The National tribune., 1885-06-11
FAYETTEVILLE, N. G..
An Account from the Officer Who Commanded the
CAPTURING Party.


To THE EDITOR: Your excellent paper of
March 26, 1885, contains an article headed
"Shermans Bummcrs." While it is very
graphically written and is immensely interest
ing reading, permit me to say that its author
Henry c. Harrison, 9th Ind. Bummer-is en-
tirely off as to the facts relative to the honor of
capturing Fayetteville n. G. He states that
| "42 bummers of the First Division, Twentieth
Corps drove the rebels from the town and across
Cape Fear River and that the men were COM
posed of bummers from the 9th Ind. and 18th
n. j., and were commanded by 4 HoosierJer-
seyman named Hi Hand, of the 18th, who
was running the thing" etc
Now sir have no doubt but that Comrade
Harrison will be surprised to learn that long
| before the little scene between Gen. Geary and
Hi Hand-which he describes with such grace
| and noncbalance-was enacted, and before Hi
| Hand and his or any other party from the left
wing had taken possession of the city, the
| honor of capturing Fayetteville, with all its
| glory and plumber. had already been fairly won
and appropriated by the bnmmers and mounted
men of the Fourth Division, Seventeenth Corps
| Ispeak advisedly, because
COMMANDED THE PARTY
| that captured Fayetteville, and / write now
| from the original draft of a report which
| made on the evening of the capture, and which
now lies before me. This report, remember
| we'll was made thus promptly at the request
of my Division Commander, Gen. Giles A.
Smith. who sent for me on the evening OF the
| capture and surprised me with the assurance
| that he had Just returned from Gen. Sherman's
| headquarters. where he learned from Col. l.. NJ.
| Dayton, of Sherman's staff. that the left wing
were already claiming the honor so galiantly
won by the boys of the right wing.
Although this report was written i'll pencil
and hastily, and does not possess the easy grace,
| winning style, etc, that characterizes the eX-
cellcnt letter o: our jolly Comrade Harrison, |
know it to be solid truth, for wrote it within
| O few hours after the events occurred and when
every particular detail was fresh in my MEM
! ory. l give it to you rerbdtm.
| HEADQRs 32d REGIMENT ONO INFANTRY Vols,
| NEAR FAYETTEvILLE, n. c., March II, 1863.
| Capt. AID. WARE jr., a. A Gen, Fourth DIVISION,
| Seventeenth Corps.
| SIR: have the honor to report that this MORN
ing Little Rocksh Creek, by direction of Brevet
| Ma Gen. Giles A. Smith, commanding Fourth Di-
| vision, Seventeenth Corps. took command of the
mounted men of his division, including, the foragers
| and the 18th and 18th H. Veteran Battalion, Capt,
! Gillespie commanding numbering In all about ECO
! men. 80 .--'
! My instructions from Gen. Smith were to move
| toward Fayetteville and if met any force OF the
til forces from the left wing entered it. If met no
| enemy ! was to take possession OF the arsenal
guard il, and encamp outside the city;
| accordingly moved on a road TO the left OF the
plank road until reached mi Trace near the edge
| Of the city, where learned that small parties had
a;teInp, ed TO enter the town early in the morning.
| but had been driven bacl. by the enemy, who were
| now holding the two bridges leading into town
across the millrace, the one on the plank road
and the other above it on the road upon which had
been moving. i directed Capt. Gillespie to adj
vance toward the upper bridge and ascertain what
force OF the enemy were there and see II crossing
could be effected. He soon reported that he had
possession of the bridge and skirmi shing
| lively with the enemy, who about $50 strong,
and posted behind houses, etc, upon the opposite
bank of the millracc l Immediately dismoun,cd
the foragers and moved them rapidly as possible
toward the bridge and into line just above it. The
g.,
pie charged over the bridge and the enemy was
dislodged from his position upon the opposite bank
and retreated toward the heart of the ctY.
