The National tribune., 1890-04-10

| Ahofibk NoWaAub DdIbiSlb IiiEauo anu Eoe
there all right, in spite of the heavy fire which
| the rebels poured from their gus. If Capt.
| WinslOw or Battery ID did not get the guns
| back / am sure that the Johnnies did not get
them. They were not lost mt that time, and
think the battery boys were there aud took the
guns back TO their battery.
The Cannoneer will pardon mo for this cor
rection of his most true story, l hope, Tor was
there from 1861 TO 1865.
Comrade A. w. Peck of Newton, Conn, First
Lieutenant, Co. ID. 18th Conn., says:
i have read the note of the Cannoneer In
which he says that he does not criticize the &C
tion of any man of the Eleventh Corps under
the rank of brigade commander
Were all the men in the two advance brigades
that were routed and ran up the steep hill rs
fast as men usually run down, on the evening
of the second day, brigade commanders?
What regiments wero in those brigades, and
what part of the line did they occupy ut that
timer did not see any such stampede as he
mentions, aud l was there IN command of my
company.
Some regiment came and lay down in the rear
OF my regiment TO support us, but do not think
they Tired "a shot, as there was no occasion TO
fire. i think it was the 9th Ohio, but do not
know where they came from.
In regard 10 the part taken by CarrolPs Bri-
gade, the Cannoueer says that Carroll said
Hancock had ordered hun over 10 Cemetery
Hin 10 restore the line of the Eleventh Corps,
but had not told him TO report TO anybody, nor
had he given him any au hority III that posi-
tlon. The fact of the matter is just here:
Gen. Hunt stated in an article in the Century
Magazine that part of the Eleventh Corps line
had been weakened by sending about eight
hundred men To Green aud Sickles as supports
and Hancock sent CAROLS Brigade, unasked, TO
support that weak point aud that is why they
~, 4 stn,n
this fact, neither does Comrade lIsnes, of the
18th n. j. Now IL is no wonder that the rebels
broke through that part of the line, when n
whole brigade had been taken away to support
some other point
/ would like to ask Comrade Haines. of the
18th n. j., what part OF the Eleventh Corps
line was crowded out by Carroll's Brigade. /
was there, in command of my company. the
second and third day. My regiment was not
crowded out aud do not believe any regi-
ments of my brigade were. Where were those
men posted? did not see them.
The reported conversation between Carroll
and officers of the Eleventh Corps, about tho
decentralization of its officers aud men, is all
bosh. / do not believe a word of il. 1t is very
evident that Howard was satisfied with his OIL
GERS and men. or we who were right there
would have heard something about II. Amess
Brigade held the same position on East Gem
etery Hill during the second and third day.
Gen. Howard deserves great deal more credit
for what he did at Getty sburg than he has ever
had. IL was his forcthought that selected Sc
cured aud held the real key and strategic
point of the whole field. 1t was his Is guns
that made Longstreet hesitate about ordering
PlCkett's charge" Howard had moved these
guns oil TO let them cool, and Longstreet sup
posed they were disabled aud Pickett was
ordered to advance. As soon as his advance
commenced, Howard opened the guns on his
lines.
There were few better division commanders
than Barlow, and very few better brigade com
manders than Ames. The gallant old Eleventh
Corps needs no eulogy from me. Their record
Is inscribed on their monuments of enduring
granite, from " Barlow's Knoll F." to Cups
Hill where they fought aud bravely fell.
Comrade o. b. Ford, of Riverside. Mich,
Go. ID, 24th Iowa, writes thus TO The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE:
Allow me to fire a shot at our Cannoneer. /
have been much interested ia his writings and
especially of his Valley campaign under little
Phil Sheridan belonged 10 tie Nineteenth
Corps, aud take exceptions to his view OF those
three engagements fought within thirty days.
1t is so human TO use the big :" /" and little
"u in telling Of those thrilling scenes. He
carries the idea that if it had not been for the
Sixth Corps at Cedar Creek the Army Of the
/ Shenandoah would have been literally wiped
/ of the face OF the earth. He says that the
/ Eighth and Nineteenth were intIenchcd aud
| the Sixth was encampCd in the open field.
/ This is ali true, but he does not tell in what
way the onslaught was made. Ii is true we
had good works aud plenty Of guns pointing
out through the embrasurcs. but 70 our sorrow
! they were pointing the wrong way that morn
/ ing 10 Kill rebels, AS they came in on our rear
and in the still hours of night and long before
the regular time for getting up. | remember
some years ago. while living in Kansas meet
! ing with a soldier who was in the rebel army
/ and present at Cedar Creek. He told me In at
he was one Of six who volunteered 10 crawl up
/ 70 our guns and spike them that night, know
/ ing that they were going 10 attack us the next
/ morning. Is IL any wonder that the Eighth
and Nineteenth Corps were not able to hold
! them in check under the circumstances? And
| / ask the CannOneer il il reflects any dis
| credit on the troops for retiring, as they were
forced 70 do, not having time 10 dress or get
their arms? j was unfortunate that morning
/ and was severely wounded, and in getting 70
| the rear with the help OF our Chaplain who,
think saved my life that day, We had 10 pass
through the Sixth Corps lines. Now, they
were not IN bed, for il was eight or nine o'clock,
/ but were in line and ready 10 meet the enemy.
| can see another reason for the success Of the
Bloody Sixth" as our Cannoneer calls them,
| and that was the arrival Of Gen. Sheridan upon
the field about this time. His presence was
hailed with general hurrah and a rallying 10
any cOiOrs found floating in the breeze, ire
spective Of company or regiment.
Another important move WAS being played
at this time by the rebels, who were working
disaster by pifering our camps, ripping open
knapsacks and stealing our things, which were
left behind by orders from the officers ia com
mand. This caused lull in their onslaught
which was also about the time that the Sixth
Corps did their heavy work. / would ask the
CanuOneer TO look through the history Of our
late war aud take tho troops or regiments be-
longing 70 the Nineteenth Corps. / do not re.
member all the regiments but will give him "A
few Oi them, which are Sth and 18th Ind, 22d
and 2Ith and 2sth Iowa, and one New York
regiment Of which ] have forgotten tho mum
Der. These regiments will stand the test with
the regiments Of the Sixth Corps any other
corps IN the army except the old battery "a
which the CaDnonecr belonged They take
the cake and have the longest pole with which
10 get the persimmon.
Comrade J. J.. Otis Of Denmark, n Y, First
Sergeant and Lieutenant Co. Is, Both N. Y
says:
While your Story Of a Cannoneern may be
the best ever written, it Is not correct in all re-
gpects-mOst especially ia regard 20 the situa.
ton Of Gibbons battery at the battle Of An.
tietam. AT one time during the battle the 35tl
y. Y. were drawn mp in line Of battle on the
road beyond the Miller house. There was
heavy rail fence on the left of the road, opp0.