The National tribune., 1885-07-30
He corrects sscarleton. and comr.de Bartlett.


To THE EDITOR: There ere several things
about which wish to say few words, the first
of which is "Carleton's" article on the Vicks-
burg campaign, in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE OF
June 4. l have been waiting to see if some OF
the old First Brigade, Twelfth Division, boys
would not step to the front with corrections. ]
have given them sufficient time in which to
speak, and as they seem to be Indifferent, l
want them to sit still while / speak my little
piece about mistakes Carleton" in a short
sketch Of Port Gibson, says: The men John
niesl fought stubbornly, but were driven back,
losing 80 killed, $40 wounded, 600 prisoners and
battery" This is mistake No. /. There were
two, or parts of two batteries captured-One on
the left by tho men Of Osterhaus's Division,
and another Qst Va.) on the right by Hovey's or
Carr's men, or both. This is still disputed
point between the two divisions. Again. in
speaking of the battle of Champions Hill,
Carleton" says: Hovey begins the attack,
his left flank pushing up the hill, advancing
step by STEP charging upon Cummings Bril-
gade, sweeping it back and capturing IL can
non." This is mistake No. 3 There were
three batteries captured by Hovey's Division at
Champions Hill. The 18th Ind, 29th Wis.
and 46th Ind, belonging to the right wing of
HOvey's Division. captured one fOur-gun and q
two-gun battery on the right of the road, and
the oath Iowa, of the left wing, captured five
gun battery on the left of the road. Although
forced to relinquish them several times during
the fight, think at the wind-up the Twelfth
Division held every piece of artillery captured
by it that day.
A few more words in regard to Comrade
Bartletts article on the Teche campaign, and /
am through. l am quite positive the comrade
makes mistake when he says the retrograde
movement commenced at Opelousas! i remem-
Der passing through OpeOusas and for some
distance beyond. Also, where he mentions the
9th Mass. battery he should have said Nims's
I'd Mass. battery. He is correct as to tho
regiment that came to their support at
Grand Coteau, Sergeant" Co. A, 2Sth Iowa,
to the contrary Notwithstanding At the
time the fight came off the Fourth Divis-
ion (Burbridge's) was in camp in the edge
of the timber, about three miles in front,
towards Opelousas. Our Third Division was
camped on the open prairie. The remainder
of the army was still farther back, somewhere
between US and Vermillionville. There had
been a scare the day before, Nov. 2, and the di-
vision was called out, but did not leave camp.
When the racket opened on the Sd our regi-
ment was first in line, and from the looks of
things there was no time to be lost in getting
to the front. Col. Bringhurst, becoming impa-
tient at the slow movements of the other regi.
ments, started US on the double-quick for the
fight on his own responsibility. We were not
missed until the division was ready to move,
Wutu 0tus OduoIOu lOuuu We udu StOicu u
march on him and had covered more than half
the distance to the field of battle. An Orderly
was sent after us in haste with orders for US TO
stop and take our position in the brigade. Col.
Bringhurst's answer was: Tell Gen. Cameron
to come on with the brigade, and they can have
their place when they get here" Just before
reaching the field we met one gun of Nims's
I'd Mass. battery, which, with prolong attached,
was firing as it retreated, followed by a number
of the1enemV'S cavalry This pun went hack
with us, and we struck the enemy just in front
of where the 18th Ohio battery had lost its
gun, and the first intimation the rebels had of
our presence was vOlley delivered in their
faces as they clustered around the captured
gun. and within 10 minutes from that time the
fight was over. And I make the assertion here,
without fear of successful contradiction, that
the 10th Ind. was the only regiment belonging
to the Third Division that was on tho field un-
til after the enemy gave way and the firing
ceased.-R. II. MARTIN, Co. !, 46th Ind, Del
phos, O.