The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-20
THE EIGHTH CORPS.
A Misnemer When Applied TO the Army of West
Virginia.


Virginia.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Some time
ago l sent for your columns an article calling
attention to an error commonly fallen into by
historians and other writers of war data, that
of designating the Army of West Virginia as
the Eighth Corps" and Gen. George Crook
as its commander. For one | am proud was
member of the Army of West Virginia; proud
of its record and jealous Of its honor. / have
no doubt / should have felt the same toward
the Eighth Corps had been connected with it.
The Army of West Virginia and Eighth Corps
were two entirely distinct organizations, never
serving in the same field or under the same de-
partment commander.
Ii is not TO be wondered at that lesser writers
confound the two organizations when writers
such as E. A. Burr, r. J. Hinton and Rev. 2. C.
Headlcy, in their well-written works on the
life and military career of Gen. Sheridan
use the term Eighth Corps" as Synonymous
with Army of West Virginia; except Headley,
when quoting from Capt J. w. De Forrest's
18th Conn. article in the February (1865)
number of Harpers Monthly Not only these
able writers, but Col. B. w. Crowninshield, of
Sheridans staff, on pages IA, 10. is, 10, 20, %,
30 and 81, in his Battle of Cedar Creek" in
like manner uses the term Eighth Corps"
In the maps, now before me, of the battle
fields of Opequan, Fishers Hill and Cedar
Creek, prepared by Engineers of the War De-
partment by order OF Gen. Sheridan. and in
these same maps. in miniature, used in Sheri-
dams Personal Memoirs" the positions occu-
pied by the Army of West Virginia are desig.
mated by the terms Crooks Corps" and
- Eighth Corps"
Sheridan in his Personal Memoirs" never
mentions the Eighth Corps, nor does he name
any corps by number between the Sixth and
Eleventh Corps. In speaking of the Army of
West Virginia / believe he invariably uses q
speak from memory the expressions Crooks ("
Crooks forces" or Crooks command" ex-
cept where he has given the official organiza-
ton of his command, and there, in each in
stance we are officially recognized as the
Army of West Virginia, which, by the way,
are the only instances in his Memoirs where
official mention is made of the Army of West
Virginia.
Possibly it may be said, behold what q
fame little matter kindleth!" Be that as it
may, unto Cesar should be rendered the things
that are Cesar's. The Eighth Corps has won
for itself imperishable donors, and no member
of it has sought or desires to possess the honors
Of another organization between which and
itself there was nothing in common EXCEPT to
crush the rebellion With equal propriety
could our hOnors be ascribed to any other corps
| repeat, ! am proud Of the record of the Army
of West Virginia and jealous of its honors, and
desire TO see those honors rest where they
rightfully belong.
Since writing my former article wrote t.
Gen. Crook on the subject, and herewith in
close his reply:
HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE Missouri. !
CHICAGO ILL. May Is, 1859.
MY DEAR COLONEL: In reply to your inquiry o
4 May with reference TO the Eighth Corps of the
Army of West Virginia, have 10 say that the Mid
die Department was organized by General Orders
No. 81, War Department, March o. 1862 and com
prised the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania ane
Delaware, the eastern shore of Mary land and Vir
4 ginia, and the Counties of Cecil Hartford, Balti
more and Anne Arundel, in Maryland. Gen Di,
was its first commander. At this time West Vir
| giBia was an independent command. June l. 1862
Il Gen. Dix was relieved from command of the Mid
| die Department and Msj.-Gen. Wool assigned b,
1 General Orders, No. 81, War Department, seriea
| 1852 BY General Orders, a. of the same year tn,
forces under Gen. Wool were constituted the Eight
Army Corps, being in fact the troops serving in thu
| Middle Department General Orders, No &C. Wa
1 Department, March 10, 1868, added the whole O
| West Virginia 20 the Middle Department thu
practically absorbing the Department of Yves
| Virginia. In the meantime Gen R. g. Scbencl
had been assigned Dec. IL by General Orders, No
| 2u7. series 1862, TO the command of the Middle De
| partment and Eighth Corps. On the Oath of June
1865, the Department of West Virginia was recon
stituted by War Department Orders, No. 1885, as fol
| lows: That portion Of the Middle Departmen
west Of Hancock, including the adjacent Countie
ofOhio" and Brig. Gen. B. f. Kelley placed in com
| mand. Aug. 3, 1868, by General Orders 266 Wa
| Department. the Department Of West Virginia wa
| extended to include ali of the State OF Maryan,
| west OF the Monocacy River and that part of Vir
| Rinia In the vicinity of Harper's Ferry" From
this date the western limit of the Middle Deparf
| nlent was the Monocacy River, and only the troop
| belonging to that department could properly &
! called Eighth Corps. Maj.-Gen. Lew Wallace com
| manded the Eighth Corps from March, 1864 till IN
end OF the war, except for few days while Gen
| Ord was in command. Gen. George Crook wa
| specially assigned TO the command Of the Depart
ment of West Virginia " July 25 1854 by virtue d
| War Department Orders, 234 The Department 4
| the Shenandoah was short lived, and l think IL
emily commander was Gen. Banks. 1t was organ