The National tribune., 1888-08-09
CEDAR CREEK.
Growers Division. NInetsenth Corps.

Growers Division, Nineteenth Corps.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: notice diff
ferent accounts of the fight at Cedar Creek,
Va, Oct. 10, 1864 and none are as nearly cor
rect as the Michigan cavalryman's, Comrade q.
A. Welton. He gives what he saw and heard
straight. Our regiment, the 2Sth Iowa, was
there, having been temporarily attached to the
Nineteenth Corps in Louisiana, and transferred
to the Shenandoah Valley to take part IN that
grand campaign.
Our brigade consisted of the 9Th Ind, Col.
Skunk; 18th Ind, Lieut.-Col Charles; gath
Iowa, Lieut.-Col. Wills; 18th Conn. lGen d.
w. Birge's old regiment), commanded by Capt.
-, and the 28th Iowa, Lieut.-Col. B. W.
Wilson. Our division commander was Brig
Gen. c. Grover, At o'clock, Oct is, we were
in line of battle, and heard firing in front and
on our left, and our regiment was led by Gen.
Grover to the left for mile and half across
the turnpike up an eminence and posted on
HILL with orders to hold the position at al haz-
ards
1 asked who protected our TANKS and was
told that they would be cared for. 1t was yet
hardly light but the firing was terribe-both
musketry and cannon. When light enough TO
see, what we took to be the 41th Pa. held our
right, and brigade of tho Nineteenth Corps
held our left; therefore, we felt secure for a
few moments. There was noticed in our front
persons in night-clothes travelling as if death
was behind them. Some one asked what
those men were doing. Capt Joe Wilson
said: "They are after ammunition, and are in
q hurry"
Soon charge was made to dislodge us, when
the brigade on our left broke and ran away,
and the cavalry checked the rebel flank and
IN our front while the regiment on our right
repulsed the charge upon them. Our men were
eager to counter-eharge, but, being ordered to
stay there, we stayed. But the regiment on
our right did charge, and drove the rebels to
the bank of the stream, and were hurled back
minus more than half their numbers. In ap-
pearance we were left exposed right and left,
and felt called upon to move to the rear after
losing in killed and wounded 55 men and re-
| sisting three separae charges. We fell back in
a kind of holloW-square with three sides fac
ing the enemy. They could have surrounded
US, but did not do it, and we went to the rear
for a mile or more aud saw troops NOV
ing toward our former left to intercept
our retreat. The rebels advance we were
| glad TO see, and we Joined in the resistance
made against them. But they outfanked US
and pressed the Sixth Corps and such of the
| Nineteenth as were with them back about three
miles, away beyond Sheridan's headquarters,
| and as / was mounted | could see cavalry clear
/ to the Shenandoah River forming for bust
ness. But the rebels were checked and the
! line of battle reformed, and we threw up
works. The rebels did the same. We did not
! know Sheridan was away from the army. But
| here he came on his foam white charger, and
issued orders for an advance Immediately.
| Having been wounded in getting back, was
almost captured, but Capt Philips, of the 28th,
saw my dilemma, and brought rideress horse
! TO me and assisted me to mount. My horse
had been moved out of my reach while defend
ing the hill with 240 men that were with me
that morning. Ninety three Of these were
killed, wounded or captured, the captured be-
| ing wounded.
Our brigade commander, D. Skunk, was
wounded and died. All the regimental COM
manders Of the brigade were killed or wound
ed, and all died but the writer Besides this,
many line officers were killed and wounded.
l have been in "a general engagements and
more than 100 skirmishes, and never was in a
harder fight nor saw Drawer men than the
Nineteenth Corps contained. The 18th Conn.
was as brave a regiment as ever carried mus
! ket or ate a bareback and the Indiana aud
Iowa troops always did their duty, and under
the circumstances that day, did more than their
duty. The Sixth Corps did nobly; but for the
cavalry, however, they would have gone toward
/ Winchester.
think that night l was aroused from a
swOon and told that we were victorious.
sprang up and tried to get up, but didn't sue
coed, and went back to morpheus. / was weak
| from loss of blood.-B. w. WILSON, Colonel
/ 18th Iowa Chelsea Iowa