The National tribune., 1890-09-18

Porter's History and other accounts my own
regiment being farthest in that direction.
Bryson shows that Shaw's Brigade was driven
back, and charges it up to lack OF ammunition.
The entire brigade leaves the line and goes back
for a supply Novel tactics indeed ! But it
seems that the enemy, who believed in vic
tory" sometimes aud whose powder was hold
ing out better, was just then studying the line
of retreat, which thpy had left out of their
army rules just rs Jackson investigated Gen.
Hope's Also, the rchs had holes iu their trou-
sors, too, and wore straw hats, which two things
our comradc seems to regard rs among the
prime qualifications of good soldiers This
little episode in their history must therefore
| be regarded as xceptiOnal-somethin not in
their army rules
But as il fell to the lot Of our own regiment
10 sec Shaws men i'll retreat, will quote from
the Regimental History (pages 422, 3, a.:
Between our brigade aud Benedct's thoro
was Col Shaw's Brigade. He also
was attacked at the same time Benedict was,
aud sent To Gen. Dwight TO come over and
help him, which Dwight declined TO do with
ont orders Consequently the rebels sent Shaw
a-hying TO the rear, after fighting him little
while, Just before Shaw's Brigade
broke. our brigade was ordered toward the CEN
ter Of tho field. We had not gone
far before we saw the men of Shaw's Brigade
coming on tho run from our right hand. These
iiiN'A 'aih ~ thNA Ath ENiiNt''''N l''''''s~ 80
front and behind us. hut one entire regiment,
which had managed to keep its formation,
broke through an interval which had opened
between our right and left wings.
After Shaws troops had gone through us, we
continued 20 march as before, with our flank
10 an unseen enemy. Bullets came
with considerable vim from little 90 tho right
OF direction we were marching in. (Corpl
Damn, of Co. X, badly wounded hcre)
Looking up the road toward Texas to see If
the rebels who had overpowered Shaw were
coming. We were surrounded on the
three most important sides. Other regiments
were guarding the other two fronts, and we
were 10 take care OF the third. After
passing one of Smiths Brigalos, the men of
which said they had not yet fred q gun, we re-
crossed the road"
The foregoing, together with Bryson's own
story, proves that Shaw's troops took refuge
behind the Nineteenth Corps. Thoy did not
look any braveT or better than other good
troops when running out of a losing fight.
Undoubtedly they did the hardest fighting in
the battle, and did il gallantly, but they left
tae front because it was not tenaho. Even
Bryson, after repeatedly averriug that they
ouly went back for ammunition, stuitifos his
excuse by the statement, We were not en-
tiTely out of ammunition when we left the
front"
Bryson states, The I65th n Y belonged to
tho Second Division, Nineteenth Corps, being
well 70 the right OF the main line o! LATHE.
HERE ARE TWO MIssTATEMENTs
in ono short sentence. There was 10 Second
Division present, as ] have shown, and the
lG5tb belonged in the Third Brigade, away 20
the left. lie also says: Our officers seized
their the Nineteenth Corps standards-among
others Col. Lynch, of Maine regiment" Ref
crence to the Nineteenth Corps organization
before giycu) shows that no Col. Lynch was
there, with Maine regiment or any other.
When Gen. Mower led Smiths reserves, $500
infantry, (soe Admiral Porter's fgures,) into
the battle, nc lad 10 deal with the confused
troops of an enemy who had suffered terribly
and spent his first energy. Like the fight Of
the Nineteenth Corps at Sabine Crossroads, it
was the easiest part. Bryson says: THE rebels
gave them no great opposition. There IS moth
ing better in battle than 10 20 in last"
Admiral Porter everywhere bcsiowS unstintcd
praise upon the Sixteenth Corps his old frlondsl.
lie also spoke in warm commendation OF the
Nineteenth, ana nowhere IN our derogatun.
BTysoD speaks Of "distrust open personal
abuse" ETC., between the men Of the two corps.
After 26 long years OF esteem for their tthe
Sixteenth men and Generals it comes harshly
DOW TO be told that such existed.
Troops can estimate the causes Of their own
defeat, but rarely that OF others. Out Of this
inability Comrade Bryson has written his pa
per. but he has written it without the mind Of
one
Whose truth bath shown
brotber's glory sacred rs his own"
On the retreat Benedict's Brigade then led
by Fessenden. / belieyei assaulted aud took
Monetis Bluff at the crossing of Cane River.
the Both Me. losing 40 men aud Col. Fessenden
a leg.
A the Opegusn the llf:h y. Y. suffered one
Of The heaviest regimental losses OF tho war,
yct gave no ground. ] mention these rs part
of the troops that the comrade writes about.
and from whom IN common with ali the Tbir-
tccnth and Nineteenth Corps, he would take
that
Which not cnrichcs him.
And leEvc, us poor indeed"
We're the 29th Ne. again in tie Geld il would
ask f9r us Old mates ioF brigade companions
the 30th Mas, ll4th, 10th and l53d n. Y.
New York city and the Census