The National tribune., 1889-08-15
OPEoUAN.
What Soldier Cut the Dam Before the Battlei

Bucampment at Columbus last rail- COM
rade approached me aud asked If knew who
cut the dam before the 0pequan fight an
swered in the negative, to which he replied
that he did it. Eyes. sir, j did 1t; i am the
very man that cut the DAM" AS near as
can now remember these were his exact words
In one or two conversations he related the cir
cumstances in plain, matter-of fact way. his
manner, tone language, all indicated that he
was telling something he knew to be true.
Later l received the following letter, a copy
of which | herewith inclose. On its receipt l
inclosed it first to Gen. Crook, then to Gen.
Hayes, with note something like this: :"
Gems. Sheridan and Emory are both dead. DO
you know anything relative to the circum-
stances narrated in the inclosed letter." Sub
sequently wrote the comraie, telling what L
had done, calling his attention to the fact OF
the death of Gems. Sheridan and Emory, and
asking for such proof MS he might be able to
give or put me in the way of getting, assuring
him that so daring and efficient an act merited
and would, no doubt. receive proper attention
and an honorable recognition of its perform
anee on the part of the Government. In an
swer to which received the communication
under date of July /, 1889. Of the letter of
March II, Gen. Hayes, on returning it to me,
wrote; 81 1t is curious and interesting
story. Its credibility depends oil the charac-
ter of the man. j hope 10 will turn out true.
1t is good enough to DO true" shall be glad
TO hear through THE NATIONAL tribune or
by letter direct, from any source relative to
the cutting of this dam on the night of Sept.
Is, lS6i.-JoHN L. BooTH, Cincinnati, o.
STRANGE fillmore Co. NEB.. March II. 1889.
j. II. BooTH, Historian, Both Ohio Cincinnati, o.
SIR: don't know but have few facts That
will be of interest To you in the making up of your
history of the regiment, 80 will give them in my
way. On the 18th of September, 1861, about
o'clock y. M. was at Gen. Sherdan's hcadquar-
ters, and | heard he aud Gen. Emory talk
ing OF the plan Of the battle for the next
day. Emory did not want to cross Ope-
guam Creek with his corps Mt the upper ford,
unless the mili-dam was cut so that Crook aud
Wright would not have to both cross mt tile same
place. Emory claimed that Early would throw
his whole force on TO his corps and drive him back
across the creek before Wright and Crook could
get into position on the other side of the creek TO
help him. Sheridan said General, 1t viii cost
me 600 of my best men To cut that dam the way
my scouts report IL is guarded. The enemy have
brigade and six pieces of artillery we'll posted
10 guard that dam, with picket of 30 men on
guard at the dam all the time; aud think that we
will lose more men cutting the dam than 10 force
the two upper crossings"
l said, General, / can cut that dam single
handed and alone"
will never forget the look Of scorn and incrcdu-
lity that Sheridan flashed upon me. IL was fully
one minute before he spoke land | felt like IL
30 mnutes), but when bo did speak lac simply said,
F" How" gave him my plan, and lie said, " You
may try. but be careful; II you caught it viii
be death
To explain: The water poured over the dam In
a about four inches thick and for breadth
of 10 feet or more. My plan was TO get between
the sheet OF water That poured over the dam and
the face Of the dam. aud with short crowbar aud
wedge loosen the face rocks Of the dam and take
them out.
| crossed the creek below the dam and got under
the high bank the opposite side crnwled up to-
the dam, and then slipped In between the dam and
the sheet Of water and commenced to work, The
face of the dam was dressed rock. about one foot
square and from two and one-half 10 three feet in
length laid up like brick wall, TO break
joints aud had "A very hard time To- get the first
rock Ot but after that L took them out almost 4
easy tearing down brick wall. The dam
filed In above the face with brush aud cohhlc-
stones aud dirt. As AS got out enough OF tho
face rocks j stuck my crowbar at one end aud the
wedge at the other. 80 as 10 hold up the two top
face rocks. and then began To tear out the cobhie
stones and brush; but the brush rotten that
IL would break oil IN short pieces but 10y IL o'clock
could begin to see the water coming through tha
aperture. then went back lo the bank aud got
pole about eight feet long and went back under
the sheet Of water without being by the
guards. and by keeping the end Of the pole under
the water below the dam ] succeeded la thruetiuE
IL up through tc brush aiid cobbesioucs. then
worked the pole up and down, aud to the right
aud Iefl, until had stream Of water pouring
through there six inches more ia diameter.