1t was now III o'clock q. NJ, and having received
| orders from Iieut.-COl. Strong, OF Gen. Howard 8
staff, to the bridge across Cape Fear River If
possible, sent back for the horses to be moved up
| on the double-qnicS, and advanced AS rapidly as
possible through the city, skirmishing with the
| enemy and driving him down the main street to
| the bridge.
made inquiries about the bridge. and was told
by citizens that it was burning. Observing a large
| volume of smoke in the direction of the river,
took it for granted that it true. and began
posting guards TO protect the houses of citizens,
which were being pliindered and pillaged by a
class of unauthorized soldiers who disgrace the
uniform they wear by their dastardly and unsol-
derly conduct. At this moment was nforme !
that the bridge had not been burned and that prob
ably it might he saved. l at once directed Capt.
Geo Sinclair, of the sd Ohio, aud commanding the
mounted men from the First Brigade, Fourth Di.
vision, Seventeenth Corps, to mount his command
and move down the main street TO the bridge
while Capt Gillespie, with his command and the
seventeenth Corps, under Capt. Foster, moved
down the railroad on the next street to the right.
The enemy, with piece of artillery and a few
cayarymen, this side of the river. and the
bridge filled with rebel cavalry. They fired a
few solid shot up the main street ut Capt. Snclairs
party, which was delayed short time in crossing
a slough the bridge over which had been torn up
AS soon the forces on the railroad neared the
river and Capt Sinclair had effected q crossing
over the slough on the main street. we charged tine
bridge. driving the. enemy across 1t, but when
within about $50 yards of the bridge the rebels
the river. g. .'..
When we reached the bridge IT was filed with
fiames-cvidently having been prepared for quick
| ignition. and being covered bridge it was impos
! sb.e to save it.
formed a line at the end of the bridge and Skin.
mished with the enemy across the river until about
II o'clock when was informed by Lieut.. Brush, OF
Gen. Smiths staff, who had just come from the
upper part of town, that skirmish line from the
Fourteenth Corps was entering the city from thai
! direction.
at withdrew my party from the bridge
anu was preparing to leave the city when received
orders from Gen. Smith to do so. moved my
) party to their camp on the plank road, near Fay
ettevilie.
am. sir. very respectfully, your obedient serv
ant, JEFF. J. HIBBETs.
LIEUT. commanding.
The facts are that the two wings of Sher
mans army were under orders TO reach Fay
etteville on the same day and to approach il
from different directions. Although the left
wing, under command of Gen. Siocum, was C
occupy the city when taken, the right wing
) commanded by Gen. o. o. Howard considered
it legitimate to pluck the honor of taking it
| provided we could get there first.
l remember well the eagerness to push for
ward in our ranks when we learned in the
early morning Oh our arrival at Little Rock fish
, Creek that there was a chance for us to reach
the city in advance of the left wing, and the
corresponding dependency when we found tho
bridge burned and the stream impossible. II
was deep and treacherous, and for once the
, bummers
KEsITATED TO "TACKLE IT"
, and had congreg;eted there awaiting pontoons
This delay was the occasion of Gen. Smith
ordering me to organize the bummers and
mounted men and make quick dash into Fay
etteville in advance of the main column.
The pontoons were quickly thrown across, ard
the first to go were the 200 gallant, reckless
fearless, devii-may care" bummers of the
| grand old Fourth Division. We alt out" a,
gallOp and soon reached the beautiful village
, of Rock fish, through which we drove a few
Confederate cavalrymen. We also captured
here 4 very handsome flag which, by the way
] have yet at my old home in Ohio 1t is 8
heavy blue silk flag, about regulation size
J and gold fringe On one side large spread
, eagle. with scroll, "E PuribRs Uupn" etc.
and on the other tho Goddess of Liberty lean
ing upon an anchor in mid ocean, and, think
this inscription: " Presented by the Ladies Of
, Rockfsh TO the Independent Union Liberty
, Guards" 1t is handsome relic of ante bellum
days in the South, aud l couldn't resist the
l -