The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-22


sonaI knowledge Of what followed; and others
sreshown by what they write 10 have depended
on hearsay principally.
soldier who attends TO his duty has not
time or opportunity TO NEEDLE with the busI-
ness Of other troops than those OF the enemy.
An officers duty. on the contrary, IS 10 attend
To other peoples business: that IS TO say, the
has to see that each and all Of those under MIN
do what IS To be done and do It properly. The
higher his grade the more he has TO look after,
and the wider his scope Of observation nut, OF
course. beyond q certain point be Is liable to
lose sight of details.
am not anxious TO write an account or de-
scrpti0n the action ofSept. %, 1864 lpubllsn-
ed nv personal recoIlections Of the st0rmlng Of
Fort Harrison years ago in the Germantown
Telegraph. of Philadelphia Since then have
examined every official record on the subject
and correspondent with men and officers Of both
sides. but have found nothing yet to cause me
to alter what / wrote then. ! wish, however
TO state briefly some facts which may serve TO
correct errors into which your correspondents
have fallen.
Fort Harrison was stormed by the First Di-
vision, Eighteenth Corps, under Gen. Stannard.
Other troops crossed the river and fought at
Fort Gilmer and elsewhere, but not with the
First Division. There is no official record Of
the strength Of the division at TINS action; the
nearest returns in date I can find show present
27S3 Gen. Stannard IN his report says as
field return for Sept . showed Bis for duty.
The 9Th Nd. was left IN camp. SO that 200 must
be deducted. leaving 2S55. The 10th Mass.
was also away. 1t is possible that number
turned out, bat not probable
When the troops reached the edge Of the
three quarters Of a mile of open ground before
She fort, Gen. Ord, after examining the works
through bis glass. said 70 Stannard:
General that 100 E-Tgsr Tor s we must
wait Tor the other division"
"Oh, -, General" Stauuard exclaimed,
"AIY DIVISION CAN TAKE THAT FORT"
avery well, then" said Ord " Go ahead"
The division was at once formed for the
assault. There were three brigGdes Of fouI
regiments each. The First, containing the 18Th
N. T., 5Ist 95th and both \. j.. was on the
left; the Third, containing the 2lst Conn, 92d
n Y, 5Sth and ISSth Pa. on the right. Two
regiments Of the Second Brigade-the Sth Conn
and 96th \ T.-remaiued IN the center, The
other two-the 10th y. II. and I1Sth \. Y
being depl0yed as skirmisheTs, and later
falling back on the column. Each brigade
was in column by division. with regiment
IN line in front, so that the division was
like a large l. with the long side in front
Some Of the Ist Conn. were used Gs Skin
mishers to protect the left flank Of the col
umn. The 5Sth Pa. was in lire at the head 0
the Third Brigade and the guide was right
was then the senior officer with the regiment
and commanded il until the fort was taken
Lieut.. johnson and I marched at q couple O
PAGES 70 the right OF the right lie. The req
ment dressed on Us, and the division on IT,
regiment. This was an excellent position from
which to see ali that went on, as We could sc
the whole front aud one flank Of our men, tn
works in front, and several regiments Of IN
enemy who were marching parallel 10 OR di
recti0n in column Of fOurs, and entering tn
works a>little way to our right Col. Roberts
Of the I39tl y z, who was iu command OF Ii
Third Brigade, halted it not far from the work.
70 get breath before making q rush. After
short pause he exclaimed: Now, men! ius
two minutes to take that fort! just two nil
utes" And We made rush straight 10 ID