The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-24
"TBE CANNONEER"
Comrades Mingle Praise and Criticism
Of the Gunner.

Ccmrade r. q. Kliucfclicr, of Stewards bat
terry detached FROM the 9Th Wis, in letterto tho
Gannuneer saws that when they captured some
rebels az the last charge of Antctam they
frrhtls) told them that old St0uewall jackson
told his men hat he would sacrifice 10000 men
but he would capture that Union battery.
d. had dnnc him SO much BARN at Gainesville,
Second Bull Run, and south Mountain. He
SAWS they certainly tried very hard 60 do il,
and charged three times before he l1aclsOn)
gave it, M. Our comrade says he WAS No. on
the gun in the turnpike aud remembers well
when Gen. Gibbun helped them few rounds
or their guns. lie says after they got out OF
that place they went into position back OF the
coruheld, aud completely anpihilated the enc
my, who left every one OF their guns on the field.
He remembers what splendid line of battle
the enemy had az Gettysburg when they came
out of the woods Oh the opposite side OF the
open fields i'm trout. and how quickly they
scattered after being charged. He says: We
IUt in three charges % canister in our guns ut
once and had hardly got outside of The wheel
before il was fired off, and when we found the
enemy getting in rear the officers thought
il would he impossible 10 get our section out
and save the men too. SO they told Armstrong
10 tell the men To take care Of themselves and
let the guns 80. Armstrong turned round 10
Us who stood at the gun, and asked II we should
leave the guns, or take them as far as we went,
and we told him we would take the guns with
Us, and ii ihey were captured we would go with
them"
Comrade II. NJ. Jones, of Scott City, Kan,
Fifth Corps says:
] have been much interested in reading
the story Of a CannOneer," as much of 1t
rs relates to the campaigns in which ] took
part. was member OF Bartlett's Brigade. of
which he speaks SO highly. Bartletrs Brigade
was the first TO strike the rebels at the Wilder
ness, and the first man killed IN Grants adj
vance on Richmond was one Of the 18th Mass
The Filth CORPS lett the Wilderness on SatuT
day night. aud marching all night went around
the right flank of Lees army, and advanced
on Sp0ltsylvania Courthouse. While marching
by the flank M the road 10 Laurel Hill at 3
O'Clock Sunday morning with heavy line of
EkirmIshers aud flAnkcrs out, we developed
line OF Tife-pits Just above the brow Of the hill
filed with rebel infantry. Bartictt's Brigade
being the head Of the column, formed in line of
battle, and went up and halted at the top of the
bill, 80 yards from the rebel works and engaged
the enemy. The CaHnoueer speaks OF the
charge Of Stewards Battery al Bethesda Church.
IL brought 10 mind a similar action OF Griilins
Battery ON that Sunday morning They first
took position nearly half a mile in our rear,
firing over our heads, but Griffin, who was never
satisfied with long range work. soon limhered
NJ and gallVped up. taking position on the right
Of our brigade and within 30 yards of a heavy
line Of rebel infantry in riGe-pts, where the
fifteen minutes before they retired. IL was
the only time in three years service that had
seen battery served on the sRiunish-line.
The Cannoneer says that tie Fifth Corps had a
high opinion Of GrifFins Ba-iery. They were
certainly deserving of f. We were better ac-
quaintrd with them. as they served with us all
through the war, and we considered them in
feri0r 10 none.
The Story Of a Cannoneer" is the best
written story that has appeared in your col
uinns. and wish that more OF the high pFiyates
would write up their recoliections of the war
had The misfortune 10 lose diary which /
kept Tor the FIRST Two years of tile war; and am
Obliged 70 write entirely from memory, but
there are some incidents which we old soldiers
never forget
Comrade George Hugunin. Captain and
BFevet Major l47th n. Y, Syracuse, n. Y,
says:
The reader Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE or
the general reader would hardly believe there
ever existed Fifth Corps alter Warren touk
Command de allowed 40 correspondents de-
string rather 10 stand on merit. The infantry
often thought they were some pumpkins !
arr gLad the CORPS has cham ion even If il is
OHly mentioned incidentally. read the Cam
Bonsers story with the greatest pleasure as
We we're Hght with him al the time aud can
back him up IN most Of what he says and
suppose we hacked him aud his battery more
Ian once 10 the arIng. but never 50 l0nginsiy
then as We read las story now; for OF all tie
manifold duties ofan iHlantrymen from lying
down ln he muG 10 forging hat of support
lng battery 10 action j. one lac hates.
Has poDF infantry officer, who packed my
Tallse AZ 1ulpeper May 3 l5Gi. and never saw
IL aga5n till June o. wearing the same shirt
over 80 days. when ] rInsed IL once aud put il
Oh wet Our brigade Second, Cutters DiyisionJ
had $50 rest ln that time under ire or march
ing day aud might. rs 3ati gue-coa was torn
OF in The brush at the Wilderness and 50 were
my pants. ] had 10 draw from 4 casi-oG KNAPP
Sack priyate's blouse aud pants. The blouse
when was knocked cut at the Weldon Rail-
road Aug. le. l564. had 10 bullet holes IN IT,
j went into the Wilderness Nav with Il
men ard WREN WAS wounded / only had
seven lett. lett IL Ia five days in the " ilder-
Dess aud SpOtisylVauIa. ] merely mention
this - show that Rice's afierward HoHman's}
Second Brigade followed tie CauuOneer night
along. aud arc reputable witnesses Of the truth
Of his st0ry.
ia the Wilderness the Second Brigade ate
their dinners ia the clearing SPOKEN Of after
passing through the wood and then formed
line. We @ere lett lB front 10 the right and
went into the woods some hall a mile aud Law
down Tie 18th n. y. was on the lett. aud
NY company next 10 The ielt. SkirmisheIs
were OUt. BUt There was 80 firing The Col
onel took tie left company aud sent them IN as
tkfflD is!cfa. directing them 10 extend out 10
The ieit. iiey were hardly out 81 sight and
the Colonel WIS only about % ieet away ia the
irsut. when iEc crash came aud the Colonel
fell shot through the body. aud was taken
prisoner aud did not return tiil the close OF the
WaF. We afterwards heard from some Of our
wounded hElTulshrfs who iay on the field that
tue Frucis advanced. without skirmigbefs ia
four l8ncs; tie first firing aud lying down
tie others walking over aud successfully firing
Nothing could stand IL, but We fired once and
thcH were blown away. ! lest four KILLED and
five wounded, aud We never saw "A rebel. the
brush wac ibick. We struck the ground
sb0nt ~ rods back. aud when ] got to them
they Hefc lu line Tie TACT is, / WIS ashamed
10 Fuu, not seeing anyone. ] informed the
Lieutenant si0Bei tbat The Colonel was shot
aud by tbis time they we're on Us again. We
NOu3d rally aud Ere and fail back we could
Keep line Tor the brush. Finally three Can
taiBs ~ as found ourselves together with a few
Of cur men, some 40 altogether, each one look
ing Tor tie regiment aud the colOrg While
consulting tie AdjulaHt joined u.s. and our
men gathered round us like fock Of sheen
Whiting FOR salt. ] was the Oldest man, but vet
JUNIOR and knowing the temper Of our field
officers, thought they bad gone 10 the front.
hut where Was the fT0ntY We heard smut
teTiug on ali SIDES aud many bullets came
around, 70 finally proposed 10 form a line and
HdSauce 70 what thought front The Adj
9uiAnt thought the regiment WAS in Just the