The National tribune., 1888-07-19
TIE 18TH N Y.
Col. More Relates Few Of His Rent
niScenceS Of the DOings Of the
Gallant HighIanderS.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE. The foIIowfua
Is az extract from remarks by Col John More,
OF New York, in response to toast sc the ban
quet given by the 18th y. Y. or its 9Th ami
yersary, held in New York city Nay "A, 1883:
COMRADES; GA the 18th Of April. 1851. The OWL
81 began by tine SoutherneFs firing on Fort Sum
ts, s. g. yn tas 18th Of Apsi the services % ia
f9th .tiiEhiHudcrs) n. Y 5 n a0eryvarf Novv
FORK volunteers, were offered 10 Hon simon
Cameron, Secretary Cf War. who prOmutIv accent
ell them On the g7ih ~ Nf.y ~. 49,, -..5--f
into the service 81 che United States for three years
or the war. 60 dale from the 49, Of Nav NEXT tav
we went into barracks at Palace Garden Vest
Fouriee1th street. On June we iefs for Washing
Now. ia ISIS. p years aftcr, we meet again 70
celebrate tiiat event under peaceful circumstance
and BOW tha North and south are more firmly
united shan before the war
have visited al the battIedelds On Virginia On
which our regiment fought 70 Try to ind out why
we were whipped. why It was a drawn i,tht or
how we whipped the enemy, and satisfied myself
az % the results, which were alike honorable 70
both / take s trip South every other Summer,
anu meet great hospitality and Kindness.
On the occasion Of my first visit to Manassas
selected as a guide an old soldier aud Ia Eis ear
rage we visited both battieteids, also the old
stone Bridge and che road 10 CenierviTe. 90 which
most Of Us made our fastest recorded time. fChccrs
and laughter We took with US some hne "a hiskv
rife aud ammunition i kept up my end with
the comuIisssry, buJ was nowhere In begging the
quail and gave uP when i found my guide was
one OF Gen JscSsOn's shsrpshoossrs aud scouts.
lie was with them when We drove them, afler
hAud-tO hand dght, the right Of our line Al the
second Manassas, and told me that that was tho
HfSt time that zen JaeksOn'5 s<lrauish-ine
driven back, and that had we not charged them
we would have been cut 10 pieces. He 10 may have
been who shot me. Next day we visited the Con-
Tolerate Cemetery al Manassas, and ours az Alex
andria and Arlington, returning 70 Washington
that night. During the trip had more pleasure
at less expense than I bad ever had before, aud
had many invitations to call soon again.
The next visit Of any importance was to The Rap
pahRnuoek, via Aequia Greek, 20 our old camping
grotno near falmOUlh, when - covered with
scrub pine and OAK. We visited the city Of Fred
erieksburg- which Is much the same as
v hen were there the second time and vera
kindly received. Accompanied by an AdIu-
tant-GeneTal Of Jacksons staff We visited me
positions Of the three pOntoOn bridges and
OF both armies Our companion showed as
where Gen. Jacksou's skiFmsh-lime kept Cen
FTaBkitn's Corps IN check at and during the nat
tie on MaTye's Rights, a beautiful spot We put
up at the CehleTviie Hotel, in which Is The best
picture Of the great battle have seen. The pro
pretor recognized me the first Provost Marshal
Of fredericksburg, which only lasted from Aug s.
to Is. 1862 when was relieved By Gen Patrick
we Joining Pope at Slaughter Mountain AT The
Centennial that night We met several Confederate
Generals and bad good time No bravadO about
them, but gentlemen with whom u Is a pleasure 70
associate; and when we left for home next day.
shake of the hand, asked Us To come back again.
Last year / again went South stayed SO Washing
ton to see the great National Eneampment and
DILL, which was splendid sight. The com Dett-
tive drills had never seen equaled By Regulars
volunteers or militia. The North and South met
in friendly competition, and the utmost harmony
deal and was kindly received, being always asked
TO the officers tents and treated to the best.
From Washington, IN company with one Of my
sons-ln-law, H. Z. Pearson, Of W ashington, went
direct 10 Fredericksburg again, and started on 8
tour 10 Charlottesville, the Wilderness and Spot
syiyaDia. AT ChaneelloTsYIileW made a long halt.