then Withdrew my wedge aud bar. when tiIe two
top face rocks dropped aud tbs whole volume Of
water began TO pour through the space that had
cut. about eight feet ia breadth aud from four 10
SIX feet in depth.
Now, now was TO get out? The guards were
all an and on the lookout To what wrong;
but desperate CIRCUMSTANCES make men take des-
peTRtr chances. plunged head ilrst into the rag
ing torrent among brush stones and dirt 20 thick
that IL almost impossible to stay under the
water or To swim; bat succeeded Isl coming to the
top Of the water under the high bank below c mill
then nonted aud swan foF about - yards farther
down the creek, when made for the shore aud
started for Gen. SheridAu's headquarters where
arrived % minutes before 3 O'Clock -. M sept 10.
1864, and reported 10 Gen. Sheridan ia person.
When ! told him what had done lac Just made
one jump and caught me up ia las wet, mud
aud alil and said. " One mans worth thousand"
lie then said 7it down; will be back Ia Is miu-
uteb He then stepped out aud spoke 20 someone,
aud IN u few minutes the buglcs Of tho Nineteenth
Corps we're all sounding the reseiie. When lac
returned lac gave order for "A suit 81
clothes out aud out. aud gave me tho number of
the wagon where To present my order. l went
aud got the olotbes, and the boys next day said
had been fornglng OF Uncle sam. JuaI before
shutdown Of tie 18th was shot through Tie lunsa
and never did duty after that for Unelc sam. and
! expect that some Of tho boys think 10 this day
that forhged those clothes from Uncle sam
IL you think this worthy Of place ia tho history
Of the regiment, you can 30 use H. viii swear 10
the facts herein stated.
ions W. WILLIAMS, Co c, Ssh Ohio.
Second letter
STRANGE, FILLMORE Co. NEa, July !, 1889
DIR. j. r. BooTn. Cincinnati o.
SIR. received yours Of May 81 IN regard 10 my
communication concerning, the cutting Of The dam
al Opequan. will say that did not know OF Gei,.
Eniory's death unti got your letter, III lac Is
dead there Is no living but myself that las any
knowlo ige Of the transaction. Had known that
you we1e writing a history Of the regiment 1
should have written you long ago; but 1 knew
and. like most Of Western men, hate 10 hear "A
blow his own horn. ! will shy that whon
left Gen. Sheridan that night he said Don't tell
anybody where you are going, and be careful for
IL you caught IL 10 DEATH When ! returned 10
sheTidanis headquarters that night there was "A
young ooking man in the tent with him. think
lac wore "a Majors shouideTstraps, but am not GER
Tain. 1 don't know who lie WIS, and he len the
tent almost at the same time that entered IL aud
before had said word To Sheridan You know
that when soldier Is sent To perform anything OF
that Kind las does not say anything To anybody
about where he il going or what he Is going 10 do.
80 my comrades knew nothing about my move.
meuts. You have my statement, which ID true in
every particular, aud you publish IL or not AS
you phase. VIII make you this Offer You aud
Gems Crook aud Hayes may each spend Sl2o In
advertising in the leading papers OF the United
States, and viii send you si2o 10 spend the same
way, aud II you find the man that can prove lac
did ihe work / will refund each Of you your
money; but il you fail TO fnd him. then you three
must refund me my money,
J, W. WILLIAMS. Co. @, Both Ohio.
The False Alarm or Co. 1, LIST N. Y. Engineers.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE; During the
encampment of the company near Skull Creek,
II It