to ascertain the exact truth a. % what
amount OF arfng was done by the Seventh when the
Ninth opened nre on the houses on the east side Of
the street Get Soone, csrs on wednesaay night
company In the regiment: w
Conn,auders VIII CAL their companies tos-,ser and
H.. Aos and n
in re.sIon thereto IL wriiar 70 u. esn.an ant;
w rs sr M ss: SsSs nader
10 respect 70 has ' ~ other 'Ae'
ana commandments had their reports all sent In
rough examination or all the facm given HIM.
Although The reports are not yet ready Tor pIbica-
II0n In uctail, II can be stated that they NIL w
show the 1oliowins:- That no shots were fred BY
auy portion Of the Sev. nth, hut by the two COM
panles alluded to apnve; ina; ihey dld not IRE
were aimed at he mel on the hOuseiops who were
firing NJ the procession. On The other hand, an
evening paper gives IL out that Colonel Clark states
that shots were fircd 1t the procession from win
dow OF frame house on The southeast corner, aud
that Captain Van Or1en tuned 10 his hen and In
qnired IL any one knew where that came from.
Twenty voices replied III the affirmative, and the
captain ordered one OF the men 10 return the ire.
SINGLE shot was then fired into tue WINDOW
whence the bullet had come and the company were
about 10 resume their march when several more
shots were fred from the same spot. The Captain
At this olyered halt and commanded the soldiers
to fire by squads into the building. Two or three
vol .ys were thrown INTO The window, and the
Seventh marched away. t.--t.rT
The Twentr second regiment did not fire single
shot in any direction dnring the day.
Tie conclusion that everybody must naturally
come to now IS that the members OF the kignly-
IourtI, Ninth and seventh fired without orders. The
oficial reports will alone be able TO show wnat truth