The National tribune., 1884-12-11
Bruinsburg.

To THE EDITOR: desire to correct one
or two errors that occurred in my first letter
about Bruinsburg. / am made to say, "All
honor to Burton's Brigade" Itshould have been
| Benton's" Brigade. / am also made to say ::
"I remember also how after that gallant bri-
| gade was driven of" etc. 1t should have been
drawn" off. 1t would not be justice to say any
thing else of it. BentOn's Brigade was not one
to be driven off field under any ordinary cir
cumstances. Not such as was at any time pre-
| sented at Port Gibson.
Now, want to say to both Comrades Morris
| and Martin, that they are both much mistaken
about the capture of the battery so often spoken
| about. The facts about the capture of that
battery are these: Capt Hess, of Co. G, 46th
| 1nd said to myself and Capt. Shields, of Co.
| X, that the road by which the battery must
escape ran around the spur Of hill that we
| were then on, and that if we could not get the
| road the battery could not get away and must
| be captured. The rebels were between the
| road and our line. The three companies (G,
| K and b of the 46th Ind, without any orders
| from anybody but their officers, charged over
| the field in their front and obtained possession
of that road, about $50 yards to the right of that
battery. The men had commenced to shoot
at the horses of the battery as they advanced
| in that direction, when company of the 11th
| Ind and one company Of the 34th Ind. were
seen much closer than our men advancing on
the same battery. / know also, that not one of
Gen. Carr's Brigades or regiments were present
They had been taken to another part of the
field And when say this l am not trying to
"steal" any of the laurels that belong to that
gallant division, and especially Benton's Bri-
gade; not an officer of that brigade would claim
any honors they were not aud are not entitled
to.
At the time of the capture Of these two guns
controversy arose as to who was entitled to
the honor of the capture. Gen. McGinnis
-. = q L = -
then since. The last shot fired from those
guns came uncomfortably close to the writer Of
this. Now, don't pretend to say what took
place on other parts of that field, but / have
n vivid recollection of what / personally saw
myself on that day. The circumstances were
such as to impress them ON the memory of
those who participated. After that battery was
taken and the rebel line broken, we advanced
and took a position on another hill somewhat
to our left, where we remained but a short
time, when we again took position still ad
vanced and on the right of the Second Brigade of
IIoyey's Division, the Goth Wis. in advance
and in the edge of some woods About A clock
the rebels attacked this regiment but were
soon repulsed, and that ended the battle on our
part of the field.
Now, some of the comrades seem to have for
gotten about the march of the First Brigade of
Hovey's Division to the front through or up
that dismal ravine; but say to them that the
regiment did march up there left in front, my
own company in front. 1t is not mistake
and We are not mistaken; too many men par
ticipated in that march up that ravine for
them to be mistaken. l have talked with Col
]. II. Bringhurst within week about the dis
NAL place that ravine was and about our march
ing into it by the left flank, and also about the
men of the 34th Ind. firing into us as we were
getting out of the miserable place. That was
about sun-up, and from that time until near
sundOwn we were either fighting, marching or
in line of battle. 1t is sufficient to say of any
command that was there that it did its entire
duty and is entitled to share equally in the
honors of the day. Now, let us take up some
other field and give the survivors our recolec-
lection of them, and give to the good people
who read THE TRIBUNE what we recollect of
the battles we participated in. A hundred
years from now the files of that paper will be
invaluable to the historian who wants to write
q true story of the late conflct.-FRANK
SwiGERT, Capt, Co. B, 46th Ind, Logansport,
Ind.