The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-03-21
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 70 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
How Col. Adams's Brigade Cut Their Way Oh

How Col. Adams's Brigade Cut Their Way Out.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I see a state
I9ent In your issue Of Jan. "a from Comrade
John ~. Seay, Co G, 14th I'll. Cav, in regard
70 the Stoneman raid. I was on this raid with
Col. Silas Adams, and ] think COmrade Seay IS
ID error ~ regard TO several points Ia ms ac-
count Of the raid. lie says it was sunshine
Church where Stoucman surrendered. IL was
near the town Of Hillsboro. He IS also mis-
taken in regard to the time OF day. he says
we fought until late in the afternoon. The
first attack was early in the day the second
attack was about IL o'clock a. m, aud lasted
about half an hour, when we fell back to our
horses, and did not leave them again. How
ever, we fell back 10 q ravine. where
Can't. WoltOFd and Lieut.. Humphrey were
killed. After remaining here for some time,
Col. Adams went 10 Gen. Stoneman and asked
permission 10 bring his brigade out, which re-
quest was refused. lie then went the second
tIue, aud obtained permission to cut his way
cut and make his way to our lines near At
lanta il he cOuid. At this time Col. Capron
and the i4th Ill were at least mile from the
Held. They could be plainly seen by lis going
around the base of knob. Col. Capron did
not come out with Col. Adams at all, nor did
we see him or any Of his men for some days,
when Col. CaprOn came up 10 US early one
morning and claimed the command by seniority;
but Col. Adams gave Col. Capron TO understand
ms rank was sufficient 10 take care of his brl-
gade. They had some very short words, when
Col. CaprOn left US and went back and took the
main State road, and the next morning about
daylight the stampede COmrade Seay speaks
about took place IN Col CaprOn's command, and
i think, from the appearance of Capron's camp
when we came mp that they must have been
surprised; and if there was any bridge across
tins stream, / failed TO see it. Be that as it
may, the bridge was not necessary to the cross
Of fnrsr OH 10
Confederates and went straight across. When
We drove the enemy out of Capr0n's camp the
dead were there with their blankets over them.
They had been shot and killed while asleep.
Col. Adams's Brigade drove this Confederate
command before them for some distance. When
we came 10 where the roads forked we took the
lett hand r02d-tbe Confederates had taken
the right. Capt Carr. of the 1st Ky. Cav,
followed the COnfederates for some distance,
and then returned to the command.
As 10 Col. CaprOm and his command, we did
not see any Of them, except the dead and
wounded, on the field where the stampede had
taken place. Two or three days after Col.
Adams's Brigade reached the Federal lines.
Col CaprOn and few Of his men came into
camp, Col Capron looking the worse from the
wear and tear OF the campaign, as his dress-coat
was transformed TO a roundabout
1 think the eoinrade is mistaken about its
being anywhere near MiiledgeVille that Col
Capr0n's command was oVerpowered, for / am
satisfied that the same evening after we drove
the Confederates from Col. Capron's camp we
crossed the Chattahooche River, aud went ont
about two miles and went into camp inside our
lines, feeling that We had had very narrow
escape from ABdesonville. We rested here
from ali our cares and enjoyed the first nights
sleep since We started the raid. / would
not pluck q single flower from the bouquet of
Aonors won by Col. Cspron and his command
during the days Of the unpleasantness, but
write this 10 place Col. Adams and his brave
command IN the position they actually 0ccu-
pied during those days that tried mems souls
hope 10 hear from some of the comrades of
the 18th III. and Adams's Brigade who can
weld the pencil better than ] can.-TYLER
Dye Co. f, LIST KY. Cav, MintonYille. XIV.