The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-08-07
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
/" Blackberry PIckers.O

guns were recaptured at Pleasant Hill, April 9.
William Holmes, Go. +, 1st Mass. Ii. A.,
Lawrence, Mass, wishes to correct some errors
about the 1st Mass. H. A. The regiment was
mustered into service July 5, 1861, as the 14th
Mass; in March, 1862, it was changed to the
lst Mass III. A. and recruited up to the heavy
artillery standard. In 1864 after participating
in tho movements under Grant from the Will
derness to the James River, it arrived in front
OF Petersburg and made the attack upon that
place on the evening of June l6 and took part
in the siege of Petersburg until the surrender
Of Lee. Col. Wright was tho writer thinks,
on detached duty, railrOading in Tennessee.
The officers to whom the regiment is CHI iefly
indebted for its good showing were Mai. ROlfe,
killed Mt SpOttsylyania, Pa and Col Shatswell,
who commanded after Tannatt left the regi-
ment ut Petersburg
William Soden, Co. f. ODD Wis, Oregon, Wis.
in regard to tho loss of Nims's ID Mass. battery,
says il was at Sabine Crossroads. The Fourth
Division of the Thirteenth Corps, to which the
battery belonged, was at the front with about
2,40O men, and the rebs came down on them
with about $4,000. He nevor saw men stand
to their guns like those of that battery. They
were between the 23d Wis and the 9th Ind,
and on tho right and never gave an inch.
When the 9th was driven back it left tho right
exposed, and there was no way to get the guns
oil, rs the horses were nearly all killed in the
rear was dense woods and the only road Banks
had filed with train of $50 wagons.
They All Disagree With Him.
J. II. Corson, Co b, 16ist n. Y, Avoca. Iowa,
answering James Bryson, 9th Iowa, says that
the 10th n. Y. was not at Pleasant Hill, but
the 167th n. Y. was. He did not see any paper
collars on the men of any command, rs the only
collars worn were made of coarse white sleeps
wool, much soiled from sweat and dirt
A Woolhser, Co. II, Tooth N Y, Occoauan,
Va. wantg a know IF (nrura1n Rrvcnn How,
the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps got to
Alexandria. Was 1t overland or by transport?
What wero the losses of those corps in the
capture of Fort DcRussy2 Does he know what
troops wero relieved and what troops took their
place on the skirmish-line at Pleasant Hill ut
0 o'clock q. M. of tho 9th? Does he know what
troops held the first line in the battle and were
driven through the second line and what troops
composed the second liner
A. l.. Barrett, Co. l., Sd Mass Cav. Orange
Mass, was amused at reading COmrade Bry-
sons account, especially where he criticises the
Nineteenth and Thirteenth Corps for coward
ice and applauds tho Sixteenth and Seventeenth
Corps. He only wishes to say that if all the
men in tho army had been like those who
made up the two latter corps the war would
have been finished in short while However,
II Comradc Bryson will come to Boston 10 tho
National Encampment, the Massachusetts, boys
will show him that they know how 20 entertain
visitors, if they did not know how to fight.
Robert Welch, l65th n. Y, Third Brigade.
First Division, Nineteenth Corps, New York
City, says that If Comrade Bryson had taken
the trouble TO read the OFFICIAL reports of both
armies he would not have written his article.
Ihere were no paper collars in the writer's reg
imcnt, for they were Zouaves. The Thirteenth
and Nineteenth Corps had marched I7S miles
in rain, mud and dust before reaching AIexan-
dria. He docs not say one word about McMiI-
Ian's Brigade, Of the Nineteenth Corps, that
supported his brigade on the second line. and
that pushed forward when his brigade was
driven back. All honor to A. J. Smiths Corps
majority Of them were on the second line in
good position under shelter and when the first
line was rcpulsed they turned the tide Of bat
tic in our favor by a most destructive voley of
musketry, aud saved the day at Pleasant Hill.
They were on the reserve in the advance up
Red River, and covered their retreat all tho
way to Simmesport. The whole trouble seems
to be that all soldiers who fought exclusively
in the West think there was no fighting quail
ity in Eastern troops. The Western troops who
were in tho Army OF the Potomac think differ
emily, for they had ample opportunity to know
the truth.
Two HOoted Questions.
VIM. b. Lowell. Co. G, 9Th Iowa Cav, Crystal
Springs, Miss, says that Comrade Meyer is not
altogether correct as TO the four gun battery
Hatch commanded two or moro brigades at
Nashville, and Croxton's Brigade composed of
the I'd Miss. Cav, 9Th Iowa Cav, 1st Tenn. Cav.
and 4th Ky. MID Inf, was under his COM
mand aud participated in the charge that took
the four guns The Sth Iowa Cav. men had
reached the guns before they were turned on
the rebels but ho does not know if they
assisted in turning them
Joseph Rich, CO. b, 10th Mo- Cav, Dillon,
Mont, says that Comrade Meyer is right in
EgF AFasr sN.uf L.. 1. = L a.
were di5mouuted cat Try too. The writer was
in that fight, and he, With others, captured two
OF the gunners that stayed with the guns until
our men were within 40 yards of them. The
18TH Mo- Cav. was there as we'll as the Illinois
aud Iowa boys lie says: Fire away Comrade
Price. Smiths Guerrillas were good boys but
don't let them get away with our preserves
Let The comrades OF the 18th Mo. Cav. wake
up"
II. Shannon, Co. A, Goth Ohio. Duvall, O.,
Gays that the battery which broke from Woods
line aud did such execution was the 9Th Ind
battery, belonging to the First Brigade, First
Division, Fourth Corps.
M. ID. Price, CO. IL, 10th Mo. Cav. Empire
Ga, is sorry to see some of the comrades Claim
Ing the captured guns who had no part in the
incident he referred TO. He says he sent that
inquiry just to zee how many would claim the
guns The 18th Mo. Cav. led that charge The |
regiment formed in an old field about 300 or !
400 yards from the guns, and advanced in line |
about 100 yards when the charge was sounded. |
From that time on every man went for those |
guns The 18th Mo. Cav. captured one of the |
guns on top of the hill before il could be lin |
bered up, shooting one OF the horses. Then |
Sorgt Nathan f.. Reynolds Co. H. 18th Mo. |
Cav turned the gun on the Johnnies, sighted |
aud fired 1t. lilo hopes this will end the dis
cussion.
Information Asked and Given.
A. Vosburg, Co X, 1i9th ILL.,, Now York City, |
would like 10 ask If any member of the Six |
leenth Corps has a copy of the poetry written |
by member of the corps in reference TO |
Banks's retreat and the loss of his paper col |
lars and headquarters wagons.
Earl Wilcox, NJ. d., Womble N c., wants to |
know when the last Union prisoners wero re-
moved from Salisbury. n. C., and what disposi-
lion was made of them; that is, were they
captured by our forces, parOled by the Confed- |
crates, or turned loose without parole?
E. p. LathrOp, Pawtucket, L. l., wants to
know the exact date that tho frigate Sabine |
'ailed from Now London, Conn, which, he
thinks, was in tho year 1868.
They Would Add TO Their Families.
s. NJ. Cook, Covina, Cal, is a widowor with
,wo children and n fair income. He would |
ike to correspond with Il soldiers widow or |
laughter, with view to matrimOny
s. M. Holden, Midland, S. d., wishes to cor
respond with "a soldiers widow or daughter,
With view to matrmOny.
Thomas j. Young. Co. ID, 157th Pa, and Co.
X, lost Pa, fredericksburg Md, writes that his
wife and he having no Children theu NynuId