The National tribune., 1886-04-15
ANTIETAM.
COnrade Walton Insists that Time Has not Dlmmed
His Memory.

HIS memory.
To THE EDITOR: l see in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE of March IL, 1856, that Comrade Pot
ter, of the 2lst Mass, takes exceptions to my
statements made in former letter in regard
to these battles, and more especially as to the
capture Of Burnside's Brigade, and objects to
the use Of memory-and especially that Of a
private-in writing statements that do not ex-
actly, as he thinks, coincide with the " facts y
written BY an officer
Now | will Just plead guilty TO the soft i'm
parchment of writing my former statement
from recollection only" and also to entertain
ing the Supposition that private could see
about rs much of battle as a line officer
could; but if / am wrong in these points
humbIy beg pardon, and Will in future try to
comply with the comrades notions, SO far as
can conscientiously.
And now as the comrade has drawn con-
cealed weapon" on me in the shape of regi-
mental history, of the existence of which l was
ignorant, written by an officer, will ask him
to pardon me If / return his fire with The
History of the 30th Ohio" by Lieut.. Henry
Il. Brinkcrhot, afterwards Colonel. On page
45 | find the following statement: About IL
o'clock we started TO the left and front, and
after a zig-zag march, behind hills and along
ravines. reached the Antietam about two miles
below the bridge, crossed the stream, and
moved up toward the bridge. In the mean
time a severe battle had been going on in this
locality and it was only after desperate
struggle that the bridge was taken and the
enemy driven from the nights on the river
bank. We now, in fact, were the advance, and
when we came near The bridge we were formed
in line and moved at once up the bank towards
the enemy. On reaching the summit of the
hill the enemy opened on us with his artillery,
planted about 1000 yards distant, with such
fury as 10 compel us to fall back under cover
of the bank. Here we remained about 80 min
utes when an order came from Colonel Scam
mon to again move forward at double quick
to a stone wall about 500 yards to the front"
Now Comrade Potter will please notice that,
though my recoliections do not correspond ex-
actly with the facts as written on the spot,
from our point of observation, and by an oil
Ger, too, yet, in the main points they are al
most identical. Although l had not read the
account for 10 or Is years at least. and had en-
tirely forgotten that it was written at tho
time of writing my former letter, all of this
simply proves my former supposition, to wit .
that a private could see part of battle, and
that the principal events were liable to be
burned into his memory so indelibly that he
could recollect them even after % years.
But TO come back to the point in question. l
think the comrade kicked before he was spurred,
as there was nothing in my letter. nor is there
from the laurels Of the gallant troops-whoever
they were, for | never knew until his letter
who fought the fierce battle at the bridge; but
it only explains little point that would natur-
ally arise where his history says: " But before
the colors of the two 51stS had touched the
long-disputed bridge the panicstricken rebels
left their cover and fled" Now, no doubt, those
very troops wondered what caused the panic,
but, if am not mistaken, the Johnnies could
tell them that ii was caused by the knowledge
that their flank was in danger from troops COM
ing up the stream "on the rebel side" though
out of sight of the Union troops who We're at
the bridge, and that goes TO show that although
a line officer and even a private can see a part
of battle, they can't see it all; and for that
matter never saw General or any other man
who could see all of battle.
And now rs to the honor Of the capture, etc,
l don't know anything about it, as honors of
that kind when accorded TO any particular
command by the authorities generally resulted
in something substantial to the big officers, but
to the private soldier they were of but little
practical value in the field, or even now, for
that matter; and if the comrade wants 10 lay
claim to the honors why, all o. K, let him
have them. The honor of having been a SOL
der for four years in the service of my coun-
try, participating in q battles and being always
on hand when | was needed, is glory enough
for me- and | love all the comrades too well
and respect them too much TO refuse to allow
them any little pleasure of recollection of army
life; and so, comrade, here is my hand If you
want it, and we Will talk about something
good TO cat, as the boys used TO say. But if it
would give you any more pleasure to argue the
case further, all right, here goes, just as
long as our comrade, the Editor will give lis
the ROOM. L. WALTON, Co. l, Both Ohio,
hOleen, Ind.