The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-05-28
SMITHS RAID.
COmradc Meier Grows Sarcastic Toward the "a
Iowa CaTalryman.

SMITHS RAID.
COmradc EeT,cr Grows Sarcastic Toward the "a
Iowa CaTslryman.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: IL Is bat fair
that | should explain that tho article which
appeared rs a communication in your paper
Nov. ~ 1880. on Smiths raid into Mississippi,
was my address slightly amended. made before
tho last annual Reunion Of the 81 Tenn. Cav,
aud was really intended as a brief history Of
the part taken by that regiment Oh that raid.
This is the reason that other regiments were
simply referred 20 sometimes, where they
deserved much more. To have given a full
history Of that expedition. even as / saw il,
and have it in my memoranda kept at the time,
would have been entirely too long for such au
address, aud would have filled the greater part
of The NATIoSAL TRIBUNE.
/ sec that comrade Of the 4th u. s. Cav.
thinks | was mistaken about the wiggletails at
Corinth, for he did not see any, and thought
the weather too severe for them TO exist. lie
explains, however, the reason he did not
see them, when he says the command stopped
in Corinth and slept in barracks or buildings Of
some kind. Oar regiment passed through
COrinth aud then through an open swamp,
which had thiu covering of ice, on the south
side of the town, into a kind Of woodland,
where wo camped for the night. and at first
thought we had solid earth, with a thick growth
our surprise we found that under tho grass
there was a coating Of ice, and we gathered
great aTmiuls Of scdge grass from field near
by aud made beds. The next morning we were
sent west of the town on higher ground. and
there is where the wiggletails appeared. We
could scarcely believe our own eyes at first, but
if we were a little careless i'm drinking 4 con-
vincing incident followed in the mouth.
10 our good COmTade Alfred ;. Burger, !
would say that was not ignorant of the engage
mcnt at West Point, but did not mention il
because our regiment aud brigade were not in
it. That is al.
There is one thing in which rejoice. aud
feel sure that my comrades Of the 4th U. ). Cav,
the I'D Ind. M'td Inf, 9Th Ky. Cav, Sd I'D.
Cav, and the "a, % and 9TH Tenn. Cav. Will
jOiu me. That Is, that the 2d Iowa Cav. was along
on the expedition. | feel sure that Warnings
Brigade will join in this, too On! how thankful
We al ought 10 be, too, for the delyerluce from
death aud destruction that awaited US had it
not been for the guardianship Of the noble I'd
Iowa Cav.
The 9TH q. s. Cav. was rs fine regiment as
was ever organized in any war The discipline,
the gallantry, the bravery and proves OF that
regiment were not cXcciled by any regiment
in any department OF the armies OF the United
States; and the "a and 81 Tenn. Cav. were
disciplined and trained by the officers and
non commissioned officers Of that veteran rcgi-
ment. The I'D Ind. M'td IuC-oue of tho
regiments in Wilders famous br gade-armed
with Spencer rides, were as gallant men as
ever spurred horses; the 4th Tenn. Cav, that
dashing regiment that baptized the road from
COliiersyiile 10 Oklahoma aud returning to Ger
mantown, with true, brave, loyal Southern
blood; the 9Th Ky. Cav, as true and noble
men as ever drew sabeT, aud who were ever
found where danger was; the Sd III. Cav,
loyal, brave, and true all these. and more
too would have been utterly anuihilated, away
down there in Mississippi, had il not been for
the grand aud glorious 2d Iowa Cav. These
noble regiments which did such valiant sery-
ice both before and after the Oklahoma fight,
running hclter-skeltor until after dark, when
Gen. GrieTsOn aud the 2d Iowa Cav. drove
them into a lot designated, and there peuEel
them up and kept them until they were re-
a. ortel! How kind &c was in Gen. GrersOn
aud the ID Iowa Cav, to take care OF Us in
that way! And mover years agterwards-
we return our thanks 10 them for keeping the
rebels OF Us on that occasion.
/ never knew why Forrest ever stopped pur-
suing Us, until Comrade Alfred :. Burgers
letter appeared in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE Of
Feb. - l-9l. We understand il now. He
saw a soldier Of the % Iowa Cav and imme-
diatcly his knees smntc together, his hands
tTembled, he grew pale and turned TO his COM
mand and said. Boys it's no use-we'll have
2
hold, he belongs 10 the ID Iowa Cav. :" The
rebel boys knew that destruction was near for
them, 50 they gave mp the chase, and went far
down into Mississippi, where they hid cut for
z season.
Not only did that brave, grand, regiment
protect us and deliver Us from the foe, but when
the dead trees were falling they brayeIy came
10 the rescue at the risk Of their lives and de-
livered Us from that great danger also.
fbWr lrs rufln vykFFt al ltr far.l ~ tho rfvar
had runner come 10 rs with the intelligence
that one Of the other brigaGcs was iu despcr-
ate fight and being driven in that direction,
whereupon We were ordered into line OF battle
along small rise AID commanded TO build
barbados Of rails which was done, aud we
were kept there until after dark then drawn
up on top OF "A ridge some distance IN the rear
where $50 remained n line Of battle until morn
ing. The probabilities are that dead trees
would have fallen on us aud we would have
been left there all dead eorlses had IL not been
that that glorious regiment, the 2d Iowa Cav
came 10 the rescue and saved us from the ter
rible fate Of being mashed TO death By dead
trees. Ii makes my heart sick 10 think that
now my wife would have been widow lf IA
had a vile) had il not been for the brave 81
Iowa Cav. This is only small part Of what
the 81 iowa Cav did on that occasion and Of
is grand achievements, and il is true Behold
the rest Of the acts OF the 81 Iowa Cav.-the
brave deeds they did, the live rebels they killed
dead. tho regiments Of Union soldiers they
saved from destruction aud ruin, aud wonder
fol driiycranccs made by them. Are they not
written la the book Of the chronicles Of Alfred
s. Burger, aul arc they rot truc2 OF course
they arc.-WILL a. McTEER, Adjutaut, 81
Tenn. Cav, Maryviile Tenn.