The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-01-22
LONGSTREETS EXPEDITION
A Comrade Criticses CarlctOn's'' Account OF that
Rebel Generals Campaign on the Rlackwater.

A Comrade Critieises "Carlcton's' Account Of that
Rebel Generals Campaign on the Blackwater.
To THE EDITOR: "Carletons" interesting
article OH Longstreets foraging campaign OH
the Blackwater will be of interest to the many
veterans who did duty around Suffolk in 1863.
Carleton" gives the object and aim of the
Confederate communicable capture of Suf-
folk and Norfolk We who were there thought
so at the time, but as he never tried to take
Suffolk, we are to assume that he did not want
it, as the possession of it and Norfolk would
have been of no great advantage to them and
no great loss to us; but we know now that his
object was to obtain the provisions that were
in the country between Suffolk and Peters
burg, the owners of which had gained some
light and little knowledge of the power Of
the Union. These people did not hear the cry
of Lee that Winter of 1923, calling for bread
and meat; their barns were full of corn and
forage; their smoke-houses full Of ham and
bacon, which they did not care to
EXCHANGE FOR CONFEDERATE SCRIP.
In fact, these people had wholesome respect
for the United States caused by the periodic
visits of its well-fed and well-mounted cavalry,
and many of its richest and most prominent
farmers had taken the oath of allegiance to
the United States that they might save their
property. Our authorities made mistake that
they took care afterward not to repeat; in sue
ceeding years, what our horses and men did
not consume we burnt-this was Grants, Sher-
mans and Sherdans way-it shortened the
war, and after all it was war. LOngstreet was
sent by Lee to scare Suffolk, while the Confed-
crate Commissioners scooped in all the corn
and ham and stored it in Richmond to feed
Lees army. He scared US, and we did think
that he would try to capture US.
Carleton" think, is wrong in his descrip-
ton of the capture of that fort on the Nanse-
mond, which he calls Fort Hayes, and says it
was built in 1862. The only fort captured by
our forces was one constructed on q bluff di
rectly opposite Cahoone's Point Capt. Ca
hoone's farm, and as l was on picket with
three men on the Point, saw the Confederates
commence the work and reported to Maj. Vince
Ian, who reported it to Gen. Getty, who came
down with some of the gunboat officers. When
the Confederates had completed the work, they
mounted it with four ritled Parrots which
Longstreet took from Mcclellan on the PENN
sula, and they just stopped navigation on that
river. Now, about the capture, think - Garlic
ton" is in error. An expedition was fitted
out, composed exclusively of volunteers from
the troops under Getty. Of my regiment 100
men were taken, under Maj. James N. Vince
Ian, and about 400 infantry. l do not remem
Der who commanded the expedition. 1t moved
down the river in the night on a gunboat,
landed, and started for the fort but did not
will recollect that a rocket went up with a
great noise, when they fell back to the gunboat
and retired. The next night another expedi-
ton was sent-not volunteers this time-un-
der command of Col. Donohue, of the 18th N.
H., and was composed of men of that regiment
alone, and not the Sth Conn. or seth N. Y, as
remember. Donohue was red-headed Irish
man, and he took it neat and clean.
The story of " Carleton" that the sailors ran
out their howitzers up the bank wheeled them
into position, is not correct. The infantry ran
up the bank and caught the Confederates sleep
ing, capturing every man, the four guns and
one old brass piece, and got them away. Maj
Gen. French commanded the rebels, and Long
street put him under arrest
FOR BEINGlcAUGHT MAPPING.
Again, Carleton says that Longstreet
abandoned Suffolk on the night of May g This
is an error On Sunday, May 3, the Corcoran
Legion, under Col Michael Murphy, and an
other brigade, of which the 103d n Y, under
Col. Ringgold, was one of the regiments,
crossed Oh pontoon over the Nansemond at
Suffolk and fought all day. Whoever COM
manded remained back in the town, and about
4 o'clock sent out courier with an order to
Ringgold to charge across the field and drive
the enemy from the woods in front. Ringgold
was one of the Colonies that we read about.
remember him well as drawing his sword, and,
moving out in front of his men, who were
under cover, he ordered them forward. He
was instantly hit, and
FELL MoRTALLY WOUNDED.
After dark we We're Withdrawn into Suffolk
The next morning gSIonday, May A. a strong
force, with the 11thaPa. Cav. in the advance
moved out on the Somerton road and advanced
slowly i remember we did not feel first rate
We had passed a regiment going home,-the
Hawkins Zouaves,-and it made many of us a
little homesick, too Suddenly we saw the
Pennsylvanians charge, the whole regiment
being led by their gallant Col. Sam Spear, the
fnest-looking officer that ever mounted yell
low horse. They went over the breastworks,
which were defended with wooden logs in lieu
of guns. Longstreet left the night of the Sd.
We followed him to the Blackwater, which he
crossed safely. Those Johnnies could march :;
they could beat our best cavalry.
On returning to Suffolk the Mounted Rifles
came in on tho Providence Church road. At
its junction with the Isle Of Wight road was
the extensive plantation and residence of
typical Virginian named Ely. He had taken
the oath of allegiance, but upon Longstreet's
coming down he led Fitz- Hugh Lees cavalry
through the woods and captured our picket at
the church. He was very anxious for Lee to
punish our men, saying they had annoyed him
very much, and was very insulting to our men,
thinking that his people had come to stay. 1t
was dark when we reached his house; our
boys dismounted and set fire to it, furnishing
him for perjury and treason. ] wonder if the
two large chimneys are standing yet? Cap
tain of our regiment wrote book under the
title of Evolution of Life" In it he libels
his own regiment, saying we burnt the house
while our officers were enjoying the hospitality
Of the family. When read this it shook my
faith ia history-but the Captain was not there.
w. II. ARMSTRONG, Troop b, LIST N Y. MID
Rifles, N. Y.