The National tribune., 1891-12-03
IN THE WILDERNESS.
One or CARROTS Brigade Takes Comrade Carter TO
Account.
Enrrnn N,rrnN,1 Tn.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade J. +.
Carter, Of the Sd Nd, gives my article OF Oct
%, ls90, attention in his Of Jan. ]. Ny object
| IN writing was TO give my comrades something
| not from my memory, Swinton or LOSING
/ but notes from my diary. Comrades quoting
! from histories who make many gricyous errors
cannot expect comrades who were upon tho
| ground aud in the thickest of the fray TO be-
lieye all they say, for {" il is a well-knOwn fact
that brigades We're made prominent by inter
csted correspondents when in truth their SER
vices did not compare with the work of the
other brigades Of the division. kimbalPs
Brigade Cater Carrolls) was unfortunate in
this respect. Kimball was n man Of iron nerve
and a most stubborn fighter, who did not de-
pend upon friendly correspondents. He
pounded out his own glory, for which Kimball
a. well as Carroll received the praise OF their
| division, corps and army commanders, aud
not from correspondents, that historians prin-
cipally quote from.
The brigade's longest and most stubborn fight
under the command Of Gen. Kimhall was at
Autieiam. CThelsth Ind. loss was - percent)
Just refer 10 Palfrey's cool version OF Kimball S
work. lie says: There is no doubt that
Frcnch's Division did some very severe fight
ing, aud met aud repulsed successive attacks
on its left, front and right, hut did not succeed
in driving the Conlederates out Of the old
road"
Now, the fact IS. Kimbalrs Brigade covered
/ tho sunkcn road as far as IL was occupied by
the enemy. Their right flank was in the air,
somewhat refused, the brigade on their
right could not keep up in line, and their left
WAS The extreme left. For as much as an hour
j WAS on their left about $50 yards in pro-
longati0n 10 their line, where the ridge began
Us abrupt trend with the river, a prisoner.
/ When the enemy sent in their second line 10
/ drive kimlalls. the rebel Major who had
charge of about 100 men or more at the point
said: They will drive that brigade now" !
was mad, aud simply said, reckon not"
Tie old brigade was as fat upon the ground
rs il could get. There was a lull in the firing
whcn they saw the new line approaching, but
when they reached the sunken road they gave
them such Gripping vollcy they got no far
Their.
The Major then said: "Those men fight like
demons" A third line was brought in. aud
| suffered in like manner. Aud the historian
can only say Of the brigade: "French's Di-
vision did not succeed in driving the Confed-
crates from the old road"
Now. what did Gen. French say, God
bless Old Blinkey) Why, he dubbed the old
brigade The Gibraltar Brigade on the field
Of their glory Pardon this depression. Have
done 50 only for the reason that think COM
ra1cs should write what they know, and not
refer 10 partial history.
Now, must say Comrade Carter Is unneces-
sariiy contentious. lie is glad 10 get the diaries
out TO assist In STRENGTHENING out the kinks,
yet he chooses 10 twist my diary 20 suit his pur-
pose, when ne says The cheering allude to
on the evening of the 9th was 10 doubt the
cheering upon the return OF the Second Corps
on the evening Of the 9Th" No. COmrade
Carter my diary says the 9Th, aud is surely
correct, for j was an active participant, and
jotted down items as often as / could during
the day. ] am only sorry did not give more
IN 4hn - ~ irisy
They no doubt were with Us, as the brigade
was complimented for what they did on tho
evening Of the 9th, and there is 10 reference 10
compliments on the 9Th.
Then, Comrade Carter says, Bot his diary
describes the action Of the 1ith Ind. on the
9Th Of May" by which / learn that CAROLS
| Brigade was on the right OF the Plank road,
and the Goth Ind. on the LEFT Of that road /;
and. judging by Carrol's commands, the 18th
/ Ind. must have crossed the Plank road aud
moved TO the trout over two lines OF works
held by our brigade.
Ia reply. said the 18th Ind was on the
right Of the Plank, the both Ind. was on the
left right, resting on the Plank road, and that
the regiment on the left Of the 21th gave way
when we were moved by Gen. Carroll in the rear
/ Of tie regiment giving way, charged and carried
! the breakers with rs, aud re. establ shed the
line. We did not cross one line, let alone two,
which Carter says was held by his brigade.
There was hut one line and that directly on
the west side OF the road. Carter saws / said
one regiment on the left Of the 10Th Ind. gave
way, aud asks were they members OF the both
Ind aud did they belong TO the Second Corps
Yes. Then Carter says because that one Tegi-
meat gave way my diary goes 10 confirm my
statement that the troops Ia our front became
dcmOralized. Conscience, what stretch OF
imagination, 10 demOraliZe the Second Corps
from the break in one regiment.
1arurg1e q 'arfar tyh horn tpara rof, av-yyav L.,
that battcy You talk OF two lines of works al
the crossing Of the Plank and Brock roads
where there was but one line Of works. You
tell Of fires near the Plank road where there
was no fire. / have only seen one man that
remembers seeing smoke above the tree tops,
az least a mile or two 10 our left About that
distance we found where the breastwOrks had
been On fire when moving toward SpottsyI-
1 vauia.
When Comrade Carter investigates more
closely lie will find that Carroll WAS Mt the
crossroads with the right Of Birney's Division.
To the left Of Birney was Motifs Division,
, and 10 the left OF Mott was Gibbons Division
ia which division you can locate Leisure's
Brigade. You had fires down on your line; We
had none at the crossroads.
Swint0n gives CAROLS Brigade credit for Q
rush on the left where the bTeastworks were
on fire. Now, IL nay be true that a part oil
CAROLS Brigade made that rush, but confess
/ lhhi the lfLa lnu. was not IN IL, aHu III tile
9th aud sth Ohio aud 9TH w. Va, or other
! regiments Of CarrolFs Brigade, were in said
rush, ! hope they will say 50. Ii may be posi-.
bic that Swinton heard Of CAROLS rush, but
did not know just where therefore located il
TO rob Comrade Carter Of his glory.
in this article make some reference 10 his
torians, SwintOn says the section Of Ricketts,.
battery was taken on the Plank road, aud re
p taken by the lith Ind. and 9Th Ohio. This oc
CURED on the evening Of the 9Th, aud within lOC
yards Of where the battery was recaptured and
was where our charge was made on the evening
{ | Of the 9th.
{ ] would indeed like TO hear through TIL
0 | NATIONAL TRIBUNE what regiments OF Car
Q rolls Brigade were in that charge, aud also i
/ any Of CAROLS regiments were in the rusl
/. Swinton speaks Of, in our own division (Gib
= bOn's) a mile or two 10 the left Of the PLANK
D road. Leisures Brigade was under command
. | OF GibbOn.
4 Ny ability for writing know Is limited, bn
!. my inclination for holding on TO all that Is du,
s the old brigade is powerful strong We did no
| lose as many men some other brigades FOL
G which We are duly thankful. 1t was our mod,
4 of fighting that saved u.s. But, when you talk,
: into consideration brlliancy of service aud
a actual results CAROLS Brigade will stand a
q the peer Of any brigade IN the army. We hat
good men In our regiments, but no doubt would
= not have merted the praise we have received
a had we not had better officers in Kimball ant
r Carroll than % out of every 100 brigades i'm tht
Q army. This / know comrades, You will al
u think is saying good deal; but having seer
i liz .HH.N a