The National tribune., 1884-04-03
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
The LIST New York Artillery at Fair Oaks.
tl,e T,aitor NATIoNAL TRIBUNE:


To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your paper Of February 7th, E. r. Still
man. Of the o5th New York, in his account of
that regiment ia the battle of Fair Oaks, does
great i1justice 70 battery a, LIST New York light
artillery.
twill be remembered that Casey's division
occupied an untenable position that he had
bat 5000 men for duty, and that he was at
tackled By force of nearly p, 600. When the
enemy pat in en- appearance in the woods and
slashIng in our front, we opened with case shot
and shell. and cur gunners very soon getting
the range, we poured into their ranks those
deadly missiles by the wholesale. They were
soon in the open field, and then the order came
for canister (Which, il VIII be understood, is
can containing twenty seven balls, varying IN
size. according TO the caliber of the gum. Gen.
Casey was in The redonbt at one time, while we
were firing at short range, and commended The
boys upon their rapid firing and execution.
Number J. of the first gun, as he steps outside
the wheel is shot. A c0mrade says Covey is
killed" Payne, the gunner, shouts: Ready
fire. lie then takes the Tammer, steps over
COveys body, and sp0nges and relOads the gun.
Col Bailey our chief of artillery rides over from
another battery to order the guns spiked and a
retreat bui is killed while dismounting from
his horse We learn later that Major Van
haikeE5urg has shared the same fate. Ser
EGaHt Scarie Is wounded and is obliged to leave
his post. Driver Preston is found living dead
by his koIses-b0th shot-and he still holding
the bride. One Of the infantry boys asks for a
drink OF water Of one our men, and while
drinking from bis canteeD receives his death
wound. During this time our six 12-ponnder
Napoleon guns are sending into the ranks Of
the enemy from one TO three shots a gun per
minute Cannoneers Nos. 5 and who carry
ammunition are becoming exhausted. Lieu
tenant Hart comes out Of the redoubt 70 the
limbers and asks If we have any more canis-
ter. Yet Z. r. s. says Our artillery fred one
or two rounds Of canister and then stood not
upon the order Of their going. but went as fast
as their legs could carry then' &c
The men Of Sickles' brigade, who buried the
dead in frout Of our battery. can tell the story
oi the wnroWe Of dead they found moved down
by our canister. Tom Wade, Confederate
soldier from Alabama, whom ] knew in Mis-
souri,, told me that they received orders to pick
of our horses, and said their ranks were thin
ned out by our artillery. A member Of a North
Carolina regiment told me substantially the
same thing.
Our horses were killed OF disabled, the
ground was soft from the heavy rain the night
before, an overwhelming force was nearly upon
Us. X was simply folly To fight longer against
such ODDS with no hope Of re-enforcements, and
therefore we departed with our forces to the
rear. The blood Of the gallant dead who fell
fighting for their country would cry ont to
me from the ground did ] not cast off the foul
aspersions which have been heaped upon
them. ~ JAMES H. CRANDALL
Battery A. 1st New : oTk Light Artillery.
PORTvILLE. Co.. n. Y.
Extract from General oasey's report Of the bat
tie OF Fair Oaks