The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-08-06
WHO Is RIGHT7
Gen. Whitaker Places but Little Confidence In
Rebel Official Records

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Referring to
the article headed "Who is Right in your
paper of July ., 1901, this moment read on re-
turn from Connecticut, let mo say i cannot
give my time in oxtrieating The Cannoneer
from the folly Of his TomanciuG or accepting
rebel authority for his alleged historical data.
Life is too short With those Of your readers
who know me personally, il is not necessary
that l should repeat my statement that my reg
imont, the lst Conn. Cav, was the first to enter
Spottsylvania Courthouse, Va, May :, 1864, aud
the last 10 leave 1t that day in the face OF n
large force Of rebel infantry. The CaDnOneer"
is pleased to state that am " a student and an
authority on these matters of history, and re-
fcrs TO me as his distinguished friend" This
is more OF his romancing. and for the benefit OF
your readers who do not know me, let me say
never posed rs n writer Of war history. but
tried my best 10 make my share OF il. and have
written nothing but Of my personal observa-
tions. and then only occasionally to correct
some grave blunder by careless writers like
The CannOneer." He does not know me, or
he would not question my accuracy.
Ny statements are all based on personal
knowledge, not hearsay, or rebel records. 1t
greatly amuses the survivors Of the let Conn.
Cav. 10 learn that The Cannoneer" is sure that
i am mistaken, and that il was TOdd's Tavern
and not SpOttsylvania Courthouse. Does " The
Cannoneer" assume that as we fought at TOdd's
Tavern the 9Th Of May, where he saw several
hundred dead cavalrymen, that we could not
have fought the sth Of May at the Courthouse?
The LIST Conn. Cav. had its share of both en-
gagements and IL is an insult TO the intelligence
Of those who had fought over Virginia for
three years to suggest that they did not know
one place from the other. Our fight in resist
ing the advance OF the rebel infantry was dis
mounted, and our breech-loading Shapes car
bines got out of order from rapid firing. ! dis
mounted and helped work the carbines though
on duty on the staff Of Maj Gen. Wilson,
commanding the Third Cavalry Division, and
from the warm reception We gave the enemy,
have no doubt we were reported rs infantry.
THE Cannoneer" kindly refers me to Maj
Gen. Chas. w. Field, now in the War Records
Office, War Department. for information. This
is sublime check.
Mr. Editor, was aware that COmrade Proc
tor had, after mature deliberation," appointed
Maj.-Gen. Chas. w. Field, OF the rebel army.
TO the place in the War Records Office made
vacant by the death of the rebel Gen.
Cadmus Wilcox, but was not prepared TO be
invited so soon to swallow Fields history (?).
which would consider as reliable perhaps as
any from that side. To illustrate the value OF
any rebel records" for history, let me refresh
the memory Of our comrades by recalling the
fact that the sainted Lee officially reported to
the South in July, 1863, that no battle had been
fought at Falling Waters Nd, July IA, 1868,
and that If the Yankees had taken any prs-
oneTs they were only straggler5 who had fallen
asleep in the barns by the wayside.
BY the way, Mr.. Editor, when will "The
CannOneer" get time TO correct his little map
Of Appomatioz Courthouse, on which he To-
Gated five different truces Of surrender? As /
handled the only one used on that field, and
dropped you line to post him on his error,
when the map was first printed, would like TO
hear from him.-EDwERD w. WHITAKER,
Washington, ID. e.