The National tribune., 1889-04-25
GEN. SUMNER.
How Col. Van Ness Meets the Famous Corps Com
mauipr.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The following
letter was written by Col W. w. Van Ness,
who was the Quartermaster of the 1st Long
Island-67th N.Y.-before his promotion to the
brigade staff. It viii be interesting to COM
rades who served in the Army of the Potomac !:
Capt. ALEX. II. DoTY, Brooklyn, n. Y.
Ny DEAR CAPTAIN: l am in receipt of your
very welcome letter of the 9th inst It has
made me just 80 years younger to hear from
one of my old comrades. Yes, I reply gladly.
However, / am afraid that my memory will
not enable me to do justice to the subject A
desperate illness which had in 81 has impair
ed my memory greatly Still, you may be able
to refresh it by questioning me.
| recollect you well, and you must pardon me
for my want of tact when l say to your face,
that there was not Drawer or more gallant
fellow in the service.
There occurs to me just now two incidents
connected with the battle of Seven Pines,
which insert here, because I may forget them
and because they were quite humorous.
You undoubtedly remember our little COM
mand was composed, if l reeolleet Alright, of
what remained of two regiments from Aber-
crombe's Brigade and half of a regiment from
another brigade in the same division (Couch's)
the name of whose commander cannot now re.
call. He was formerly Colonel of the 23d Pa.
[Col. Neill.
We were formed along the railroad, and the
enemy in full force advancing gradually nearer
and nearer / was riding with AbeTerombie,
back and forth, on our front. Couch would oc-
casOnally join US. Things sounded hot and
hotter, and l was dreadfully afraid of Libby
| asked Abererombie why he did not intimate
to Couch the wisdom of sending for reinforce
ments He replied that he could not venture
advice to his superior officer. In very inau-
Il ota1 oil 70
cuss words about military etiquet. 1 replied,
however, audibly:
General, l know where Sumner is crossing
the Chickahominy; and l know portion of
his command has already crossed, and they are
not mile from our rear"
Well" said he, you might tell Couch"
So | rode up to him, he being but a few rods
ahead of US, and repeated what 1 had told
Abercrombie.
We rode up and down the line once or twice
before Couch showed that he had heard me,
and then he said:
"You can go to Gen. Sumner, present my
compliments, and tell him what our situation
isl
Just then came salvo of heavy guns and
we could hear the shells bowling and crashing
through the trees and bursting with spitefuI
noises just in our front. lost no time in goin g
for Sumner, and gathered half dozen caval-
rymen, who had sought protection behind the
building at the depot and away we went.
If you remember my English hunter Doug
lass" well, rode him. I dropped the cavalry
at intervals along the road, with orders to
watch for the enemy, and if they showed
themselves in our rear to report to Couch, and
also to me at once.
After the last one was posted I let Douglass
go for Summers headquarters, which / saw
about a quarter of mile off on a hill. As the
road turned short to the right, saw gate two
stories high-at least, so it seemed. l tried TO
bring Douglass to a halt, but he had the bit
in his teeth, and away he went for it. ] pre-
pared to have my bones mixed up with his. In
the course of half an hour-at least it seemed
sO-he came down, and we were gallOping up
the hill, ON the top of which were Sumner and
his staff.
l delivered my message, and Sumner told me
to " say to Gen. Couch that he was advancing
as rapidly as prudence would permit
turned back and got about half way down the
hill, thinking of our poor fellows in front and
of Libby Prison. / couldn't stand the prospect,
but wheeled around and at full speed rode back
to Sumner and said-at least l was told I said
so, and those who knew Sumner expected my
immediate arrest-my horse had barely
stopped from gallop, then l said:
General, We'll be in hell IN 10 minutes if
we are not reinforced"
Sumner, you know, hSd the reputation of
being martinez. However, he only paused a
moment, looking me full in the face, then he
asked:
Are you sure the enemy is not in your
rear?"
replied by telling how had posted the
cavalry and my orders to them. He then
turned to the Colonel of the "a Mimi, whose
name has slipped my memory, and directed
him to move to our support as rapidly as pos
sible
In the meantime our command had moved
back from the railroad to the cover of the
woods, with clearing and some buildings in
our rear. We were met by an Aid of Gen.
Couch's who posted the Minnesota regiment on
our right. Shortly after followed other COM
mands from Summers Corps. The enemy had
opened on us, aud all had to form under fire,
and the fight did not cease until after dark.
A second encounter l had with Sumner that
night l had Just succeeded in finding our
headquarters at the house back of the woods.
1t was quite dark, and, as you may know,
could scarcely see at all at night it occurred
that as l was going into the house Sumner was
going out, and | ran against him. As it Oc-
CURED | remarked, IN rather rough way. and
l confess it was to hide my defect of sight,
Are YOU blind or drunk" and pushed on
into the room, which was crowded with Off
GERS Someone met the General at the outside
and mentioned my defective sight, When he
returned to the room he spoke of our eneoun-
ter. apologized, and said:
4" / thought that it was one Of the servants"
He then said he had heard that my sight at
night was defective, and turned the conversa-
tion by referring to our first interview and the
fortunate result of my importantly in urging
him to send the reinforeements at once. So
much for old reminiscences.-W.W VAN Ness,
2. o. Box so, Dalton, Ga.