The National tribune., 1886-05-06
NEW MADRID.
Comrade Ramsay Thinks the 10th I'LL. Claims TOT
Much.

To THE EDITOR: find in your issue of
April communication from Comrade NJ. j.
Clerihan, Co. B, 10th ILL.,, in which he claims a
great deal of glory for the said 10th H., and
Judging from what he says they undoubtedly
"did sling gore" and lots of it, too: But
happen to know that part at least of the glory
claimed by the comrade could just as truly be
claimed By several other regiments who were
no doubt as loyal and patriotic as the bloody
10th. He says: On March IL, 1862, after sew
eral attempts to capture New Madrid we with
the aid of the 10th ILL., captured that strong
fortress"
Now, / can hardly understand how the 10th
and 10th could spread themselves out enough
to invest the rebel works at New Madrid as
line long enough to invest the Notifications
at that place would at least have been two miles
long, and would have been very weak line for
storming fortress l happen to know that
there were several other reg ments in that line
at the time of the attack on that strong fortress
among which were the 51st, 47th and 43d Ind,
Ito the latter of which the writer belongedD
and when the attack was ordered we formed
our line before daylight and advanced very
close to the rebel pickets, and halted for day
light to make the attack, and while we were
lying in line we heard the last of the rebels
leaving the strong fortress and crossing the
river on steamboats, They left without re-
lieving their pickets, which we captured as soon
to their works we found they had silently as
possible folded their tents and took themselves
off," so that we did not have to do very much
fighting to capture the place. He further says:
1.-THE 10th ILL.,, assisted by the 18th Ill.," chow
nobly those two regiments stood by each other,)
captured $500 rebels at Tiptonville, Tenn" L
suppose they just surrounded these Johnnies, as
they would be so scared when they saw the
Bloody 10th Ill. coming that one man of the
10th assisted by the 10th ILL., could just sur
round five or six rebels without any trouble.
But / happen to know that those Johnnies
would and did fight. After New Madrid was
captured the 47th and Add Ind. and some other
troops hauled by hand a 24-pounder cannon
from New Madrid to Riddles Point, 16 miles
below, on the river, and planted battery and
dug rifle pits, in order to cut off supplies from
Island No. 10. The next morning after we got
there we were attacked by seven rebel gun
boats. But we were there to stay, and they
had to leave. So when the rebels evacuated
New Madrid they fell back Tiptonville, which
place was Just across the river from Point
Pleasant and in full view from there, and we
often exchanged shots with them. We stayed
at Riddles Point till one of our gunboats ran
past the batteries at Island No. 10 and came
down to us. There Gen. Payne crossed his
command over from New Madrid and came
down on the rebels at Tiptonville, and as they
could not get away except by passing under the
fire of our gunbeat the country back from the
river being overlooked, they had to sur
render. But they did not surrender then with
out some fighting, and am very certain Gen.
Payne had more troops with him at that time
than the 10th and 10th ILL., Now, l say all
honor to the Bloody 10th, but Comrade Cleri-
han should not claim any more than he is enti-
tied to.-ED. /. RAMSAY, Co. B, 43d Ind, Abba,
Iowa.