The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-15
TIE EIGHTH AVENUE FIGHT.
Views Of su Officer of the E'aaty-fOurth and
n Private q tbs Tyyenty-second Regi-
ments-A ~cTui-Usiciai Account Of She Bait

Views Of 0ficer of the E'shty-fourth and
Private 81 tbs Tvyenty-second Rcgi-
men;s-A ~cn;-Ugiciai Account Of 1he Bait
tie of Eighth avenue.
General shaler has received the Official reports Of
the regitnental commanders concerning the part
each regiment took In
TIE BATTLE IN THE EIGHTH AVENUE
on Wednesday last, and therefore decision as 10
whether any particular command was TO blame
more than another for the firing upon the people
without orders VIII be forthcoming IN q few days.
The reports, 1t IS understood. are very conflicting
but for all that go TO show that two regiments during
the fign; became unmanayeaS and could not De
controlled for some time by their officers. The Gues-
non as TO whether any command was given 10 fire
upon the people on tie sidewalks when volley was
poured into the crowd, near Twenty-iourtn street.
has been settled by the reports. Every one goes
to prove that no command was given at all,
and that the Eighty fourth regiment the first to
lose control Of Itsel. A HERALD reporter PAID
visit yesterday TO several OF the officers and men OF
the Ninth, Eighty fourth Sixth and Twenty-second,
and was aoe To CLEAN many important facts con-
corning The origin OF the general firing and what
followed.
what DO you think about the firing on the people
on the ei1ewalhsr inquired the reporter OF an off,
Ger of he Eighty-fourth-
'Tbink about it9 think great misior-
tuue.r
'Youf regiment began the Ere frst'h
.Uh, 20 not exactly. The right wing Of the
Beventh, when posted ON the west side OF the ave-
nue. near Twenty-seventh or Twerty-eighth street,
fred the nrst shots at some men who were firing
from C house top ON the procession. This was
THE FIRST FIRING
by the troops; but 1t did amount TO much only
Jew scattering shots being discharged"
..was this done without orders3"
avian bax orrnA Info iaav
ing for The head OF the column, LEFT word with the
commandaut OF these companies TO open fire upon
any men whom they caught in the act OF firing on
the men In the para0e, or, IN fact on ANYBODY. In
accordance With this the commandment selected a
few OF his best marksmen aud ordered them 10 keep
q lookout for the shooters on the houses and IN
the Windows and pop them whenever they showed
Lhemse!ves.r
.'How about Eour regiment at Twenty-fourth
streetY
"wen. an sorry to say that the Elghty-fourth
dii not 40 LIS duty it should have done. Tho men
became unmanageznle for awhile and FESTIVE under
ine shots that we've tired rom the roofs ana win
dows. and ths uespre the exertions OF the oicers,
who did their utmost 70 Keep them steady. believe
ono Of the men, III IT OF ngOrnentary excitement
son nearing few shots Ared iurtper up the street.
which afterwards learned were from some ulen OF
the Second company ol the SEVENTH who had been
Ordcre0 10 hfe 81 rAan VINO was nfAllg upon the
PROCESSION from q wInGoHl, raised ms muskct and
fred AZ man Ia the window OF a mouse near the
corner OF Twenty-iourrh street The i2ct that q
or two had also second before come from one
OF the windows or the house might nave led him 20
act a5 he DID
Were the o1cers scar at nandSr
81 believe one OF the leuteuants saw The map
raise Ms nuskeI, and ran forward 10 prevent HIM
IRON firing, but ne WAS 100 late"
odd any other ~ tilr men Ete aitef THIS ~
why IN ~ twinkling or an eye after the man
.aude 10 had 1red
: PERFECT yoLLEY
was poured TO the crowd"
''On tte h0use1opsW
.'some OF the men pointed their muskets up
seward tde windows hut great many directed
ahcIr IRE toward the sidewalks"
80 no COMMAND was gwen by the officers at the
sine 10 IRE 20
''None wha-eyer on the CONTRARY. we did al we
could 20 Keep the men cool aud steady, and when
they hnallg nrc1, az they Gid despite watcbful-
ness We Cried Cease l1ng and struck up the mus.
kes Win our sVOrds.n
'.ihere are those who say that the officers acted
n badly ss the menu
''rAat - NOT 80. We al felt th we we're 10 q
rather sDaky place, but we ala the beat we could
when The confusion came 8boutn
what confusion ~
"lligt which followed the firing
"In The Eightv- OurthTJ
ayes. gu see some Of the mcu after firing broke
galks and we got considerably mixed up. But that
laste4 only minute or So"
~ has been stated that your Lieutenant colonel
was intoxicated during The day
'ihnf - lie he was sober and worked Ike O
tiger"
"pa you suppose that The men fred believing tnas