The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-27
BALLS BLUFF.
An Account of One of the Early Battles of the

An Account of One of the Early Battles of the War.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your good
old soldier paper-true bae-a comrade from
Boyne Falls Mich, wishes to know if Col.
James A. Suffer, or any comrade, remembers
crossing the Potomac at or near Leesburg, Va.
l wish TO inform the comrade for one how near
our regiment and brigade came to being caught
in that death trap with no hope Of escape.
Gen. Stone, as l learned, ordered Col. Baker
to cross the Potomac at Balls Bluff with two
or three regiments; also ordered Gen. Germans
Brigade TO cross at Edwards Ferry, about two
miles below. When our regiment-the saith
n. Y, Col. Suffer cOmmanding-arrived at the
Ferry from Seneca Mills the 1st Mimi, of
our brigade, had crossed over the river on an
old scow, as had also small squad of cavalry.
Our regiment was next poled over, and two
pieces of artillery of Ricketts, battery 1t was
nearly dark and very cold, and some of the
boys started a rail fire on the bank of Goose
Creek, near the river. While warming I dis
covered some one floating down the river.
called Capt. Kings attention to it, who stood
by me at the time, and we went down and got
small skif and went out and got him and
fetched him in. He proved to be one of Col
Bakers boys from up the river. He informed
US, when he found that we were friends, that Col
Baker was shot and they were ali cut up. This
was the first that we had learned of the death
and disaster of Col. Baker. This news was kept
so quiet that very few of the boys found it out
IN the morning our company (G) went out
to the front and relieved company of the 1st
MINI. advance picket. There was drizzly
rain falling at the time, and mud was plenty.
A company of Andrews SharpshooterS went
out beyond us through a cOrnfeld, and COM
menced to bang away quite lively. This was
kept up until o'clock p. m. When the Louis
lana Tigers could not stand it any longer they
made gallant dash for them and our battery
of fuyn braSs pIe HreO IN 0ur
company rallied to the left, giving the battery
boys a good range on them, which they i'm
proved with a viii. l would like to hear from
some of those old battery boys through your
valued paper When they got within a few
rods of the battery they ran into the LIST Mimi,
who were lying along a rail-feEce by corn
field, which hid them from view, and they
gave them CALLING fire, which they could not
stand. They went out by the left flank, run
! ming the gantlet Of this regiment which felt
! well repaid for former treatment they received
/ 1t the first Bull Run. We lost one man from the
| LIST Mimi, who was wounded through the leg
and then murdered by bayonet thrusts through
/ his body, and the wounding of Col Lander in
! the leg, who afterward died from its effect.
! That night we recrossed the river after a hard
nights work, and went into Winter quarters at
! Camp Mcclellan, between Poolsville and Ed
wards Ferry, Md.
Previous to this Capt. Sponnable, of our regi-
ment crossed the Potomac one dark night at
! Seneca Mills, with about 20 men, to secure some
rebel property, and was ambushed by COM
| pany of COnfederates who were lying in wait
for him, and lost three or four men One was
| Bob Gracia, from whom | learned after his es-
! cape and return to US, as follows He said our
Chaplain (VanPatten) had crossed over the
river to see what he could find, and called at q
house owned by man by the name of White,
who invited him to take dinner, and who
claimed to be stanch Union man, and treated
him with great courtesy, and got him to con-
| sent to fetch over squad of soldiers some dark
night and he would show them where thew
could get lot of goods, horses, guns etc. The
Chaplain came back to camp, informed Can't
SpOnnable what was up, and he consented ia
go over and secure the goods on the night ap-
pointed.
White (the traitor went up to q small place
back from the river two or three miles to
Drainsville, and got company of Confederates
from a regiment that was stationed there and
lay In ambush along a wood road near his
house, and when our boys came along fired a
volley into them, and ii is great wonder that
any one escaped alive. Old White, who acted
as the Confederate guide and was prominent in
the fray, finding Bob GTacia still alive, placed
his smoking revolver to his breast and shot him
through the lungs, and would have killed him
If the Confederate officer had not told him il
he fired again ON a man that was down. he
would run his sword through him.
Capt. Sponnable swan the Potomac that
night and was nearly exhausted, but was ready
to take his company over and clean out old
White and the rest of them that enticed him
into such trap.
Comrade Gracia made his escape from Drains
vile by drugging the guard one dark night
and got down to the river by daylight. when
our boys Went over and got him. He returned
just before our regiment broke camp at Seneca
Mills Maj. Wells Sponnable could give Won q
more glowing account of this affair, and tell us
something that happened to old traitor White
Col. James A. Suffer is well. l see him often
and hope his life may be spared for hundred
years for the brave part he took in the late I'm.
pleasantness.-D. 2. YANcoURT, NJ d. Mo
hawk, N. Y.