The National tribune., 1884-06-05
Ell Ell. 0. 0. H0WARD'S "REMINISCENCES.
[ Continled from Ist paqe.l

lSO''s"e"o~ J'UHs AS' P"Se'l
eaid, organized line in Barlow's trenches
Eteinwehr had his men spring over their
breastwork-and hold on; firing as soon
as they could. BEshbocks brigade was kept
quite entire and faced the enemy. SchimInel-
pfennig's and part of Krgzanowski's brigades
moved gradually back TO the north of the
plank road and into the eastern border of the
DOEd2liis opening. They, too, kept up their
fire. The whole center, well as Deyens'
right. seemed to have been seized with a blind.
Understandable panic. Several officers stood
near me and one of General Rockers staff
Colonel Dickinson. We worked hard TO stay
the panic stricken-oiiicers as well as men.
ats of no usei" they would sing out
One colonel said: have done what could 7"
and continued his fight. We did stay the
r0ut and Gil our trenches. All the artillery
was Withdrawn but eight pieces-cOuid not risk
more with our nervous support. What artil-
lery we kept was for a time well served, but
we could only fight Cor time
THE NEXT STAND.
The next stand ] attempted was at the for
est's edge, but, perceiving that position out
f8nked by jackson, rode back 10 the first
hill to which we came on the Charlottesville
route. Here / met General Hiram Berry, of
Maine. "Well, General, where now2"
said "Nou take the right lnorth) of this
Il
il" All OF my batteries were Joined 10 others,
which were rapidly concentrated here and
placed on the brow Of that hill. j here brought
ali the troops of the IIth corps which could
collect IN support of the batteries. The enemy
reached rs with bis fire. Some of our officers
misbehaved even here, so much had our defeat
disheaItened them: but many were still reso-
lutte and helpful Berry, who soon fell NOR
tally wounded, put his men into line and
marched of 10 hold back the advancing masses.
Pleasonton, returning from Hooker's Furnace
movement, used his troops and some batteries
most effectively from the opening or farm
southeast Of DowdalFS aud succeeded in stop
ping some brigades of .1aekson's which were
pursuing beyond our now left flank the fugi-
tives who had taken that direction in their
flight. Soon, with Berry division, the cannon
on our hill, PleasOnton's help and that of va
rious other detachments swinging into line
perpendicular to the one thoroughfare-the
plank road-we were able 10 check Jacksons
advance.
JAcEsoN's DEATH.
What roar of cannon pouring their voIleys
into the forest now black with the growing
night Tx was IN that forest that the brave
energetic and successful Southern leader fell.
Jackson's loss was more injurious to the Con-
federate cause than would have been the death
of ten Thousand other soldiers, SO great was
the confidence he had Won, so deep was the
reverence of citizen and soldier for his charac-
ter and ability!
WHO WAS TO BLkME7
II has been customary to blame General
Howard or his corps FOX tho disaster. The i'm
putatlOns Of neglect TO obey orders; of extra
ordinary self-confdence; Of Eanatical reliance
upon the God Of battle; Of not sending cut
Tec0nnaissances; Of not intTenching; of not
strengthening the right flank by keeping
proper reserves; OF having no pickets and
skirEnisbers; Of not sending information TO
General Hooker, etc. etc. are far from true in
single particular. My command was by posi-
tive orders rivered to that position. Though
constantly threatened and made aware Of hos
tile columns IN motion, vet the woods were so
dense that Stonewall jackson was able 10 mass
a large force few miles off, whose exact
whereabouts neither patrols, reconnaissance
nor scouts ascertained- The enemy crossing
the plank road two miles of We all saw. So the
turning at the Furnace was seen by host of
our people; but the Interpretation of these move
ments certainly was wrong Yet, wherein did
we neglect any precaution2 IT viii be found
that Devens kept his subOrdinates constantly
on the qNi piUe; so did Schurz Their actions
and mine were identical. The 1lth corps de-
tanned jackson over an hour; part Of it was
away by Hooker's orders: part Of each division
fought hard, as our Confederate enemies clearly
show; part Of it became wild with panic like
the Bclglans al Waterloo, most Of our troops at
Bull Run and the Confe6egates, the second day,
St Fair Oaks. In several subsequent battles my
flank was turned by an enterprising enemy.
and vet i never failed TO provide for the
emergency. So I always fesrlessly and stoufly
claim before the army and the country that /
did my duty al Charlottesville. At any rate
j leave the whole matter 10 the consiGerate
judgment Of my companions in arms. simply
asserting that on the terrible day Of MAY 2
1863, did what could
No \
marched 70 relieve the 9Th corps under General
Meade. OF our extreme left. Here il held an
intrencbed or barricaded line till the end of
tie charlottesville campaign.
For the operations OF the next day: the work
O. Sedgwick's command al Fredericksburg:
his fighting near and crossing the Rappahan-
mock. The unjust aspers50ns cast upon him by
pretentious writers; the grand council of war,
where mostly, the general officers voted 10 fight
and the final withdrawal, / wish to call the
attention Of comrades and friends 10 the good
accounts Of the Comte de Paris and 70 the more
exhaustive handling Of Charlottesville by
brother officer new on the retired iist-Major
Theodore A. Dodge. His story appears TO me
10 be clear, full, and generally impartial.
A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE
At some future tine. after my return 20 the
United States, where can have fuller records
snail enaeavor TO furnish more complete
summary OF the exciting c0mb2ts and opera
tions 10 which ! have just alluded.
Al was a dreadful feld. The dead were strewn
through forest and open farms The wounded
had often 10 wait FOR days before succor came
n0tnetsaes II never cane. One officer on nv per-
s0nal stat, Captain D. Dessaur, was killed while
Desr me beside Barlow's intTenchments, en-
deayoring TO rally the panic-stricken Iaen. lis
young wife had beseugat him 10 resign and
come home 70 Brooklyn, n. y, before this bat
te commenced He rendered his resignation,
explaining the peculiar Circumstances Of his
case. But We were before the enemy. and as
knew, soon 10 be engaged in battle. SO that
wrote my eisaPpr0val upon his application
Poor fellow, he was slain, and my heart was
deeply panied al his loss and in sympathy with
has stricken family. Dessaur, that day. was the
representative q that dreadful sacrifice In the
cause Of our national unity and Of human liberty.
OF, that fratTicidal strife might cease
10 be oos.ttnuea.l
@General Howard's last article was mailed from
Constansinople. lie was then on his wsy 10 Egypt
I,frIss KErff r..