The National tribune., 1885-02-26
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
The Part Taken by HOoker's Division.

To THE EDITOR: C. NJ. Barrett, of Port Ale
gany, Pa, in letter published in The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE of the 4th inst. states that
he detects an error in CarletOns" articles as
to the date of the arrival of Gen. Hooker's
army at Charlottesville; that he (Barrett)
thinks the army arrived there on the Doth of
April instead of April %, as he (Barrett) says
is shown by Carleton" and that Il Carleton"
states that the OutpOstS of the Twelfth Corps
were attacked and driven in.
] beg leave to state that both are in error so
far as relates to the date of the arrival of
Hooker's army at Charlottesville.
The Twelfth Corps which / think was the
first that arrived at Charlottesville, arrived
there about p. m. April 80, 1863, and Ruger's
Brigade of Williamss Division, Twelfth Corps,
camped that night in the woods south of the
plank road and about one mile southwest Of
the Chancellor house, almost on the identical
spot where it fought on the morning of May 3.
The Twelfth Corps was on the right of the
army in the reconnaissance or movement on
the enemy east of the Chancellor house, to-
wards Fredericksburg, on the morning of May
!, and had sharp skirmish with the enemy
on the plank road, about one mile and half
east of the Chancellor house, after which the
corps returned to the position occupied by
them the night previous Soon after the re-
turn of the corps in the afternoon from the
reconnaissance, the enemy attacked the out
pOoSS VI VIC Nclitu dHu huSSI eduC
was sent to their support and took up posi-
ton on Hazel Ridge in rear of the outposts,
but the outpOsts having held their ground,
Ruger's Brigade did not become engaged that
day. May l; but there was considerable Skin
mishing and cannonading that evening and
next day, May 2, while Stonewall Jacksons
Corps. which we could plainly see through an
opening in the woods about one mile in front
Of US, was passing in southwesterly direction
unmOested, until about l o'clock, May g Br-
ney's Division of the Third Corps marched out
from the right of the Twelfth Corps, struck the
rear of Jackson's Corps, and captured portion
of a regiment and two pieces of artillery. Will
liams's Division of the Twelfth Corps moved
forward to the left of Birney's Division about 5
o'clock, and was about to attack that portion of
Lees army to the left of Birney (Birney having
made wide gap in the rebel line) when sud-
denly we heard the roar of artillery and mus
kerry to our rear. Wiliams's Division faced
about and fastened back from the support of
Birney. Jacksons Corps had caught Howard
mapping, and was now breaking from the woods
upon his corps. Williams's Division quivered
as it neared the flying multitude, but the shock
was momentary. His advance brigade, Rugers,
marched with steady step to its assigned posi-
ton, and each other brigade fell, without con-
fusion, into its place, and checked Jacksons
onset on the south side Of the plank road.
The subsequent history of Ruger's Brigade
in the battle Of Charlottesville was graph
ically and correctly stated by "Carleton" in
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE of Dec. A. which is
as follows: "In Ruger's Brigade Of Wiliamss
Division are the Cd Mass, Sd Wis, and 9th
Ind. In front of them is McGowan's Brigade
from South Carolina. Three times the Confed-
crates rush upon them. to be rolled back as the
waves are tossed from a rOck-bound shore.
Three of the Confederate color-bcarers fall, one
after the other In like manner three in the
Cd Mass. go down. The Union troops are out
of ammunition, but they stand sulenly, with
fixed bayonets, holding the ground"
Ruger's Brigade, as constituted above, re-
manned unbroken from the beginning to the
close of the war-a brigade with common his
tory and common glory. BREsNAHAN, Co.
A, 9th Ind, Washington, ID. Q.