The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-08
"Tho Flnt-rnnteh Cnrnlr,."

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Your Can
noneer correspondent knows VIVA: he is talking
about. My regiment, the 2lst ia. Cav, joined
the Second Brigade. First Division. Fifth Corps
on June i, 1864; dsmouuted aud some of us on
only one foot at that. having marched from the
happahanock River through the sand in cav
airy boots. IL was not our fault; we would
rather have come on critters, but the gentle
men AT Washington thought otherwise.
As we came near the place where the trOnble
was going on, il was very evident that the
rebels were mad at someone, but had no idea
IT was Us, as we had done nothing so far Ia
arouse their hostility.
Being new regiment. il would have seemed
proper for us TO have remained neutral for "A
few days, and allow their anger TO subsde
But that was not the way a new regiment in
good clothes was treated, for the next morning,
June :, We wore invited Ia participate in the
festivities of the day with Gen. J. b. Swcitzcr,
our brigade commander, as master of ceremo.
MES. Net result at close of day. is men killed
and ca wounded, and Richmond not ours by a
blank sight.
Bethesda Church may be good place in
which 10 hold divine worship. or even n straw
berry festival or Mite Society, or something
OF that sort, but for brethren TO meet i'll the
same vicinity together Us VIC did on that day
was simply scandalous. | did not see the
famous charge OF Stewards battery. There
was another 4-gun battery down in the woods
about 600 yards iu front of US, that occupied
MY attention part OF the time 30 the exclusion
OF all others. / don't know the gentlemou's
names who were running il. The only intro
duction l can remember WAS in the shape of
iron IA almost all imaginable shapes and sizes
as soon rs wc came into sight OF course we
resented the insalt as best we could with what
effect / never learned. But a battery through
whose ranks we passed going in, knocked the
stuthHg out of the rebel battery, as we found
out the next day, killing nearly all of its
horses and disabling two OF the guns.
We remained the guests of the Fifth Corps
until the following October don't know
how they appreciated our company but ] think
We were all proud of having danced in the
same set with those gallant veterans of the
attn Mich, sd Mass, CD, 10th aud 9ist Pa,
1t Petersburg on the 18th aud 18th of June.
where we contributed 30 men killed aud
wounded 10 the cause of freedom. We had the
honor of having helped TO establish the part Of
the line from which the famous mine cxplo-
son took place on July 30. We assisted in the
building of Fort Hell, and had one man killed
ia the works, Corporal Robt COwles, of Phila-
delphla. We took hand in the capture of the
Weldon Railroad, and wound up our career IA
fat-footed cavalry at Poplar Grove Church on
the 30th Of September. Those church gather
ings were OF a most peculiar nature aud we're
anything hut pleasant
j honor your CaunoueeF correspondent for
one thing above all others, and that is for try
ing TO do justice 10 the name and abilities of
Gen. q. X. Warren. No matter what histo-
rians may say. his name will live, and find a
warm place IA the hearts OF all the survivors of
the Fifth Corps.-C {. HAssLER, 2lst Pa. Cav.