The National tribune., 1889-11-14
IN THE WILDERNESS.
The Turning or the Right Flank May Q, 1886

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the issue
of your journal Of the 10Th of September, 1889,
] observe tho reference there made to the
placing OF O section of battery near the juno
ton of two roads-the one that passed by the
log house and the turnpike-in order to check
the stampede that was then going on, This
section belonged to Battery e. list r. !. L. A.
/ was in command of the section, and was
placed Mt the above-named position, under the
personal supervision of Gen. John Sedgwick.
The General rode at the head of the column
with me-
First an order had come to move section of
our battery, which was parked in the open field
near general headquarters, into the turnpike
and face toward the river in columns of pieces,
and then await orders. My section (the right
was detailed for this service. got my section
into tho turnpike in short order, and there
found Gen. Sedgwick. He requested mo to
move rapidly down the turnpike. i at once
gave the order, annoneers-Mount," and
then "Trot-March," which last usually meant
on such occasions dead run, and such was the
movement now. We soon came to tho fork in
the road. As the General directed, we went
into battery and loaded with canister. There
were few mon around the guns belonging to
the infantry, who showed good courage. At
the Generals request they promptly stopped
and formed line of battle. rs well as they could,
in rear of my guns and on the TANKS. 1 sent
my two Sergeants, mounted, one on either road,
to challenge whoever might come up them. If
the parties proved TO be friends, cndeavor to
rally them upon the line ut the guns; If foes,
give the alarm rs soon as possible, and to ride
TO one side, out of range, IN order that might
sweep the roads with canister.
As soon as these dispositions were made,
which took less time than / take in telling of
them, Gen. Sedgwick-our Uncle John--put
spurs to his charger and dashed into tho dense
NJ Of lao :Ha nf ho furn RI wa
were facing, in order TO rally the men at some
other point. His uniform, made Of thick,
strong beaver was sadly rent by the bushes.
Someone remarked at the time that he would
prefer to face the rebel line than to ride into
that mass of brush aud briars. Troops in we'll
closed ranks do not appear multitudinous, but
let the same ranks be broken, and they seem
almost countless throng. So now the woods
appeared to be full of our men. Yet it did not
seem 10 be difficult to rally the boys, as far as
observed. They did not appear 20 be scared.
They were only surprised, because they were
attacked simultaneously in flank and rear.
| They appeared to want TO find some place 10
reform about face and fight for all they were
worth. No enemy that We saw came then in
range of my guns. Had they done so, / think
we would have made them sick, as the men OF
the 18th N. Y. III. A., and others with them,
showed a strong determination to aid US in
holding our ground.
1t lisa long time ago that we were there In the
Wilderness, but il seems TO me now, as il did
then, that our extreme right wing was surely
turned. 1t did not appear that anybody felt
whipped or wanted TO recross the Rapidau
Such misfortune as this was one that is liable
TO occur, and which no commander can well
insure himself against. The advantage TO the
enemy was Of little consequence After Gen
| Sedgwick had made the proper disposition oil
his troops a now line my section, with its
gallant support, late at night, was withdrawn
/ would add what may be an item of interest
that our full battery OF six Napoleon brass l2-
| pound guns was placed on the exact spot al
! Spottsylvania where Gen Sedgwick was killed
We went in at dusk on the day Of his death
aud at daylight next morning we opened upon
the enemy's line with good effect. After We
had fired continuously and rapidly for about
one-half hour our infantry charged and capt
ured the line of the enemy's rile-pits and held
| it.-E X. PARKER, First Lieutenant, LIST Il. i
| l.. A., Providence, X. /.