The National tribune., 1886-03-18
SPOTS SYLVANIA.
Sf = = I AINIA.
The Way in Which The Rebels We're Surprised.


To THE EDITOR: With your permission
will say few words in regard to the occur
rences spoken of by Samuel Dunham, of Co. K
63d Pa, in THE TRIBUNE of Jan. Z, 1856. And
lust here let me correct his mistake in the date
of the battle of Spottsylvana which was in
1864 instead of 1863, as you know we were un-
der Gen. Grant at that time, and he did not
take command of the Army of the Potomac
until 1864 And | have one other proof before
me, that is all the letters that | wrote home
while in the army, sewed together in regular
order and it takes but moment to refer to
any date.
The day before the battle of Spottsylvania
Court house, the Second Corps, under the COM
mand of Gen. Hancock was at the right of the
line Word came of heavy fighting at the left,
and that the Sixth Corps was having a hard
time | well remember what a deep sleep
was aroused from at midnight of tho 11th of
Nav, 1861. We were told that we were to
march at the extreme left of the line and great
caution must be observed in regard to noise. as
a surprise on the enemy was anticipated The
march was very tedious, the ground being very
rough and a good deal of underbrush. The
night was very dark but / do not remember a
time when men marched so quietly. So much
precaution was used that even the pioneers,
who had mules to carry some of their extra
tools, had a man march at their heads with
club so if they attempted to bray, as all the
bOyS knew tney WOuiu uo Ill the early iHoIn-
ing, to hit them a whack and stop it.
1t proved favorable morning for the sur
prise, as it was quite foggy. We arrived at the
extreme left, opposite the Confederate breast
works. These were the most formidable ever
saw, having right-angle breastworks running
from the main works, SO if we took one part of
the works, they could jump over the right
angle ones and give us rough time III keeping
what we had taken.
Tuct Inyr ara6
could see but few feet ahead. The question
was asked by the charging line at what point
they could begin to cheer, and the answer was,
"After you pass the belt of pine woods" |
think this was mistake, and believe if the
cheer could have been given at the right point
We should not have lost as many men as we
did, as it gave the enemy warning of our ap-
proach. Even the cheer did not start them AS
l should have thought it would. l was so Gu
rous in regard to it that asked q Confederate
who was in the engagement about it afterward
and he said they had given US such whipping
the day before that they did not expect us back
so soon. 1t proved great surprise; even the
picket firing did not alarm the command. The
first breaStworks were scaled, and no 0ppOsi-
ton, but at the second one they showed some
opposition bnt it was only for little while. as
our men rushed upon them and the struggle
was short. Eight thousand prisoners were
taken and Gems. johnson and Stewart were
among them, and brought up the rear. What
particular regiments in the charge fianked the
right of the breastworks l cannot say, but l
think it was a part of the Third Corps that
had been consolidated with the Second Corps !;
but whoever they were, they cut Off all re-
treat across the large open field in the rear of
the works. and they probably were the ones
who captured the two Generals. l know the
line Of prisoners were marched in good order
to the rear, and halted within a few rods of
Gen. Hancock's headquarters. The General
came out and gave an order to one of his staff
to halt regiment that was then passing to the
front, and l must say that / think if the troops
that were passing to the front then had been
on hand at early morning, as l understood they
were to have been, the line Of Gen. Lees army
could have been cut in two and we could have
turned right and left on his whole line and
captured them all with the aid of those along
the front of our line.-JOsEPH E. MINER, Co.
G, 18th Mass, Clinton, Mass.