The National tribune., 1885-03-19

What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
GETTYSBURG.


To THE EDITOR: So many articles have re-
Gently been published in THE TRIBUNE relat-
inc to Gettysburg-mauy of them containing
criticisms upon Gen. IIoward-that | hardly
feel at liberty TO take up your valuable space.
would not do So, if | had not heretofore, in
your columns, expressed my disaPproval Of
Howard At ChaucellOrsvilie.
am a sincere admirer OF Gen Howard, and.
while / think he was at fault at Chancellors-
vile, !. rs clearly as possible, desire to give
him great credit for his cool judgment at Get
tysburg which backed by prompt action, gave
us the position on Cemetery Ridge upon which
to fight the great and decisive battle OF the
war
will psy no attention TO the assaults upon
the bravery either of the Eleventh or the First
Corps ] myself belonged TO the Eleventh
Corps both at Charlottesville and Gettysburg
and ran about as fast as / could in both bat
ties and am glad that had the nerve to do So
In fact, in nearly every engagement was in
up TO the second day at Gettysburg, / had to
DO more or less running and ] have no use for
soldier of the last war who tells me he rever
was IN a retreat 1t is confession that he was
always in the rear.
The First Corps was as good as the Eleventh
10 better. There were probably towards III
both. i saw
eTRAGGLERS FROM BOTH CORPS,
and in about the same proportion. ! saw Off
GERS of the First Corps running away from
nothing and / saw an officer of the Eleventh
Corps Judge G. p. Wicllham, now upon the
bench in Ohio, then Captain in the 55th
Ohio run his sword into an officer OF the Eley-
enth Corps, who was acting in a cowardly man-
ner.
is il not better TO try and bring out facts for
future history, and let up or this silly twaGdle
Of cowaTdice? A man is focl that assumes
that ! 900 American boys, between the ages of
lie and % raised in Central New York, Yer
q
harder or run faster, when occasion required,
than the same number of boys raised in Mas
sachusetts Western New York Ohio.
The date | give and language generally are
taken from the regimental history of the 18th
Ohio, now before me- made up from mcmoTan-
dams written the day following the last day S
battle. | will only add here that i served with
Gen. Barlow, as Aid, until he was wounded,
and after that with Gen. Ames, and have Wis
tied the battlefield since the war.
1t was on the 10Th of June, 1853, that our
corps Eleventh. left camp to participate in the
Gettysburg campaign, and the 18th of June
found it at Emmittsburg, Nd. Both armies
were being rapidly concentrated-Lee having
issued orders for his Corps Commanders to
unite at Gettysburg. On the date above given
the First and Eleventh Corps were at Emmits-
burg. The Third and Twelfth at Middleburg,
the Fifth st Taneytown, the Second at Union
town and the Sixth at New Windsor.
On the Both the army advanced nearer the
suSquehanna. the Eleventh remaining at En-
mittshurg The First Corps had been ordered
TO Gettysburg, but Gen. Reynolds its COM
mander had halted it at Marsh Creek, as the
enemy were reported nearing his position.
at this time Gen. Meade determined to make
his defensive position on Pipe Creek, about Is
miles southeast of Gettysburg.
in looking over the country around Gettys-
burg it is difficult TO conceive what Meade's
idea could have been in selecting this position
He could not have forced Lee TO fight him on
that line and as il did not, in any way, inter
feTe with the latters communications, he might
have kept mp his depredatons iii Pennsylya-
MIA, retiring at his convenience across the Po-
tomac.
But fortunate bldnders interviewed in favor
Of the Union cause, and gallant Pennsylvs-
nian-Gen. Reynolds-was fortunately, near
the rebel forces.
~, Without orders from Meade, he determined
20 continue his
ADVANCE TO GETTYSBURG,
directing the Eleventh Corps to come to his
support and upon the morning Of July ] our
corps was marching rapidly towards Gettys-
burg, Gen. Barlow's Division in advance.
Gen. Barlow had been ordered to halt the
head OF the column and await orders when ne
reached church four miles from Gettysburg.
Before reaching that place, however, heavy
cannonading was heard in The direction OF Get
tysburg, and Gen. Barlow directed me to ride
ahead as rapidly as possible, ascertain the cause
eff the firing, and also TO carry the information
that be would not matt ut the church.
j rode with speed towards Gettysburg, but
before reaching the town made up my mind that
the heaviest fighting was going on TO the left
of the road, and ] struck across the fields, but
before reaching the battlefield / met Capt.
Pearson OF Gen. Towards staff, aud repeated
nay order to him. Capt Pearson replied: - |
was just on my way TO Gen. Barlow. Ride back
and tell the General. for Gods sake, TO push on
with the utmost speed. The First Corps has
been engaged for three hours with greatly
superior force which is being rapidly re-
enforced. Gen. Reynolds and half his corps
are killed and wounded, and Gen. Howard has
assumed command
This was about IL o'clock a. NJ, not over
Eve minutes either way, and / have often won
Sered since whether Gen. Howard knew at hat
time of the death of Reynolds. / know as
rode back, my Impression was that Capt. Pear
son carrying the intelligence TO Gen How
trd OF Reynolds death, and knowing Gen. H0
srd had reached Gettysburg and was the rank
Ing officer. had, Of course, assumed command.
Gen. Barlow had become impatient, and dis
patched Capt. Wickham, one of is staff officers
for orders | met Wickham, aud we rode back,
meeting Gen. Barlow some distance ahead OF
his command, which was marching at almost a
double-Guick.
/ repeated the information received from
Pearson, aud Gen. Barlow directed Capt. Wick
srge the march as much as possible.
The battle Was raging furOusly, the whole
Of the First Corps being engaged and having
suffered great loss Gen. Barlow rode TO the
suburbs of Gettysburg, accompanied by myself,
and there met staff officer of Gen. Howard,
who directed him where TO take his division.
The officer spoke of what a small reserve We
would have on Cemetery Hill.
Our corps socn came i'll sight on the dusty
road, and at o'clock was in position on the
right of acknowledgements Division, prolong-
ing the line Of the First Corps to the right on
seminary Ridge.
Steinwehr's Division, with the reserve artil-
lery under Maj. Osborne, was placed on Gene
tery Hill in rear of Gettysburg
This disposition, ] am well satisfied, was
made by the
DIRECT ORDER OF GEN. HOWARD,
who had preceded his corps 10 Gettysburg
reaching there IN time 10 hear Of Gen Reyn-
elds's death. He knew that he had at best bat
feeble force left. The First Corps was being
driven back, and he could only hope to check
the rebel advance with the remnant of the
First Corps and two divisions he could spare
from the Eleventh Corps, backed by the reserve
artillery.
/ understood from staff officers Immediately
after the battle, that while Gen. Howard was
making his dispositions for holding Cemetery
Hill he received five distinct orders from Gen.
Meade 10 withdraw his forces and not ATTEMPT 10