The National tribune., 1888-01-12

much to say, and that is. they had got them
selves into the hottest place they had been in
for some time. This / call quibbling, there
fore ! will have to give you something have
never seen in print. Comrade Griffin has told
you all about that road crossing, the fight on
the ridge, the stampede, the demoralized con-
dition of the Nineteenth Corps, and / will tell
you more. There was braying of mules, crack
ing of whips and cursing of Transfers mingled
with jeers from the Sixth Corps.
Come, comrade let us take walk across that
road and over to the Cemetery. BidwelFs
Third Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Corps,
is on the way, moving left in 'front.' with the
122d n. Y. on the left. They are moving in
left-oblique direction to the rear over stone
wall into plowed field. They now form into
line of battle. The fog is so thick that they
cannot discern the little graveyard in their
immediate rear; however, the position is q
good one, and they will fall back TO it. We
now have BidwelIs Brigade in line of battle
alone On the Cemetery Ridge the troops on
the left throw a few rails together for some
protection, but the work is no sooner begun
than the rebel skirmish-line appears in the
plowed field below; they have just come over
the stone wall. With a volley we drive them
back, but still farther to our right they con-
tinue to advance
Gen. Bidwell is soon killed by a cannon-shot
crushing his right shoulder; Col. Dwight IS
ment is now commanded by Capt. Clapp, and
the brigade by Col. Hyde. The enemy has
flanked Us on the right, and for a moment all
seems lost; our men are falling from shot COM
ing from our right flank. We can see the right
OF rebel regiment advancing, but IS yet not a
man in the 122d n. Y. has lost single inch of
ground. Then came the order from Capt. Clapp,
Right-oblique-Firel This command is well
obeyed; the enemy breaks, and they are on
the dead run down the hill; they have been
repulsed.
Here, comrade, is little bit of history that
ought to be written by an abler hand than
mine. Here it was we gave you time to form
your lines. the third and the last one TO the
rear. And il is said that Gen. Early comes once
each year to this very spot. For what purpose
! if this is a fact, you can judge.
Let US go still farther to the rear, for we are
now ordered to retreat across the fields and to
| the rear and right of Middietown, where we
relieve the cavalry that are waiting on a new
line that has been established while we have
been fighting at the Cemetery.
/ It is now IL a. m Gen. Wright is busy cor
recting his line. He has put Merritt on the
! extreme left Of the pike. On the right of the
| pike we of the Second Division, Sixth Corps
are already in line. Then comes the First Di-
| vision, Sixth Corps and next in line is oul
Third Division, Sixth Corps. The Nineteenth
Corps came next, with brave Custer on the ex.
! treme right. When / speak of the Nineteenth
Corps as on the line should say your position
WAS at that hour en- echelon to the right and
rear about 600 yards and that you were not on
the prolongation of the line to the right until
3 o'clock p. m, when the Nineteenth Corps wa;
advanced to the general line.
You know as well as / can tell you what fol.
lowed if you were there, and if so the one
question above all others that wish to ask i;
this: Did the Nineteenth Corps, or any part o.
I it, capture single stand of colors or single
gun in that charger That's all.-THos. GARD
NER, Co. Z, 122d n. Y.