The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-05
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
PORT REPUBLIC.
c.n,. HuntInrton RerIIes % Dr. Capehart.

II y
officers and men rode off on battery horses. /
felt called upon 70 reply to that charge, and
did so In language that has been criticised, per-
haps Justly, as being too mild for the occasion.
j shall try not TO incur that censure again.
Now Dr. Capehart comes out with a rejoinder.
This production furnishes 8 good example of
what lOgieians call 8 nOHSegaitRr. Regarding
his original statement he says: 81 now hereby
withdraw it as unnecessary, acquitting ali OF
the charge excepting Capt. huntington. 80,
then, this band of "weak-knced artiilerists,"
responsible for the loss of four pieces, has dwln-
died. like Falstaff s men in Buckram, to sim
gle individual Of that description, the writer of
this article. He il was who, alone and unas-
sisted, rode Of on four gun-teams, an eques-
tran feat 10 which j venture 10 say the annals
of the battlefield or the circus afford no paral-
lei.
Dr. Cspehsrt then goes on to say: 81 am
called upon TO admit myself slanderer or
prove the truth Of my words. prefer TO take
the latter horn Of the dilemma" The truth of
what wOrds3 Does he mean Of his assertion
about the loss Of guns in its original or In its
modified form? Or does he refer 20 the per-
sOmal attack he now makes because would not
Jet a sleeping dog" as he calls himself, he
with impunity2
/ dislike newspaper controversies, and for
that reason declined to point out the numer-
Gus blunders and exaggerations scattered
through DIR. Gapehart's series Of articles on the
Shenandoah campaign whom urged 10 do So lt
was from s sense of duty alone that i under
took 10 vindicate the honor of brave men from
what he now admits 10 have been false accu-
sati0n.
As to my own military record, ] trust / shall
not be accused Of egotism when / say that my
capacity and conduct as battery commander
has had the written approval of nearly every
General officer under whom / served-of Gems.
Banks, Shields, kimball, Tyler and Carroll, Of
the Shenandoah army; Of Gen. Sickles and
Gen Mhipple. OF the Third Corps, aud last but
by DO means least, of that unsurpassed artiller-
list and kindly gentleman, Henry J. Hunt,
Chief Of Artillery, Army Of the Potomac Such
being the case, / can well afford TO dispense
with the appreciation Of this Doctor OF West
Virginia cavalry" or that Of his bosom friend
and model hero, Col. Philip Daum.
However, as the majority of your readers
the jury TO whom the Doctor aRpeals-do not
know Daum well as do, / shall give this
rejoindeT more attention than il actually de-
serves.
Regarding the first evidence cited, that in
Gen. CarTOlFs official report, have only TO say
that, as might be expected from such source,
II is s correct statement Of facts. i do not
think. however, that the gallant General in
tended 10 state that the artillery marched at
great speed because Of the state Of the roads,
which were awful, and the weak condition OF the
horses which made a moderate walk their best
gait. IN fact, had not our ammunition chests
been nearly empty, doubt if we could have
pulled oct al all. But" says DR.. Capehart
il il evident that Gen. Tyler at the front was
moving with great celebrity. Capt Huntington
tells Us that he was in bis company"
did not tell anything OF that sort. i did
say that Just after we had been driven from
our position, while the infantry were coming
over from the right 10 attempt to recover the
ground ] met Gen. Tyler who told me that he
cd "a rufa ira aud Il ed
60 get teams together 20 draw them Off an
order that ] obeyed 70 the best Of my ability.
] DO not remember seeing Gen. Tyler again on
the field, and certainly WAS not with him on
the retreat
nov come to the only witness whose testi-
m0By has any special bearing on this matter
IN estimating the value Of his evidence it will
be well TO Enquire who and what was Philip
DGDm. lie seems 10 have properly mustered
es Captain Of Battery A. Isl w. Va. Art. the
highest rank he ever held as an artillery Off
Ger IN the United States service. he pre-
sumed, however, 70 wear the uniform of q
Lieutenant Colonel by viTtue Of q commission on
which be never was and never could have been
mustered, for an obvious reason. The act of Con-
Eress that created the volunteer army, provides
that no Lieutenanf-5 Colonel should be mustered
Tor light artillery until the regiment had u
batteries. bUt at The time OF which write West
Virginia had only four bat cries at the outside
En additional aid, with the rank Of Colonel
he was dismissed about year later, upon what
charge j am not certain. The current re-
port was that It was on account of slight
financial irreguiaTity, 20 wit, drawing his pay
twice for the same period. He was Telegated
20 civil life By the advice aud consent Of 4 gen.
eral cOnrt-martiEl. OF the truth OF this report
though not intrinsicaliy improbable, cannot
YOuch. BHt u may be said, suppose Daum was
an impOstoT, wearing the uniform Of a rank TO
which he had no valid elaimf Suppose he was
cisbOnOTablg discbsrged1 Still, ia this matter
be may have told the truth. / propose TO ex-
plain shy no reliagce can be placed On his
statements regarding myself, or the battery
commanded.
Daum was fair type Of the arrogant and
oFeTDeaTiHg foreign mercenaTy. He had an
oVerBeening sense Of his OVID importance, and
expected degree Of personal Difference 20
which be was not entitled. he took violent
dislike 70 me because i more than once gave
him distinctly 70 understand that be could not
talk ~ ne IA the style be thought proper 10
SGopi toward subordinate officers; notably on
the morning after the battle Of Winchester
when be undertook 10 abuse nc for obeying an
order 10 advance that had received from Gen.
kimbail near the close Of the action. On that
occasion be forbade me, ia terms too blasphe-
NOUS for quotation, 10 obey any order from
Gen. kimbali that did not come through him.
Later ia tie day, having received an order d.
rect from Gen. Kimball who was then IN com
niand 81 the division, explained 10 the Gen
eTal the position was 10, aud that was threat
ebed with arrest II j gave any heed 20 his
directions. kimbail tbcreapOn gave me his
written authority 10 put Daum under arrest If
be again attempted 70 interfere with the exc
cUti0n Of his orders. Such matters and some
passages II arms with myself and Major. 80
lnceused Daum that he would say or do any
thing % annoy or injure Us his last effort ia
that direction being the suppression Of my Off
cal report made 70 him as Chief Of Artillery,
while stuinDg HE OVID with lies and false insin-
uaiions.
Let us examine his allegations Before al
luoing 70 the time where Daum saws 81 He did
not see Capt. Huntington" / will refer 10 De-
nod m tie battle when be did see me and saw
HIM. il WAS during the interval between the
two Confederate attacks. DaUm appeared for
the hnt time since the action fairly be-
gan, aud ordered me 70 send gun 10 take Do
hlllOn near the outbuildings Of the Lewis House
then occupied by the enemy's sharpshooters
Fortunately, Gen. Tyler saw its situation. and
sent an order 70 the officer ia charge 10 with
draw It. or every man and horse would have
been picked OF IN very few minutes. Daum
then directed me 10 change front and fire az !
battery some l,6O0 yards of on our extreme
right
Inasmuch as we were Ia niorentarv eynecta.
ton Of another charge from the woods Ina oDr
front and that such charge would bring II
directly on our rear, where, IN my opinion he
wanted 10 strike, j refused 10 make ii. We had
some words, and Daum threatened 10 pnt nae
under arrest after the battle, aud rode away
It'd 1afa al l. -