The National tribune., 1886-09-02
NEW MADRID.
He Draws His Biary on Comrade CIerihan.

He draws HIS mary ON C0mrhde Cler1han.
To THE EDITOR: have read two or three
articles in your paper from the 10th Ill. boys
telling how they captured New Madrid. Now
j see by Comrade Clerihan's account in The
TRIBUNE OF July % tina the 10th and 10th Ill.
and two pieces Of heavy ordnance in charge Of
q company of the 4th u. s. Art. reported at
Pope's headquarters, at p. m, March IL. Also
that at is minutes 10 a. m, March IL, the ac-
ton commenced, and for SO hours they lay in
the trenches; that on the morning of the lith
New Madrid was ia our possession, and on the
10th Gen. j.. A. Paine, at the head Of the 10th
and 10th Ill, had the honor Of first marching
into the rebel fort.
That is Clerhan's account Now my diary,
written Mt the time, says that q detachment of
the LIST Mo. Engineers brought four siege guns
three 81 pound smooth boreand one 81 pound
hOwitzer-to Popes headquarters on March IL,
and that night cur regiment went out and
placed the guns in position. The infantry
drove in the enemy's pickets II do not know
the number Of the regiments, but suppose they
were the 10th and 10th ILL., and dug line Of
rife-pits, in which they lay all the next day.
There was an officer killed by the enemy's
pickets that night, but understood he belong
ed 10 an Indiana regiment.
Our regiment remained there all day and
threw up q cross-line Of earthworks 10 protect
our gunners from enhlading fire from the
enemys gunboats. j always understood ID was
the LIST U. s. that manned the guns that day,
and that they did all the fighting that was done
there.
There was only one Of the enemy's shots that
did any serious damage on the front line Of
works that day, and that struck the muZzle of
one Of the guns IN the lower battery, killing
two and wounding five Of the gunners.
The evening Of the 18th we were marched
back 10 camp and on the evening Of the next
day detachment Of our regiment was sent
into Fort Thompson TO change the guns from
the land 10 the river side Of the fort, and we
remained there in the rebel barracks for four
weeks, until Island No. 10 was evacuated. So
according 10 that IL would seem TO me that the
10th and 10th i'll. were not the first troops 10
enter the rebel fort.-JAMEs NJ. BELL Co. ID,
Engineer Reg't Of the West.
GEN. PoPE's REPORT.
To THE EDITOR: / noticed in The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE Of Juno 10 an answer by Nat
Mullan, Co. II, 10th H., 10 Ed. J. Ramsey, Co.
Is, 43d H., and will give the readers of your
valuable paper copy Of Gen. Pope's official
report, &c published at that time in the st
! Louis papers, 10 show how Comrade Ramsey
wronged the boys Of the 10th and 10th H.:
The lOlh and 10th H., commanded respectively
by COlH. Morgan aud R. r. Smith were detailed "A.
guards TO the proposed trenches and 10 aid ia con
| struoing them. They marched from camp at sunse
| on tho 18th and drove In the pickcts and granC
| guards OF the enemy las they ordered) a.
| shoulder arms, and without returning "A shot; GOV
cred the frOnt OF the intrenohing parties and occu
pied the trenches and rife-pits during the whole
day and night Of the 18th under furious. incessan
cannonading from 90 pieces Of heavy artillery. A
the earnest request Of their Colonies, their reRi
mental flags were kept flying trenches
though they offered conspicuous mark 10 tia
enemy. The eoolness, courage and cheerfulness q
these troops, exposed for two nights and day d
the furious fire Of the enemy ht short range and 4
the severe storm which ragged during the who'll
night Of the 18th, are beyond all praise. and de
lighted and astonished every officer who witnesses
IT, john foPE, Maior-General Commanding.
HENRY ScHAFFNIT, Second Lieutenant, CO
X, 10th ILL.,, LeadyiIle Colo.