The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-11-27
The Eleventh Corps At Charlottesville.

To THE EDITOR: AS there seems to be
considerable dispute about who was responsible
fer the Eleventh Corps breaking at Chancel-
louisville, May 2, 1868, and in all the CORE
spondence through TIE TRIBUNE up to the
present date there seems to be nothing from
the Second Division, Eleventh Corps. which at
that time occupied the line on the left of the
corps, or last place in the corps to be attacked,
l will try and give you few facts, as remcm-
Der them, from the point my regiment--the
15ith n Y.-occupied Our regiment lay in line
of battle all day May 2, 1868, at Gen. Towards
headquarters, along the plank road, looking
south, where We were told to look for the enc
my in that direction and early in the fore
noon, looking away to the front through gap
in the woods we could see the brown line pass
ing over hill and will venture the asser-
ton that there was not man in the regiment
who did not see that column moving for hours.
We were a green regiment then, and did not
conjecture where the Johnnies were going, or
what they were going to do; but one year later
there was not a private in the regiment but
what would, under such circumstances, without
any command from any officer, Immediately set
to work with tin plate and cup and throw up
good works for protection. BetweeR Sand p. m.
we heard the storm break forth as from a
cloudless sky, and looking away to the right,
up the plank road, we could see stragglers COM
ing through a scattered piece of timber, and
soon it had the appearance of great mob of
men, cattle, wagons and ambulances rushing
past US down the plank road in the direction
of Hookers headquarters. Our regiment was
ordered to take new position, with our right
across the road, so that we could face the enc
my,-who was now coming from the right
which would be at 8 right angle from our first
position. After taking our new position we,
for the first time, heard the dull ping of the
first mimic balls, that passed over u.s. as they
were fired from a distance; but we did not have
long TO wait until We could see the solid col
umns Of Jackson Corps advancing down the
road, showing a section of artillery along the
plank road, which was firing rapidly. As soon
as our front was sufficiently clear of orr men,
our regiment opened at short range in the open
field, and delivered such murderous fire that
the front of Jacks0ns victorious veterans were
checked and held until both our right and left
TANKS were envelOped, when we were compelled
to fall back through the woods and take posi-
ton in the rear of the artillery, where part of
the regiment remained on picket during the
night.
To show VII ether we had any effect on the
stopping of .jackson's forces, our morning re-
port for the I'd of May showed 4S8 men present
for duty, and there was fred an average of
seven rounds per man at short range in an open
field. Our national flag received two balls in
the staff and % through the flag, and our loss
was 225 killed, wounded, and missing, includ-
ing our Colonel, wounded, and our Adjutant,
killed.
The I'D Pa, of the same brigade, occupied
the same line with US, and these two regiments
were the only two organized bodies of troops
in the line of Steinwehrs Division
Our regiment had always looked upon How
ard as being partly responsible for that disas-
ter, in not strengthening our right and rear,
when it was plain to be seen with the naked
eye from his headquarters that the enemy was
moving IN heavy force along our front We of
the I54th always admired and respected fight
ing Joe Hooker, and as mark of the confidence
we had in him, look at the record we made
under him later in Tennessee and Georgia
Hoping this may start something from some
other member of my regiment or any members
of the Flying Half Moon-ALEx. BIRD 154th
n. Y, Ellicottville, n. Y