The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-04-26
ANNALS OF THE WAR.

Retaliated.
went into General Torbet's camp
one night after having been on a scout
up the Shenandoah Valley. I had been
gone about week. When l had taken
care ofmy horse and removed my riding
boots and overcoat started for General
Torbert's room. 1 was met at the door
by an orderly who was stranger to me,
and when l told him my business he
informed me that General Merritt was
in command. He took my name, and
presently was told to 60 into the Gen
erals room. Seated before the fire |
found very youthful-looking, smooth
laced man, who looked from a book he
uaa raa'';~c 90 "cr,e ;c:o.:. sc::, &c
you the scout Danby?" said: "4es,
sir, "Make your report" And he
picked up map from the table, which
he consulted as told my tale. had
been inside of Ewell's line and had what
considered very important intornna-
ton. When reported to General Tor
bert after scout he would give me
good cigar, ask me to take Il seat and
would enjoy my account of the incidents
and recitals..of dangers by field and flood.
l usedto enjoy telling them 10 q such an
appreciative listener; and 1 used TO 20
away feeling satisfied with myself and
the general.
found General Merritt an entirely
different man. lie made no comments.
Now and then he would ask some ques-
ton, about distances or about the char
acter of the fords and roads, and when
began telling of some of my sharpness
in flanklng pickets or other smart things
that I thought worthy of telling, he
would ask some question that would
bring me back to business. lie wanted
nothing but solid facts in the shortest
and plainest language, and in five min
utes / was dismissed with the caution to
keep my information to myself. Gen
eral Merritt was about the youngest
looking man i'm the army, but he had Il
dimple in each cheek, and when lie
smiled he showed a row of white teeth.
He had sharp, quick..eye, broad fore
head and resolute nose and jaw. He
had been on General Buford's staff,
heard, and was at West Point with Gus
ter, Fitzhngh Lee, Stuart, Rosscr and
other young cavalry generals. He was Il
very reticent man, seldom smiled and
never laughed. The staff differs and
other sspeople about headquarters soon
got to stand in awe Of him. lie WAS a
strict disciplinarian and every one had
to toe the mark. lie would not tolerate
"walk aronnds'' or "bulgees at his
headquarters, and "parties,' "poker
games and ''jamborees" went out of
fashion. lie seemed to he great fav
orite with General Sheridan, and heard
that General Grant liked him.
He and Custer were not "JOhn- and
john" as the say in Dixie. Some said
the trouble was about precedence III rank,
others said they had quarreled at West
Point. 1t soon got to be we'll known that
the two young generals never spoke to
each other except when duty compelled.
Generally, Merritts orders were sent in
writing and during an engagement the
aids and orderiies were kept pretty busy
going back ward and forward with mes
eages. always thought it was great
pity to see two such thoroughbreds at
foggerheads, but do not know that the
country lost SO much by it, for it brought
about emulation between then, that gave
the cavalry under them plenty to DO and
made things warm for the enemy.
Their style Of fighting was entirely
different. Custer was a bold. d;,shing,
headlong, hit or miss dew take the bind
most kind of man, and got out Of many
tight place by unparalleled an>lacity and
good luck. There was Il good
deal of hurrah about his way
of doing things. When lie went
into fight the band played, bngles
blew, red scarfs were flying and flags
waved lie was generally to be seen,
sabre in hand. in the tl,ickest Of the me-
lee Very often he would be driven
back and Ills command would be more
or less demoral;zed, and many times if
he had been dealing with ali enterprise
ing foe he would have come to grief.
He had been on kearney's staff in the
beginning Of the war, and ] heard him
say once that he thought kearncy the
best fighter III either army, and Cns'er
was like the famous One-arintd general
in his way of clearing things, always
thought. lie was apt to take the bit IL
his teeth sometimes, and he would get
out of reach Of superior authority and
run things on his own hook and discon-
cert the plans Of his superiors. | have
seen General Sheridan lash his boot saw
age1y with his riding-wI and rage and
swear, and it would be expected that
Custer would be ordered under arrest.
But he co,lld Outright or cutrlIn any
thing he was apt to encounter, and
somehow it would end by his sending
in a drove Of prisoners or a lot Of cap
tnrcd guns or battle flags, and Sheridan
wonId smooth his rutlled feathers.
There WAS no fuss or nu,n,nerv about
Merritt. lie bad All air Of quiet ant,rri
ty that inspired respect and had h'a ;,as'
siOns under good control for a!"l; 4
young man and selsloni made a bIuni:r.
lis command was handled Ike cimz4-
men on board. Ills plans were tcJdon'
interfered with lie made more M. III
his artillery than Custer, did not maize
such unnecessary marches and kept his
men better IN hand. lie probably did
az n'lcI, hard fighting and accomplished
AZ much as Custer, but did not have 10
much reputation o"t4idc the army.
Newspaper reporters always had warm
welcome: at Cs,stcr's :ca'l4tlartcrs. They
were not encouraged at Mcrritts. !
have no doubt THAT If orr cavalry bad
been rjttel asainst an enemy r4'm! in
numbers, equipment, disci Zine and or
ganizatiDn towards the clos: Of the var,
that i.onors, reputation and glory wnliId
not have been 50 rl,eaply earned. But
the fact was the enemy did not have any
cavalry worth speaking Of in the valley
during the last year Of the war.
went TO the Valley long before there
were any large, force Of cavalry opera
ting there. Coles Battalion Of Maryland
Union Cavalry, to whici, | belonged,
secuted along the brooks from Point Of
Rocks to Martinsburg, and ! always
thought we were there III the interest OF
the baltimore and Ohio railroad com
pany to protect the bridges k:ulverts, and
track. Soon after the battle ofAntictan
the First New York Cavalry was sent to
the Valley, and for abont a year that
regiment and our battalion were the
only Union cavalry organizations in the
Valley and we had our hands full. Ma Or
Cole Waa a reliable, brave man, knew
how to handle his men fairly and WAS q
stubborn fighter. The Colonel Of tie
Eighteenth New York was an old man,
brave and smart, but too much Of an in
valid to stand long rides As he vas one
of the oldest coloncls in the army lie was
generally in command Of some post and
had his headquarters at Martinabnry,
Charlsstown, Winchester or HerryviIIe
Here he would make himself comfort
able and plan small campaigns and
scouts, which were more or less success
full.
lie had a battalion Of Germans in his
regiment who generally did guard duty
and pickcting. The officers Of these
companies were Germans, Prussjans,
Poles, Hunyarians counts, barons and
vons, who, no doubt, would have fought
as well as any one in their own country
or charge "a we'll in line Of battle. kut