The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-21
Cedar NonnlaIn.

EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: have been
looking for long time for something in your
paper from the 10th Me-, 18th n. Y. 9Th Conn.
or 10Th Pa, the four regiments which formed
the First Brigade, First Division of the old
Eleventh Corps under Gen. n. P. Banks, in
the Shenandoah Valley or on the Potomac. /
have not, however, seen one word from any
one of those boys. see in the issue of TEE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE of May II that the LIST
Kan. (three-months mem lost at Wilson Creek
over one-third of their number. That was
bad enough, but ut Cedar Mountain, Va, on
the 9th of August, 1862, the 46th Pa. lost over
twothirds of their number in about half
an hour, and the rest Of the brigade accord
ingly. We went into the fight on charge i'll
small wheatield surrounded by timber,
where most of the fighting was done
The First Brigade lay on the extreme right OF
our line, with batteries at our left The Con-
federate left was two brgades of infantry, un-
der Stonewall Jackson, lying in front and at
our right / say right, for they occupied the
whole end of the wheatfeld at our right, aud
were within q few rods of us, lying on the
ground behind the fence and in the thick
brush.) This gave them the greatest magma
BILE advantage over US. The Johnnies brought
a 6-pound cannon out of the corner of the field
toward the center. At the moment the gun
arrived in front of our center, and within
40 or so yards of US, we OF the First Brigade
were OfuGreu TO Charge JDe gun. we ulu 50,
and drove them from the field and then we
were ordered to right-wbeel and charge the
brigade on our right. During this time, while
charging to the front and right, the two Con-
federate brigades were pouring deadly fire of
musketry into us from our right and front,
which cut us down terribly, but we still charg
ed and drove the right brigade until the front
brigade commenced to flank us, when we were
compelled to fall back into position, / being
one of the last three men that started back into
the field again, and just as l gave my last shot
before retiring Was struck in the thigh by a
mimic ball and compelled TO stay behind. Our
regiment wssft into the charge with 500 men,
and cameI6ut of the fight about half hour
afterwaEd with 100 remaining. There were a
few taken prisoners, among them being our
First and Second Lieutenants 1--WE had no Cap
tain at the time). but the greater number were
killed or wounded.
do not say this to boast of our superior
work, or anything of the kind, for the Ist Kan.
was OF the very first grade; but our brigade had
no chance for fair fight, as we were charged
into triangle of two brigades, one in our front
and one on our right at right angles to our
line making cross-fire upon us, and they were
lying on their fronts on the ground behind .
high fence with their muskets resting on the
rails while we were in two solid ranks in an
open wheatield not over 100 yards from them.
This situation was a serious one for us, and our
officers should have known better than TO have
charged us out into position like that with
out first accommodating the position Of the Con-
federate5. There was q serious blunder some
where, but we knew not where. ! never have
heard any explanation Of this disaster and if
any one can give an explanation through The
NATIONAL TRIBUNE / would like to see it,
TnuN w (lp0GRV Ciurtis Mah