/ sat al the same table, in the same room where
on the night OF may 3, 1854 I was introduced BY
Gen. Burnside TO Gen. Grant and his Generals, and
recommended to Grant a guide who would suit
him. lie recognized me, as / once had the pleas
ure OF beating the Jump made by his horse over =
Tavine, while acting his guide q visit TO The
NINTH corps Ills horse knocked down q piece Of
the bank, while mine cleared it two feet He
turned TO me and said, THAT is a good
horse Cen Grant sat at the table looking
over q map, and said 20 me, Do you
think you can dnd the way TO Gales house.
near Malt Run, before daylight" pointing to the
place on The map. examined the map, and said
- l viii try, General, and think / cam He then
gave my orders to proceed ard directed an
officer present to give me q eoHiE% ofthe 81 N J..
Cav. With the cavalry and four picked Ofderlies
from the 18th kindly given me By Col MOTrison)
started. Seeing light outside Of our lines sent
the four OrdeTiIes to secure rebel man woman.
They returned with a fine specimen Of a rsb. who.
by considerable intImdatiOu-eVen TO the shooting
OF hirn-Iet. Us to Gales house We drove in the
outer piekets on the Fredericksburg road before
daylight, and dismOunted half the cavalry and de-
plOyed them as skirmishers. 1 then made an
observatory top of Gales house to get the posi-
ton of the enemy, heading toward SpOtisyivanis
Courthouse. ROmeE's battery the first to join
Us They fred over the heads Of the rebs AZ the
courthouse, and you should have seen them run.
The rest you know, eonpaniOns, for you were
there, and soon had it hot enough.
From ChaneellOrsville we drove on Lees road
through the Wilderness to SpOttsylVania, passing
Gen. SedgwiCk's monument az the Bloody Angle.
We were shown the holes in the courthouse and
hotel made by Us on the morning of the 9th By
native who was there that morning, and VINO told
that the reb5 did not stop running Till they gos
three miles TO the rear when they were halted and
returned to the front in force by 10 a. N. We
turned by the Fredericksburg pike, stopping &C
Gales house, which Gen Burnside's head
quarters In it now lives the son Of Mr. Gale, who
[ ffrfsr
and gave Us refreshments. She told how our
troops made a hole in the roof etc Mr.. Pearson
said, pointing TO me: And he did iti She was
astOuished, but gave me a shake OF the hand, IN
vIting me 70 come down, buy the adjoining farm,
and settle among them.
Companions l will now tell you why did not
vote for Gen. Hancock. On the 5th Of May was
sent with dispatch to him from the commander
OF the Ninth Corps. Hancock had crossed the
Rapidan and was engaged with the enemy found
the Sixth Corps crossing the river on a pOntOOn
bridge below GeTmania Ford. The infantry had
the bridge and I could not cross A number Of
their mounted officers were waiting TO cross over.
Knowing the ford well, and possessing a good
swimmer Isuggested to the officers Of the Sixth thas
we take u, and would lead and q number agreed.
The river was much swollen, but my horse was q
swimmer, and | got over safely with two others.
We had good laugh at the others who were safely
ished out. put spurs to my horse and found Gen.
Hancock in has tent, in company with reporter
of the HsFuld whom knew personally. j handed
the General the dispatch. He read il and wrote an
answer, and handing It to me, asked " Where -
the sixth Corps?" said, " Crossing the river
| lie then gave dispatch to the commander Of
/ the Sixth Corps, whereupOn took my leave A
bottle of wine and glasses were on table, but
Hancock did not ask me to take drink, and hence
lost my support for the Presidency. wished for,
and greatly needed, a drink of something IN my
condition. delivered The dispatches but did n0s
swim back on my return. Laughter.
But il is late. and viii conclude with sugges-
/ ton that the United States Governments purchase
/ the ROCSaway Beach Hotel and its grounds and
make il Soldiers Home for both North and South
! la Summer and build another with the same ca
pacity ut the entrance to Charleston HarbOT ;. C.,
/ for Winter.
THANK you for your patience. and hope to meet
with you once more before 1 am mustered out.
H. C. PEARSON, Co. II, 21st Pa. Cav New
! York, n. Y.