The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-20
CANNoNEER COMMENTS.
Tho Engineers Want a Hearing.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have been
deeply interested in the "Cannoneer Story"
and especially his round No. XVI, as he hits it
on engineering work. Now, / believe that com
radcs will understand how il was that soldiers
of the u. S. Engineer battalion were only seen
when loafng around headquarters" The
same can be said of any Engineer troops.
thank the CaDnonoer for his appreciation of
the responsibilities and qualities required in
such work, and / prize it especially for the
reason that it is outside evidence. The Engi-
noer troops of the Army of the Potomac were
the u. $. Engineer battalion, 18th and 5Oth
n y, the latter having been assigned to en-
gincor duty from their being considered espe.
cially adapted for such service. The Regulars
were essentially made up of volunteers, as
there was but one company "a OF about 80
men in the Spring of 1861. Two new COM
panies were created so by Jan. !, 1862, there
were over 400 men in line, and anyone who has
followed the Cauuoneer through his expert
ences as u detached volunteer in Regular bat
terry, can appreciate how the old Regular Sap
pers and Miners made Regulars of these $50
volunteers. / Will say that the story OF the
old Regular soldier in 1860 81, is one of the
greatest gorics of the American army, and
trust IL may he some time put on record.
The battalion, for similar reasons, could not be
kept up ut full strength by even transfers from
the volunteer troops, and they were a. good
II not the best men over in the Engineer troops.
They were seasoned old fighters some from
the 9Th Mich. were splendid men all OF them
were adopted right in and made TO feel chat
they were Regulars" so to-day j do not be-
lievo there is one who viii "take" up and
get hot as quick for the battalion as these
men.
When the Investment is the right
word not sege-of Petersburg began, the En-
gineer troops were out night and day the
temporary iicd-works gave place TO an extern
sive line of rife pit batteries and forts some of
the latter of immense size and strength. |
could easily fill one page OF THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE with simple statistics ! was IN the
battalion from Yorktown 10 Petersburg, inclus-
i've, and il was not uncommon for nOn-Com-
missoned officer 10 have from eight to twelve
hundred men under his charge during nights
work. But for all this, | have felt that in spite
of all our duty performed, if We could have
been in one square fight, so as to have had a
chance 20 show up for once. we would be
thought of in more apprecative way by tho
fighting men, We made scaling ladders, and
expected To be called upon for I" forlorn hope "
at Yorktown. Some Of the men under Capt.
{. J.. Cross, while destroying corduroy bridge
on the Chickahominy, June - 1862, did drop
some of Jacks0u's ad vance. We were in line
supporting battery ut Antioiam, also at the
Wilderness, Spottsylvauia. Guinea Bridge and
Haichers Run, but rs an organization never
made or rcpuised an attack, fired either
yoIley or at will bat we were fired at any
way. did our duty aud went where VIC were
told 90 60 In Mexico Go. was mixed up Ia
fight every time. aud was In the attack at Con-
treras Cherubusco Moline del Rey, Chapulte
pee and the City OF Mckee, leading the storm
ing party in some of these engagements. OF
course IL is reasonable 10 that IL would ha rs
great iuoishness, except in an emergency, To
use up Engineer troops in any engagement. rs
10 put in the Signal Corps or any specially
trained men. But Tor all that let me bay. that
we felt ut times a. though we ought 10 go III
anyhow. When we reached headquarters at
Taneytown the evening of July =, 1863 al
though some OF the officers were on staff duty
at Gettysburg battle, Meade ordered us 10 Wash
ington.
The Cannoneor Is wrong about one thing,
aud so are Others. Sheridan WAS ordered by
Grant TO relieve Warren at Five Forks. There
was mo- excuse for this act at tho time, although
Sheridan, ia his Memoirs" repeats the one as
aiwaysgiveu, that Warren seemed inactive aud
slow on that occasion; but 10 seems % me that
the Fifth Corps got there, as they say. There
are two acts Of Gen. Grant / can never regard
as credtable 20 him, 20 far rs | can judge or
understand. These we're his relieving Of War.
rem aud his condoninR of Porter They don't
III together at ail.---tiiEEERr THOMPSON. Co.
ID, L. :. Engineer Battalion, Washington, ID. G.