The National tribune., 1889-04-18
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
SHENANDOAH VALLEY.
Critieising Gen. Capeharfs Article on That Cam
paiEn.


paiEH.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have read
carefully the description Of the battle Of keFns-
town, known rs the first battle Of Winchester,
Va. Of March %, 1862, as graphically portray
ed by DIR. Henry Capehart, and desire to say
that IN the main he is correct; but / am con-
strained to take Issue with him in one or two
particulars. 1t seems that writer's in giving
descriptions Of the late battles Of the war, are
apt, through prejudice, fsvorItism or some
thing else to undertake to give certain officers or
commands great credit for the heroic part they
bore in the contest, TO the exclusion OF others.
i may be mistaken, and have no desire 10 ac-
cuse anyone wrongluliy, but if my memory
serves me, / feel that in this engagement DIR.
Capehart does not give Tyler's Brigade, except
in part, the credit due it.
Tyler's Brigade was az that time composed
Of the 9Th Ohio, 9Th Ind, 1st Va. and 10th Pa.
Is he says, Tyler's Brigade was held in reserve,
resting on the turnpike TO the north and rear.
During the day skirmishiGg and fighting on
our left was kept upcontinuously until O'Clock
p. m, when, rs he says, ii was observed that
jackson was massing his entire force on orr
right In the vicinity of the stone wall, and this
movement Of Jacks0n's was made SO quietly
that our officers were scarcely aware of the
advantage ho was gaining, they believing, from
observations, that the principal engagement
would come OF on our extreme left.
At this POint orr artillery was placed in posi-
ti0n TO check tie rebel advance, as il became
evident that heroic treatment must be quickly
administered or we should be placed in pre-
carious situation.
1t is at this juncture that take issue with
the Doctor. As soon as the rebel batteries
opened up from the vicinity Of the stone wall,
behind which almost the entire force of Jack
son was concealed, and Immediately replied TO
by our guns, the 9TH Ind. was sent forward to
the support Of one of our batteries. What the
other regiments of the brigade were doing /
am unable 10 say, but about o'clock p. N. we
received orders to rejoin the brigade.
We were put on the d0Rble-guick back and
to the right, and joined the brigade behind a
clump Of woods and underbFGsh that gave US
shelter from the sight of the enemy, and at this
point the brigade was formed, with column by
divisions by regiments, with fixed bayonets
with arms trailed the 7th Ohio in front, 18th
Ind. next. then lst Va, then 10th Pa, and in
this formation we Immediately moved forward,
led by Gen. Tyler through a thin skirt of
woods, in the direction of the stone wall, all
commands being given in a whisper and passed
along the lines Of the regiments Up TO this
time there had been no mnsketTy-friBg on our
right in this vicinity. We advanced cautiously
up 10 within probably 60 yards of the stone
wall, when suddenly the rebel line rose up from
behind the wall and poured vOlley into US,
playing sad havoc with rs. Being column by
ing fire.
Upon the first sight of the rebel muskets
pointing over the wall, the brigade, as if by
magic, lay down, arose, and returned the fire.
Gen. Tyler gave command at the top of his
voice to cease firing and deploy in line of battle,
but it was of no Dse. The battle was on in all
lis fury The woods were soon enyeloped in
smoke. First on one side and then the other a
comrade was seen to yield up his life for the
sake Of his country; the crashing of shells,
shot and canister through the trees has left an
impression on my mind that can never be
efaced. BY the indomitable pluck, coupled
with the Ignorance Of the danger Of our situa-
ton, aud by utilizing every stone, stump and
tree as a shield from the enenjy's FIRE it be-
came, Is il were, a free lor-all The regiments
mixed Up through and through each other. but
never CEASED 70 get rid Of our GO rounds of car
triages as fast We could load and shoot.
Fortunately for rs we were in depression OF
the ground, while the rebels, behind the stone
wall, were on ridge, which caused them to
oFershoot, making our chances for success about
equal.
The stately Lieut-CoI. Creighton the Doc
Tor eui0gizes Is here Of the fight did not do
any more noT exhibit any more herOism than
did Gen. Tyler. LieRt-C0i. Check, of the It'll OF
any other O-lceF Of the brigade. The fact is
after the first Yollgy the officers did not amount
70 much. They could not do ANYTHING except
bght was hcyeld any movement that they
might attempt 10 make. Col. Creighton did
not give any orders TO FIX bayonets, other than
The orders that the whole brigade got, nor did
he raiss the cheer. aud with his regiment sue
coed, on the GOabie-guick, In reaching and
scaling the stone wall frst. any more than any
other part on member Of the brigade As said
before, we advanced TO within few yards Of
the wall quietly, and after the first Tolley Id
such orders cpRll be given
1gler's Brigade opened the musketry on The
right and it held the rebel line at this point
for some time. when Feinforcements came in on
Ou- left The 54th Pa. the 18th and I4th Ind
and other commands. ca1ne to oar rescue. when
TIE stone wall was scaled and the rebels driven
from the field panic-strieken The only thing
that prevented rs from taking in Jackson's en-
tire command was more daylight He got out
under cover Of darkness
II makes ne tired Tor writers tc be eternall5
picking ogt some one officer or regiment, and
blowing them up rs the only heroes Of whole
battlefield; because ia many battles, rs in this i
II had hot beca tGr the ignorance of the situation
on tie part Of the privates, more battles would
have been lost. ia my Judgment, than were lost
IL any credit is due an officer or command. o.
brigade, for Success il an engagement like tina
OF heTnst0Hn or Winchester more than an
other, then iyieris Brigade comes in for a BIZ
share; for claim, without fear Of contradic
ton, that his brigade, holding the entire rebe
force at bay until reinforced from orr left, CAV
US enc Of the grandest little victories Of I'll
Ear.-hILLIAI = 9OUSe, Private, Co Z, III
Ind. Franklin, Ind.