The National tribune., 1888-02-09
GEN. MILROY.
A stafr ofieer,s "reminiscences.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Noticing an
article from G. F. Engle, SD Ohio, in regard to
Gen. Milroy in battle, l will say that my posi-
ton as staff officer of the Eleventh Corps (GeD.
SigePs) gave me an opportunity to see some
thing of that old fighter at the beginning as
well as at the close of the second battle of Bull
Run. Milroy's Brigade led the Eleventh Corps
at that time, and l was sent several times by
Gen. Sigel to direct Gen. Miroy as to the route
he was to take There was a great deal of
marching and countermarching before the fight
commenced. When / delivered an order to
Miiroy invariably found him at the head of
his brigade, and when the order was to coun-
termarch he would yell out, Reverse the ma
chine boys" when they would "about face"
and march by the left flank the necessary dis
lance. On the morning of the first days fight
Sigel sent me to draw off Milroy's Brigade
saying they were out of provisions. | started
to find his position in line of battle, and as
entered q wood I noticed our men falling right
and left, and solid column of rebel infantry
charging and breaking our line. remembered
passing a section two pieces) Of mountain
howitzers each drawn by two mules, tandem.
They were about 200 yards to the rear, and not
engaged. / Immediately rode for them and
ordered them to advance, and as we neared the
wood we saw the rebel column which had re-
formed after breaking through our line. A
Palmetto regiment was in front, with flag fly
ing as if on parade. They did not perceive
my two pieces until we had taken a position
on their left front, where four or five large
trees stood outside the wood. We had only
time to fire two rounds from each gun when
the Colonel of the South Carolina regiment Or
dered, left half-wheel-fre l left sew
eral men and two mules on the ground and got
away with one piece aud what was left of the
10 or II men working the pieces. At that mo-
ment Gen. Sigel opened on the advancing col
] H.
ground, which he occupied, Immediately in
their front, and poured into them such storm
of shot and shell at short range that it com
pletely staggered them and threw them into
some confusion. Their officers rallied them
and they reformed two or three times and at
tempted to capture the three batteries, but
after leaving piles of dead and wounded they
were obliged TO retreat.
After they left / went to Gen. Sigel and told
him | had lost one of his sehekess" pieces, al
the Germans called them. He only laughed
and said he was looking at me all the time
1t was about this time that Gen. Fitz- John
Porter and his corps were enjoying a quiet
! siesta about four and half miles to rear and
| gave as an excuse for not coming TO our assist
ance that " there was not much fighting there
| and he wasn't needed
! At the close of that battle, about dusk, wa
sent by Gen. Sigel TO tell Milroy to fall back OF
Centerville. Milroy's Brigade held the left O
the road to the Stone Bridge. When l ap
! preached his position, he was riding from ont
end Of the line to the other encouraging hi
men. delivered the order to fall back on Cen
/ terYille. He was quite indignant at the ides
! Of retreating, and, gcsticulating with his grea
! hand, he suffered out: Wh-wh-what yot
/ going to fall back for? / can whip 'em my
/ self" On his right he had battery of si1
| guns, which we're doing splendid service ON thu
left Of the rebels, and he kept on pounding
away. In few minutes Gen Sigel and stat
| rode up, and with old Fighting Joe Hooker en-
| joyed the good work Milroy was doing. / wa
a little to the right of the first gun, and was s.
intent watching the effect of the different gun
on the rebs that my horse had gotten in from
of the gun without my noticing his movement
and when the Sergeant was ready to fire b
| halloed to me to look ont; he was going to sem
message TO the rebs OF course vacated i
hurry, and the whole staff had laugh on me
Not 10 minutes after Gen. Rockers horse 20
him right in front Of the same gun, and tn
Sergeant yelled; Look out, General; Pm goin
to fire this gun!" Old Joe sung out: "Th
HI you are Hold on a second 10 an
whirled his horse cut Of range. The laugh wa
then on old Fighting Joe, and | felt quite cas-
TO think he had gotten into the same fix.
Milroy when left to himself was not as goo
q commander as when fighting under order
when he was as good as they make Them
JAMES M. Deems, First Major, 1st Nd. Cav
Baltimore, hid.