The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-01-14
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
The Bloody Fight at shepherdstown Ford.
THE 18th PA.

The Bloody Fight at Shepherdstown Ford.
To THE EDITOR: Although not member OF
the above mentioned regiment, and notwlth-
standing / saw no more of the affair at Shep- |
herdstown described in your paper by Com-
rades Hendricks and Gilpin than could be seen
from the opposite side OF the river, where NY
regiment was lying (the order for US to cross
having been countermanded), did see enough
the next morning, while looking over the scene
of the fight and retreat, TO satisfy me that, ieav
ing out of question the amount or quality OF
fighting done, Comrade Gilpin is right in his
belief that the unfortunate 1lSth was on that
occasion caught in terrible trap-was SUBJ
jected to the oft-quoted baptism of fire in
fact, to an ordeal that might well have awed
the best and bravest of any army.
After the withdrawal across the river OF our
men, except q few who remained hid from the
enemy's fire under the arches and river banks,
and who crossed after dark, my regiment and
some others spent the rest of the day and part
of the night in the dry canal which here ran
close along the river. The Johnnies were well
posted behind the brow of the rocky bluff, and
annoyed Us considerably. One fellow IN par
ticular, who held snug position behind Dig
rock kept up continual fire from secure
loophole We would frequently pour IN dozen
shots in return for his one, and he would as
often spring up and swing his hat and yell IN
derision, only TO go down again before anyone
could hit him. This at last became SO monoto-
nous that we sent up to the 10th Mich. and got
q couple of their sharpshooters with target
rifles and pointing out the rock to them, they
both drew bead on the spot where he was
sure to pop up aud waited for mis- next appear
ance He soon fired again, and almost before
the bullets from our return volley had ceased
TO patter on his rocky shelter be sprang up with
defiant yell, which turned to death shrek
as he fell pierced by the bullets from the rifles
of the two Michigan boys. He was found there
\ ,-,.l,1 tcl,, N
some English breech-loader.
Near morning L. p Bush and myself, who
were sleeping under the same blanket, were
awakened by our Sergeant-Major, who in
formed us that he was looking for Co Il,
to make detail OF two men to go across
the river early with flag of truce.
Bush and /, glad of an opportunity to look
over the scene of yesterdays fighting and have
a chat with the rebs,-not knowing it was
q burying party we were to join,-both offered
to 90 aud thus save him any further search IN
the darkness. Accordingly we reported with
the rest of the detail at daylight and proceed
ed to the ford, where, after considerable delay
in getting our white flag recognized, owing TO
the fog we were allowed to cross, and, after
strong caution from the rebs against removing
any of the many guns knapsacks and other
aecouterments which were scattered about, pro-
ceeded to the task of burying the poor fellows,
who had apparently been allowed by the enc
my to ascend the bluff by circuitous route,
only to have their retreat over the same road
cut off and be driven by overwhelming num-
bers directly over its rocky face.
Being non. CON-, was not required to use
spade and improved the opportunity to look
over the ground and exchange A." chat" with
the guards, who were scattered around to see
that we did not remove any of the mate
rial My attention was attracted to one OF
them who was carrying huge double barreled
shotgun, and as / knew had frequently heard
such piece during the night, / approached
him with the question If it was he who had
kept up such laundering all night with that
young cannon. "Wall," said be, II reckon
did do my sheer of it. Did / hurt any of you
fellows2" / answered that the greatest harm
done was by keeping us awake. Whereupon he
grinned broadly, and responded: Wall, l
reckon we fixed your fellows good yesterday.
We Jest laid back and let you come till we had
you where we wanted you, and then l guess
some of you thought it was rocky road to
Richmond" l begged ppeful Of tobacco from
him and passed on.
] do rot remember how many were buried
by our party, but know that it was more than
we expected to find. Many of the bodies were
recovered from almost inaccessible places, where
they had lodged among the bushy growth on
the side of the bluff some having apparently
been killed by the fall. Some believe, were
killed with the bayonet. Numbers were found,
with their knapsacks still slung, lying in sew
eral 1eeJ OF wafer, WHSTc udu uecu
down while trying to escape across the river.
Scores of muskets and knapsacks were found
at one place, where the owners had left them
before trying to swim across the deeper water
of the dam.
In spite of repeated and emphatic warnings
could not resist the temptation, when none OF
the guards were looking, to try and exchange
my worn and battered cap for a shiny new
one which / found lying among the rocks
snatched it up, only to find that it had been
pierced from front to rear by bullet and the
inside still reeking with blood and brains. II
is needless to say that left it where it was
found.
AS was walking up the river road towards
Shepherdstown / saw body which some one
had found time to cover with blanket. out
side of which was pinned paper bearing the
inscription, Daniel Greene, Co. -, 11sth Pa
Vols" 1t was the name of my fathers brother
my own uncle. As I stood staring at the
name l remembered that 1 had lately heard
from home that Uncle Dan !" had enlisted in
Pennsylvania regiment, and / was sure that
he was then lying, cold in death, before me
Judge then what load was lifted from my
mind when / drew away the blanket and saw
the features of an entire stranger.
This incident and the sight of the mangled
bodies of those who had fallen from the bluff
and the finding of numerous dead, killed by
shells from our own guns, all combined to make
the experience of the morning very impressive
There is no doubt that some one was "gravely
responsible" for letting our troops be drawn
into skillfully-laid trap, as this undoubtedly
was. But, notwithstanding that have Away
been a warm admirer of Gen. Mcclellan can
not but think that the greater mistake was hi
when he granted the 24-hour armistice, which
gave Gen. Lee the opportunity to escape acros
the river with his army, and thus make i
necessary, or even possible for anyone to bring
about the disaster which followed. - C. w
GREENE, Co. i, 18th \. Y, Spring Valley, Mimi