The National tribune., 1891-05-21
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0m Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their OLD Campaigns

Hal Mix Fouchcs for Grn. Mins's Article, and
Scores NJ. W. u.

q newspaper, Dut nave a lccIihS Mi'lil
me that when anyone undertakes such a
task, what he writes should be the truth.
cannot 5eepq quiet iu justice 90 my old comradc,
after reading an account Of the Fitzpatrick
raid la yosr issue of March 26, 1891, over the
initials Of NJ. w H.. Maquon, H.; aud to COM
mencc ] would suggest to the comrade, rs he
says he writes from memory, that he take
some means 10 refresh his memory, or never
write again, or make any statement which,
like this one is iutended TO make part of a
grand aud glorious history lie cannot give
even the number Of the division he belonged
20. and one might infer from his letter that he
did not belong To any. and was not there nc all,
although for a wonder, he gucsscs right as TO
the number OF kilpatrick's Division, which
was the Third.
ID Is not my aim az this late day 10 accuse
any comrade OF wilful misrepresentation, yet !
do say that his whole statement Is so Tar from
the facts ms they did occur, that il might be
called "A misstatemeut from the beginning TO the
end aud j never have read a more truthful
statement than that made by Gen. Minty on
the Fitzpatrick raid, and ] am willing 10 GER
tiiy as TO its correctness, aud eau prove u m
many ways, if necessary.
When the Second Cavalry Division, under
Gen Miuty was ordered TO report TO Gen. Kill
Cav, and was the ranking officer OF the First
Brigade. Second Division, aud when Gen. Minty,
our brigade commander assumed command OF
the division, ] should have assumed command
OF the brigade but j urged Mmty 10 also re.
tain command of The brigade, as he could well
enough do SO being brigaded with the 9TH
Regular Cav, and holding only the rank Of
Major myself ] did not care 10 take the COM
maud over Capt. Mcintyre. Of the 4th Regulars,
unless 10 was necessary, as lac was good TEL
low, good officer and commanded a good
regiment, aud one we always worked with IN
perfect harmony. Yet there was little feel
Ing among their officers as 90 the merit OF their
rank as Regulars and on this ground ] pre-
ferred not 10 take command Of the brigade mn
less IL should become necessary; but j do be-
lieye j was la position TO know what took
place on that notable raid from the first day
ont until after the charge at Loyejoy's 10y the
Second Division
The First Brigade brought on the fight at
that place. j had been ordered 10 the right
with, my regiment 10 find the railroad and
commence its destruction. ] did not have far
10 20 20 reach ID. dismounted my men, and
had a number OF fires started with fence rails
along by the side Of the track, when we were
surprised by terri &c musketry fire on our left
many of the bullets coming over in among us.
Soon a stah officer from Col. Miuty ordered US
10 return at once and join the brigade, As they
AihA itN liAN htl hluNu1I anu ltNAtN bhl iltlil
We Tcmouuted aud joined the brigade and en-
tered into the fight. Shells from the rear were
coming over aud IN among as, and take it all
IN all ID was a warm place. but as there was
quite a hill between us and the force in our
rear they could not sec us, and did not do us
much damage; but we knew something Of the
force which was in our rear, and that it was
taking an entire brigade 10 keep them at a dis
taHce, and we had hll the force in our front
that we could take care Of
Now, NJ. w. il says Gen. Fitzpatrick had Off
GERS call sounded twice IL lac did ii must have
been somewhere IN his own division and out
OF hearing, or ] should certainly have heard il
and attended, but ] did not hear any cali or at
tend any meeting of the officers. Kilpatiick
was everywhere present and j repeatedly saw
him AUD hn'y together. j also saw Col. Eli
Murray, Minty and Fitzpatrick together
Murray commanded the Third Division, or
kilpatricks Division, on this raid
Soon after seeing these officers together, Col
NInty sent for me and ordered me 10 with
draw my regiment form ID Ia column Of iouTs
faced % the rear under the hill before men
toned, aud on the Tiphtof the road which we
marched lu on one hour before leaving room
on my left for the 9TH II. S 10 The same forma-
fiOn. and said that the 9Th Pa would form on my
right ln the same manner; that we were going
% charge the force in our rear with the whole
division. and that Long. with the second Bri
Pade, would follow us In column OF regiments
and gather up the prisoners. ID was the bus-
mess Of the First Brigade 10 cut the hole we
were 10 go out A. and ] was TO have the center
column.
withdrew my regiment rs ordered formed
81 in column oil f0uTs, aud marched until the
head oi my column nearly reached the ton n
the Ill., keeping ont Of sight OF the force In
our rear which We were to charge The eth
la. promptly formed on my right some four 10
~. .Ht "a "A. an
Jet Don tlte same manner. While Col. Long was
bringing iu the Second Brigade ID our rear.
every officer aud man IN the whole command
had been informed what was expected Of Us
] want 10 say right here, no other troops were
in sight except our division and We were
forming la au open field.
Col. Niuty now rode 10 tho head OF the col
umn. Taking las position with his staff a little
10 my left, bat near the head Of ms regiment
DE sang ont in his clear ringing voice
Draw sahcr.' Every man was ready for III,
command aud 8s If hy magic every sabel
lcapad from its scablard The Colonel now
sent IBIS Eugicr 10 the top Of the hill in ful
view 0i the enemy we were after and coolIy
turning toward us be- souude the forward ,
We AL moved slowly we came I'm fall view
upon tie top Of the bin. when the charge wa,
6onndcd. Bnt what q sight met our ewes
-Four Or I've pieces Of artillery immed atel,
opened upon as, aud they were nearly con
ccaed By belt 81 timber which seemed I,
swarm With rebel troops. Mounted mon coult
Dc seen dHaHlug in every direction and be-
tween NJ aud the timber was quite a raviue
while at thr bottom of tic hill which ,yr vyrT
a. charge down. was heavy raj fence aud be-
bind which was heavy inc a. infantry rs m al
e. they could stand, with still another lime Il
then rear And what made ID still worse m
Bills ou both faces were bad y washed and cul
lird by rains SO tIHt ID Was lookout and iuu
pT ,fy often. NA,t made ii more iuirresfiu
NaF tlie fact that everything tHat we posscssc
De- the world was 0n our pack mules aud tho
Were ln ilfc column, with about as FrgTcd "a N
ei GarklDs az ever Jed mule or rode "a Ior.,
IUt wc wcrc iu Tor t, and the rhrs and yc
V.4r1 our boys sct up with the clauciueoffl f
bounding camp kettles on those mules be-
Huy noise ! ever heard
Down ur charged on this fence. in the rac
az muskstry and artillery. Not a shot frDf
our side Nas Grcd but every saber was arlIiu
fur ifs share 81 the work When tie limo ,
the fence saw they could not ston us the
started 10 run, but we were over or tllroug
the fence, anyway 10 get there and right /
among ltcm. Nhat feli for sabers No on
escaped and cycfy mans sibcr was doing /
dreadful work. Many a poor fellow drappa
Dbl. mu,kel and tried 90 throw up his hand
only finding Il Too late the saber getting ille
before Doe l.nnH BE-. On we went Do ihc sacol
lnc. WlIic.i Hrrd tIiu same WAY Next can
tic Timber, aud wr entered tlfs running on
dIamuuHtcd mon, with their horses lncl- 4 I'M
ways BOO ia.r rpar and their horses were sor
THnulnE in every direction.
Just WctIeus 10 entering The timber q