The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-10-28
THE BATTLE OF BELMONT.
Comrades OF the 9th and seth III. Rise TO Re-
mark.
LoGAN's "sENsE AND SAND"

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: o. b. Fuller's
interesting letter on the battle of Belmont
seems 10 give the impression that Col Logan
was in command Of the Both ILL.,, guarding
transports" ! happened to be a member Of
Co. L, 9th H. present for duty on that oc-
cason Our regiment was commanded by Col
~ b. Buford who first taught US the impor-
lance of holding our fire. As the 9th took It's
position outside OF a dense jungle of fallen
timber the first thing we saw was a magnificent
artillery team Of grays coming toward us from
the dOwn-riVer flank Of the enemy's camp;
the next thing a duel between Col. Logan s
regiment and the finest handled Confederate
regiment we ever saw under fire. As We got
the steady order TO " forward-guide center
from our Colonel, we had Yankee Doodle u"
from our own band on our right and the STIR
ring voice of Col. Logan on our left 10 help us
scale the huge logs between us and the rapidly
employing camp of the enemy.
Comrade Fuller is right beyond doubt in
thinking that an officer with the fund of COM
mon sense and sand possessed by Col. Logan
then and thereafter would offer advice TO the
little quiet man who knew enough TO split up
the command Of good officer who at that time
was surcharged with vanity. The forethought
of Gen. Grant, more than anything else, ena-
bled us to re-embark quietly in the presence OF
a superior force and get away from the land
ing Just in time 10 save our bacon. did not
see Gen. Grant slide down the bank" to get
on board, but heard of il before we got out Of
range of the enemys artillery. did see shot
from one of our gunboats wreck a howitzer on
the bank before il could be fired at either OF
our transports.
We did not have to "cut our way through"
We did not take many prisoners, but many of
our men started from the field carrying more
than one musket, and one man took seven
guns half way from the camp 10 his transport.
ED. B. MEATYARD, Co. f. 9th Ill, Lake
Geneva, Wis
UNSUITABLE "KICK"
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your issue
of Aug 26 find an article written by Comrade
Fuller, Of Co @, 22d H., in reply TO one pub
lished few weeks previous, in which he criti-
cizes me quite harshly. / only ask a short
space for a reply. In my article the printer
made me say Gen. Hunt" when il should
have been Gen. Grant.
Let us view Comrade Fuler's errors When
he says the Both regiment was left TO guard our
transports he surely is not writing through
ignorance liz he is. we beg of him TO be more
careful. The old Both part00k of all the fight
ing going in and coming out Of Belmont.
know whereof / speak Our company had one
man killed and seven wounded at Belmont, and
Comrade Henry Bristline, who lost his life
there, fell within plain sight OF his companions.
j believe III OOmradc Fuller could visit some OF
our old regiment he m ight find some relies OF
Belmont Mr.. Gross, who lost his right arm az
the Belmont fight, was a member of Go. A, and
lived as a neighbor Of mine for many years.
Sometimes we think we know more than our
comrades Of certain things but we find when
tested that we DO not. Comrade Fullers criti-
csms were uncalled for. Those minor errors
would have been corrected; but when he insin-
yates things untrue we think it our duty 10
correct His reply has been much talked Of by
those who were in the Belmont fight, and have
marks TO show, who were members of the Both
i'll.
As TO Gen. Logan using the remarks quoted
i have good authority for saying So and will
not be convinced otherwise till j have ii from
Logan himself that he did not.
We say COmrade Fuller is correct regarding
our commanding officer. Gen. McClenand
rode a bright bay horse during the fight, and
in the engagement the horse received musket-
ball in the hip. Those things are fresh in
memory yet, because they were witnessed on
the field. 1t being our first fight they are
clear in my memory 10 stay. ! could not re-
tain such impressions Of the fight had the Both
regiment been guarding our transports, as Com.
rade Fuller says
We have no malice, and would like to meet
our old cOmrade and convince him we were in
and all through the Belmont fght.-H. j.
WALTER, Co. A, Both H., Buffalo Prairie, i'll.