The National tribune., 1886-10-28
THE 18th NEW YORK.
A Graphic sketch Of Its Services at JoncsDoro

A Graphic sketch Of It's Services at Jonesboro.
FDrToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issu,
of Feb. il, 1856, there appeared a letter full o.
instrumentation from Charles Van Wye, O
Browning Mo- which j desire, by your kind
PERMISSION TO answer and correct He statc'
that az the battle OF Jonesboro the 18th \. y
"fell back In confusion" As / had the honor
Of serving in that old inyinciblc regiment
which never knew fear OF confusion, especially
al Jonesboro, i am In duty bound to contradict
his statement
My regiment belonged TO the Second Brigade
Second Division, Fourteenth Corps known 10
all the soldiers Of the war as Morgans Web
footed Cavalry" Id was the only Eastern
regiment IN the Corps, and j tIuthiully and
proudly say that a drawer division OF men never
marched mp 10 glory or down TO death.
At Jonesboro the opposing forces were no less
than the immortal Cieburnes Division Of the
Confederate army, commanded by that hero in
person, who subsequently lost his life at Frank
lin.
ID will be borne in mind that Comrade Van
Wye belonged 10 the Third Division of the
Fourteenth Corps and was lying down AT the
exciting time we were engaged with the en-
envy Notwithstanding this he states he dis
tinctly heard above the roar and rattle of artil-
lery aud musketry Col. Grower, who belonged
20 the Second Division, calling upon has reei-
ment, which Van Wye says was falling back
IN confusion" TO rally round their colors; also
he saw Col Grower snatch the colors from the
color bearers hand aud continue TO loudly call
for rally of his men till he fell from his horse
MORALLY wounded. Now is not this statement
preposterous? How could Comrade Van Wye
who was IN the Third Division, hear the Colo
mel of n regiment in the Second Division give
commands IL was impossible. The roar Of
those booming guns that day rose higher and
louder than any human voice that has ever
spoken in this world
Perhaps Comrade Van Wye was attached TO
the 18th n. w. or the " Red headed Wood
peckers" as we were appellated by the Western
troops2 / do not believe he was, for his state
ment sounds strangely like information % OBJ
tanned from and circulated by coffee coolers "
or gum chewers, who were always at the far
rear, out Of all strife and real danger.
I'm order 10 have justice melted out TO my
regiment and 20 show wherein Van Wye erred
relative to il in this fight will state that ii
stood about 400 men for duty just before the
battle. During the fierce contest we were or
dercd 10 charge a line of breastworks i'm our
front, where the enemy were strongly intrench-
ed. over dead and dying, in the face of pitt
less fire, we rushed without fear, without con-
fusion, till the brcastworks were stormed, the
enemy put TO flight IN great disorder and the
guns and works with nearly brigade of pris-
oners came into our possession, with loss TO
us of about ] IL killed and wounded among
whom was our brave and beloved commander,
Col. W. j. C. Grower. He led this charge dis.
mounted, and was dismounted when shot
through the groin, from which he died after -
hours intense suffering. 1t was Capt. Fisher,
commanding the color company, who snatched
the cOlors from the dying color bearers hand
and, waving them above his head fearlessly
LED the regiment till victory was ours. The
old 18th n. Y. never knew confusion that day.
My remembrance Of that battle is vivid, for il
was for yalor-and j modestly say it-that |
was promoted 10 Chief Musician after the fight.
trust Comrade Van Wye will prove himself
clear OF the suspicion OF being coffee cooler"
I'm those stirring days coffee coolers" were
generally the ones TO circulate Tumors of a
brigade or regiment being captured, or having
fallen back in confusion. For instance at the
battle of BentOnville, N. c., this class of sol
dicrs reported that the Second Brigade Four
teenth Corps had been surrounded and cap
tured by the enemy, while the truth Of the
matter is, instead of being captured they
fought like Snartans, waist-deep in a swamp.
till the Conlederates got in their rear. and then
the order was given TO about-face and charge
which they did with great valOr routing the
enemy with irghtiul loss of life and scoring
brilliant victory for the brigade. Gen. Vande-
veer stood on the works after the battle and
drank toast TO the men, in which he COmpli-
mented them upon their cool courage and dis
cipline displayed in the victory just won" The
"cofee coolers had us captured, and no doubt
We would have been had we been made of no
sterner stuff than they.
When Col. Grower fell at Jonesboro and was
told that he could live but a few hours at most
he called Capt. A. NJ. Nhaley, Regimental Quar-
termasteT, TO whom was given directions for the
disposition Of the C0lonels personal effects
Col. Growers last words wcre I" ] am satisfied
90 die; my regiment has done its duty, as it
Will always" brave soldier was he, and
there was no nobler, marfer man.
There was another hero in this battle-only
q boy In years, but man in coumge-whom i
desire to mention before ] close this letter The
morning OF the battle i was directed by the
Adlutant 10 detail a drummer TO carry one of
the markers. 1t fell to q little drummer boy
OF Co. A, named Richard Roth, or Little
Dick" as the boys were wont 10 call him In
the afternoon indications pointed TO hard fight
ing and the Adiutant ordered the boy to turn
the marker over TO one Of the men SO that he
might seek place of safety. Little Dick y
impl0red 10 be allowed TO keep and carry the
guide, 10 which reluctant consent was given.
All day long this brave bright-eyed boy was at
the head OF the regiment. Twice in that awful
charge he was wounded but he still chung TO
the marker. When leaping the rebel breast
works he was pierced by ball which swept
him down to death, but not till the Joyous in
telligcnce was his that the regiment had
ADhlSNNN hhothel Nlctolg more IMAM glorious.
How could regiment of men show confusion
when only boy-its pride and idol-displayed
such GOODNESS and c0umgef
While those of us left of the rank and file
read every day of the achievements of Grant.
Hancock, Mcclellan, and others, whose valor
and heroism are written IN letters of never
fading colOrs upon the tablet of eternal fame.
aud 10 whose memory great monuments are
% be erected, we do not forget the memory and
ValOr of Little Dick " and "A thousand al
such heroes who gave up their lives In that ter
rible war and Of whom the world knows moth
ing.-PETER MEAGHER, Drum Major, 18th
n. Y, formerly of Co. c, 32d n. Y, Arlington,
Butler Co.. Iowa.
The Capture OF Fort Harrison.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / saw Ia one