The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-01-29
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
THE TECHE CAMPAIGN.
A Cemrade Corrccts Some Statements in sessrs
Mason and Fr,'s Account Of the Expedition.


A Camrade Corrccts Some Statements In Sessrs.
Mason and Fry's Account of the Expedition.
To THE EDITOR: The article published in
your issue of Sth inst. by Frank ii. Mason and
Jno w Fry, AID Ohio, headed "a On the Teche,
is somewhat i'm error. at least where 1t purports
to give an account of the " killing and capture "
of the seth Ohio ut Shaggy Point, Oh Red River,
on the 9TH of May "a, and the casualties in
the l20th Ohio, at the same point, on the day
previous
As the writer was captured at the same time
(5th) and place and made the march TO Camp
Ford, near Tyler, Tex, with all who were cap
tured on both days 18th and 5th), he knows
that the entire number captured tminus the
woundedl, including the crew of the Signal,
soldiers. and civilians employed on the trans
ports did not amount to much over 100 men.
The facts are these: Gen. Banks ordered me
TO proceed to Nicksburg with dispatches for
Lieut. Gen. Grant Maj.-Gens. Steele and Rose
Grams and the Governor of Missouri. My
instructions were 10 telegraph the several offi-
Gals named on reaching Vicksburg. Stepping
on board the gUnboat Signal at Alexandria at
$50 o'clock on the morning of May 3, 81, we
started down stream Immediately. At different
points on our way we were fired into by picket
posts stationed behind the levee, my memo
randum book says, at about 2 o'clock p. M;
again at 3. and again at dusk"
Just before dark We came upon the gunboat
Coyington conveying the transport John War
ner having on board the o6th Ohio, going home
on veteran furlsugh. Both boats were tied to
the bank" lying-to for the night" After
consultation of the Captains commanding the
gunboats, il was decided TO remain where we
were until morning, the very low stage of the
water rendering navigation at night very un-
safe. Soon after this mot yet dark we received
a heavy volley of musketry from an unseen foe
behind the levee on the opposite shore.
Heavy guns were at once trained in that
direction aud the woods were sheled at brief
intervals all night; but, as We afterwards
learned, to little purpose; for, owing to the
low stage of water, the guns had TO be so de-
pressed in order to hit the ievee that the shots
went away over the heads of our foe into the
country beyond.
At daylight we set sail in the following
order: the John Warner. then the Coyington,
followed by the Signal. We had gone but a
short distance when we were opened upon by
a heavy fire of musketry and cannon, cutting
clean through our upper works, knocking
every thing into splinters, and penetrating the
armor of the Signal by one or two well directed
shots
Just as the Warner got into the bend SHAGGY
Point her tiller rope was cut, and she hung
there helpless hulk, blocking up the narrow,
shallow stream.
Word was then sent on board for the regiment
to go ashore and march up stream under cover
OF the gunboats. Ere the gunboas could
turn, though, they were crippled and while
the Signal continued to engage the enemy, the
Covington was fired, her crew escaping to shore
and Joining the forces there,-all of whom
reached Alexandria (35 miles above by water
safely, there being no enemy on that side OF
the river Some few may have gone down
stream, as stated.
Now. as the writer saw the seth Ohio march
ashore from the Warner, they could not have
been nearly all killed or captured"
Jumping ashore from the Signal, the writer
was taking his chances in climbing up the
bank, when Capt. Morgan, of the Signal, seeing
him, ordered him back, saying he had sur
rendered the boat with all on board" Having
destroyed my dispatches, / was soon in COM
pany with our friends who wore the gray, who
proved to be Gen. Majors Brigade of Texans.
Marching around our army at Alexandria, we
were placed on a steamboat and sailed up TO
Shreveport whence we marched to the stock
ade Camp Ford near Tyler, Tex.-a distance
of 40 miles.
Should this meet the eye of Lieut.. Roberts,
of the 18th Ohio who WAS of my mess
males in Camp Ford, he VIII recall the facts as
stated above.
Roberts made his escape very quietly one
night. and the writer used to cover him mp "
by answering TO his name at roll-call--W.
Orleans, La.
The Last Fight of the Army of the Potomac.
To THE EDITOR: Not seeing anything in
your valuable paper from this Neck of the
Woods y for some time, and believing that
could write something which might prove in
teresting to some of the gallant old veterans
who served in the 9th \. Y, i will just
make the assertion at the outset that this
regiment fought the last fight of the Army OF
the Potomac before Lee surrendered. / wish
to be understood that we were the last infantry
who were engaged in battle there may have
been some cavalry dashes under Gen. Sheri-
dam, and Gen. Nelson Miles will bear me out
IN the assertion. On the morning of the 9TH
day of April, 1865, as the First Division of the
Second Corps, commanded by that noble and
gallant young General, Nelson A. Miles (who
has later distinguished himself fighting the
Indian on the extreme frOntier,) were march
ing by the flank in column and when nearing
Farmville, Va, with the Gath on the lead we
were very much surprised at shot from ri
fed cannon coming over and landing in our
midst, killing the headquarters bugler, who
was only a few feet In rear of Gen. Miles, who
was on horseback. The General quickly gave
orders for the Gath to advance and deploy as
administers" and no sooner was that order
given than we were in position TO drive the
enemy from his position. We advanced through
small piece Of timber, then over a wheat
field, and just at the brow of the hill we en-
countered twO-gun battery, supported by a
small detachment of Gen. A. p. Hills infantry.
To make long story short. we soon had their
guns in our possession and were marching
down the hin with them, when we were re-
charged by very much superior force, and
were compelled TO give up the captured cannon
again. We kept up our battling until night
fall, charging and recharging, when, by force
of numbers against US, we withdrew a short
distance. 10 a small ravine, in order to find
better shelter from the enemys sharpshooters.
We found upon summing up our losses for the
day, that one of our gallant and brave young
Captains Henry c. Darby was among the slain,
having been shot through the bowels, so that his
entrails protruded through the ball-hoe. Our
losses were seven men killed and % wounded
Among the enlisted men killed was Jno. Crosby,
9 young Seneca Indian. So much for the last
fight of the war / wonder how many of the
boys of that days engagement are left 10 tell
the story. So much for the old Gath n. Y
F. c. JONES, Capt, Gath n. Y, Kansas City,
Mo.
To Stop an Obstinate Cough.
4 new medical book mentions 1872 cough