The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-29
THE CAMDEN TRIP.
The Bows wOuldn,t Ant for the English najOr.

Inc boys Az iVE tHt EhSitsu
To THE EDITOR: Comrade H. Emerich gives
a very interesting description of the Camden
Trip" in your valuable paper of April 90; but
il seems to me he is little of in some of its
parts / belonged to the command that went
10 Little Rock and to Camden, under Gen.
Steele, from the middle of August, 1863, to the
last of December, 1861, and thought it was the
Seventh Corps, composed of three divisions of
infantry, and, after we Joined it, one Of cav
airy. / thought the campaign to Camden was
made with that organization unbroken though
much reduced in numbers by veterans on fur
Tough and other causes. i thought Geu. Thay-
er's command was division composed of q
brigade of cOlored and one or two brigades Of
white troops. Comrade. +. speaks of these
commands, excepting the cavalry, as brigades.
If they were brigades, what became Of the di-
visions, and where did the other brigades he
speaks of come from? If i am wrong, will
some one who knows set me right?
Comrade E., after describing the Poisoned
Springs affair, says the command "met no fur
Their opposition" My information says there
was opposition almost to the edge of Camden.
i was laid up with severe attack of Jobs
complaint when the expedition started out, and
remained at Little Rock in charge of company
property and fragment of my company; but
/ derived my information from officers and
men on their return, when everything was
fresh. After the affair at the Springs, the COM
mand was moving very slowly, contending for
every foot of progress. The cavalry occupied
the road in column of fours; brigade OF in
fantry perhaps, was deployed on either side of
the road, contending with brush, logs. and
other natural Instructions. To the front was
a section of rebel artillery, now firing upon
our advancing forces then running ahead out
of range of the musketry, then firing again,
and so on, like little bobtailed dog trying to
tree bear, till the thing became mOnOtonOus.
s1,as,.
tions that they could scarce make any head
way, and the commanding officers were grow
| ing impatient. Our (Second) brigade was at
| the head Of the column, with our right in adj
vance,. A. Lemon, our English Major, COM
manding. The Major rode forward to the head
of the column, ordering charge upon the ar
| tillery. Our regimental commander refused to
obey, as the bushy state of the ground made it
| impossible to deploy mounted. He asked per-
mission TO dismount, which was refused, and
the order to charge repeated Obedience was
| then positively declined. The Major was nom
plussed, and reported to Gen. Carr, who said:
" By all means, Major, let your men dismount."
The order to dismount was given, the men
tumbled off their horses and were in line IN
jify. They were fresh as May roses when they
left their saddles, and darted forward like
young ducks in pursuit of insects. Before that
artillery knew what was up the carbine-bullets
were pattering about them like hail IN storm.
They lmbered up and left in a hurry. They
made two or three Intellectual attempts to fire
after that, but the boys kept too close to
them, and very soon drove them from
the road The dismounted men then
formed in column and pushed on to-
ward Camden, which was almost or quite
within sight. Mai. l.. rode forward with his
bugler by his side. The " Halt" was sounded,
but the column moved on. 1t was sounded
again more vigorously, but still the march con-
tinued, the boys yelling back, Sound the dis
mounted halt; we don't understand that now"
The Major, becoming somewhat frantic at this,
dashed forward almost 10 the head Of the col
umn, calling "'Alt, ALT, men wy don't you
'altf" The boys replied, We are going to
Camden, Major, and have no time to halt"
More frenzied than before, the Major spurred
back to Gen. Carr, where the main column had
been halted for brief rest, excaiming, at
shall do with my men? l can't get them to
alt; they won't 'altV The General replied,
smiling: Well, Major, If your men wont alt,
we will have to move up the infantry TO sup
port them but move forward their horses so as
| 10 oyertake them" and the order 70 march was
| given. The boys were oyertaken half mile
| out, were in their saddles again in twinkling,
and few minutes later were into and all over
| Camden. When they went into camp that
/ evening a company OF fOTagers going the
rounds would have had dry picking in that
town.
Our boys were good foragers as well as good
1 fighters, and were generous in dividing with
| those in need and having less opportunity.
/ They divided few times with an infantry
regiment on that campaign, and gained their
warm friendship. Our lads could always get
through the chain guard line, to or from the city,
when that regiment was on duty there, pass or
no pass. Two or three of our boys came near
being caught by tho officer of the day and
guard coming up Just as they were about 20
pass the line without the required document,
but the infantry lads sent them into the guards
tent 10 wait till said officers were gone, and
then sent them On their way rejoicing One
day some of them got into trouble with the
provost-guards when number Of that regi-
ment was close by. Our boys didn't go to the
guard-house that trip. What regiment was it Z
Who knOws?-G. w. SPAHR, Sergeant, Co. l, Sd
| No. Cav, Edwardsville, Ill.