The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-01
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What0ur Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
cAPEHARTs REJoINDER.
Gen. Shields and the Bridge at Port Republic.

Gen. Shields and the Bridge at Port Republic
EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: The temperate
and courteous letter Of Capt. T. ). Goodrich
Ado, in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE OF jury
ii, tends TO confirm a suspicion nave long
held-that Mcdowell and other olhcers COM
bned 10 offer mp Shields as a sacrifice to save
themselves from serious consequences; the
unouestionably grand and kind hearted old
soldier falling before one Of the drHm-head
judgments of those hurrying and exciting days,
oyerpowered by superior numbers and craft
and dupiicity that was utterly foreign TO ms
unsuspecting nature. In self-defense men wll
20 TO unusual lengths.
thought made myself clear in estimating
Col. Carroll as he was in o. Permit me TO
say that il were asked 10 pick out from the
Army Of the Potomac the names OF hall dozen
Of the most daring, brave and cool-headed GEN.
eral officers during Grants time In actual bat
tie, desperate or otherwise, and Judging each
from his entire career, should nnhesitatlngly
name Gen. Carroll as one of them. More
young, handsome and elusive as he was, he
seemed exceptionally well calculated TO draw
20 him the friendship Of his fellow-men. For
myself came in contact with but few during
the war, though my acquaintance with him
was comparatively slight, for whom had
warmer personal feeling and admiration, and
could / consistently withdraw any unpleasant
statements about him j would be glad to do so.
As TO the bourbon-ap plejack episode, re-
hected not q little before giving il, emitting
the names rs much perhaps out of consideration
for nOn-army readers as anything else; but as
THE NATIONAL tribune is engaged In the
praisewOrthy task ofassisting TO lay the founda-
lions Of q genuine history OF the war, con-
cuded TO give the actual facts, believing at the
same time that the then Colonel, with his
peculiarities not uncommon among West Point
ems, al least Of that day, could well afford TO
bear the load as one of his youthful indiscre-
tons, and / cannot withdraw it.
No doubt, as he says, Capt. Goodrich left the
field with rebel staff officer, Lieut.. Willis; but
there were twocaptured-CoL Crutchfed, Jack
sons Chief OF Artillery, remaining with the
Colonel. the occurrences then only known 70
themselves and some cavalry soldiers present.
il is hardly fair 10 infer from what ] said that
there was drunken carOusal." i said the
COiOneIs judgment naturally became affected,
10 the exclusion of clear sense Of his obvious
duty" / give the opinion, professionally, that
even modicum Of combined bourbon and apple
Jack wall affect a mans judgment very mateTi-
ally In less time than three-guarters OF an hour;
especially Es the Colonel seems TO have been
ces rous OF exhibiting his daring 10 his captive.
Certainly had our gallant young Colonel been
attending 70 business and needed Capt. {. c.
Krepp's urgent message, and taken at once an
observation OF the situation, the good sense
that usually guided him would have dictated
that il was his obvious duty beyond all ques-
ton 70 destroy the bridge without an instants
delay; bat after all, whether jackson would
have Jared worse had it been destroyed, may
be an open question, considering Eremonts re-
firing nature. Our ColOneI's guest made very
bAsty leave-taking, probably neglecting even to
say gOOd-by IN the confusion Of the hosts sud-
den retreat Had the facts reached the ears Of
Lincoln aud Stanton there would have been
very sudden beTninatiOn 10 the really gallant
COlonefs military career. IL is well known
playing billiards with Fitz Lee, prisoner.
The illustration referred 10 by the Captain
am not responsible for; but, 10 do THE Ma
TIOEAL IRTBUSE's artist justice, am inclined
20 think that ID approaches nature pretty
closely.
The Captain overdraws it in speaking Of the
confusion among the LIST w. Va. boys that
morning. The officer in command to whom
he refers as being endorsed and taken sud-
denly III, was the same who was referred TO at
keTnstoWn, a constitutiOnally, IL not studious,
coward. and who left the regiment soon after.
Certainly Capt. C. c. Krepps was never known
70 show even the sign OF a white feather, and
jackson admits that his cavalry fed disgrace
fully before him.
We were on the way to WayDesboro, IN the
belief that jackson was FetTeating by that way
60 burn the bridge there aud cut of his retreat
not dreaming Of bis presence al Port Republic.
The dispatch quoted by the Captain from
EAAcS45 10 AAffD4i, OF TIC aEus WHICH IN QulN re-
corded, 70 save the bridge, did not apply 70 the
circumstances as Carroll knew them on the
6th, or a. be should have known them had his
Judgment been clear and had be listened 70
krrpps il had, in fact, become obsolete from
the change OF circumstances.
Here are some short extracts from two other
dispatches from Shields to Carroll. The first is
dated June ], which says: have an imPor-
tznt work for you 70 perform. IL is 10 burn the
bridge near COBrads store. This is the bridge
by which Jackson retTeated before. .
Prepare fzgots 70 morrow along the read !" etc,
giving explicit directions, with full aud ener-
getIe orders, as was his custom. Perhaps
there are TWO bridges there not far distant.
These both must De burned" The Port Re-
public bridge was but a comparatively short
distance above. The second, 10 Carroll at Con-
RAIDS Store, dated the 9th, says: " Can you pre-
pare for spring On Maynesboro 70 burn the
bridge, care, and tear up the FGilrOad7 / fear
the enemy Will escape If this is not DONE" etc.
IL would be q splendid exploit"
The dispatch Of the 9Th being written under
q Misrepresentation OF Jackson's position, sup
posed 70 be south Of Port Kepablic, the bridge
70 be saved there from small maraudinR
parties 50 that Shields could Join Fremont and
make sn end Of jackson, while Carroll moved
beyond and cut OF his retreat By destroying
the bridges
The dispatches Of the LIST and 9th show
clearly what tic wishes Of Shields were !: that
bridges should be burnt and Jackson's ESCAPE
made impossible. Could anyone in CarrolPs
place, with clear head, and knowing that
Shields wanted Jackson cut of at COnrad's aud
vicinity, aud al HaynesbOro, believe that lac
wanted him 10 escape by Port Republic? The
EuppgsitiOn il too absurd.
The historian must certainly allow that parl
OF Shieldss report quoted by Capt. Goodrich u
EtaBd a. history, az Shields intended. and that
the dispatch Of the 4th does not ezonerate Car.
roll ia lis failure 70 burn the bridge on The
6th al Port Republic, and thus cut of Jack.
sons retreat The more one studies Shields
intentions and conduct the more convinced
he becomes Of has exceptional E4gacty spen,
olo courage and eminent capacity for military
command.
Before leaving the subject permit me Il
thank The many commentators and critics fol
their generally very kind references to th,
Shenandoah papers. IL would take too mucl
OF your space 10 reply 70 them all. But let N,
say. ia ali good nature, that when they under
take 20 speak confidently Of what they saw
from memory, and Of what occurred outside O
their own, Of course. very limited vision, aftel
the lapse Of more than q quarter Of century
and that from hearsay, they do 30 without do
lbeTate reflection.
With very few exceptions the matter wa
derived from credible witnesses, who recorded
the events within few days after their occ0r
renee. Although / do not pretend that Ia.
articles are entirely free from eTrors 80 far th,
critics who have sought 70 make any correc
tiOns Of any facts al all material have gone Ca
vide Of the mark themselves IL Is true
might have given the l4th Ind, and all other