The National tribune., 1890-02-13

ny Il htHeiai OfueT, winch tue 1Tienu Oh Tue
person from Boston, in his letter to THE Ma
| TIoNAL TRIBUNE corroborates and without a
stain upon his character either rs gentleman
| or a soldier. IL might be wished that the indi-
vidual from Boston, be he Dutchman or BOs-
tonian, could say rs much; and it would be
easy, after the manner he adopts, and with as
much truth, to say that he might himself have
been the person pointed at, though shall say
no such thing, for feel positive he is not; but
he was more likely person, evidently than
Col. Daum to engage in shady piece of bust
ness.
Considering that Mr. Huntington, now OF
Boston, if we give him credit for the least sense,
could not have read the records, having hither-
! TO been ignorant of his own record that he has
/ not the least inclination to thoroughness, and
that he is stOne-blind rs to matters of fact, the
criticism he tells us no has thought somewhat
of treating us 70, at the instance of his friends,
! on the Shenandoah campaign, must surely have
been a laughable performances and for surety
his friends must have been max ing game of him.
! In respect TO the differences he would have us
/ draw respecting some historical points, if he
sets himself TO reading earnestly and under
/ standiugly the vOluminous official papers, |
have no doubt he will conclude that am right
/ and that he Is wrong. At all events until he
/ studies his subject with some degree of thor
! oughness he must excuse me from entering
/ into such matters with him :. and i have al
ready devoted more time TO him than l in
! tended.
Samuel w. Cass, Of Maumee, O., il seems
! transparent must have been inspired by the
individual from Boston. except that Mr.. Cass
writes like gentleman, in comparison.
But have more important and agreeable
duty TO perform. In referring TO the part of
the sith Pa. in the splendid victory over Jack
son at kernstOwn, had little moro tall there
was accessiblel than the reports of some other
10 To-
OF Col. Thomas III. Craig then the Adiutant of
the regiment. not being available, though since
printed in THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. | take
great pleasure in withdrawing anything | said
at all inconsistent with Col. Craig's report.
have too. every reason TO believe that no regi-
ment behaved more CALAMITY on that glorious
| field, which their losses in killed and wounded
the heaviest, alone sufficiently attest. | have
also good reason for believing that their Adiu-
taut, just named, and subsequen sly Lieuten-
ant-Colonei at the age of -. was among the
bravcst of the brave in the fight at kernstOwn.
shall not be considered singular, feel sure.
IN saying that have been greatly interested
IN the CannOneer's story; aud il seems 10 me
to be remarkably we'll told. / could even wish
that he had amplifed his Grant interview,
which Is not only interesting but valuable his
toricaly.
was also interested in the fresh and bright
letter of II. G. Whitaker, ID y. Y. Cav.
If Comrade y. b. Moves, 29th Ohio, and one
OF your picket shooters, should have occasion 10
recur TO the Shenandoah papers, he will find
solution of his diiicnltics-a fuller one in the
records; among other things that Mcdowell
culpably neglected TO forward supplies. though
there were plenty. McDowell's conduct was
never at all searchingly investigated. 1t may
be said here. parenihetically, that Mcdowell was
ceusured by his friendly court for absenting
" himself from his command at a critical time"
lat second Bull Rum without any order from
bis superior officer aud without any imperative
necessity, and became lost in the woods. This,
too was when the moment had arrived for
prompt concentration Of the whole army against
the rebel troops under Jackson who, bat for
MciDowclIs cnlpable action must have been
annhiIated, though some seem 10 think that
Jackson was incapable OF being damaged until
he was killed at least. After this Mcdowell
WAS not actively employed. Aud docs the
c0mra5e know that Shields, after the attack on
the flank, ordered the more important move.
mcnis at kcrnstown (which Gen. Kimhall
admits while IN bed, sore aud bruised general
~ aud his arm broken, and that he infused his
plucky individuality into the army while in
ih's unhappy situation? Celebrated and even
able officer, 10 is well known, became mentally
aud physically paralyzea. while their troops
were hardly more uHfavorabiy situated lsome
much less sol, aud the officers themselves were
in perfect bodily health save the affection OF
their nerves The fighting at Kernstown will
compare most iavorably with any az Gettysburg
aud the generalshp was unquest0nably better:
in fact, il has seldom been excclled. Should
Comrade Noycs . feel that Shields was blama-
bic at any time without examining into the
facts?
Another good Dutchman, II. II. Rhodes 9TH
Ohio, and Of Bradford, Pa, has sent me an in
cident Of Port Republic, with modest request
that send it 10 you, aud ii seems to me to be
well worth being put on the records for pres
ergati0n. ] take the liberty OF giving ii to
you in nearly his own words, excepting the
broken English. lie says:
We had marched over 200 miles. through
bail and storm, aud through the battle / was
in my bare feet. After about ali had got on the
road. in company with Go. G soldier of my
regiment, whose name DO not remember, If
ever knew ~. sc saw one Of Clark 5 guns stuck
fast, something over 200 feet from where they
had been in action. The rebels had a battery
in action not far from where Clark had been.
The wheels OF Clark's gun were in the mud
up 10 the hubs, the ground just there being
s@ampy. There were but twO horses TO the
gnn, aud the driver WAS on one doing his best
20 get the team 30 pull the piece out, but they
could not do IL, when my cOmrade aud went
70 give our help. The driver was the only ar
tilicTyBan with the gan; the rest had all left
Ncwcre the last on the field. The Johnnies were
N4'sN my Ast4GN AiA bt1tI Nhiit5Atf anu
shell over over heads Now, as | said, was in
my bare feet, aud the c5mrade who helped me
was shot through the mouth-in at one check
and out II the other. / had hold Of the right
biud-whcel. aud lifted till / could see stars,
with tic blood running out Of my feet and
legs. Ny cOinrade, at the left hind wheel, each
time lac lifted the blood would issue from
both his checks like soap bubbles We 'safcd
the gun. ii IL had not been for Us it would
have been lost aud we carried our own guns
safely with u.s."
IL seems TO me that no Yankee could have
done better than this brave Dutchman did and
that he deserves 10 have picture OF the Incl
dent ia IHE NATIONAL TRIBUNE to send down
to his postcrity, aud ia proof that man may
be a man If lac be Dutchman.
Permit me tosay that 10 me, The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE fully maintains its great interest
aud keeps its place as the leading military
paper OF the country. To my mind too, the
editorials, on various subjects, arc models Of
polished, tersc aud vigorous Engish.-H.
CAPEHAET, Fargo, $. ID.