The National tribune., 1891-01-01
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What0ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
IN THE WILDERNESS.
ghe Controversy Between Carroll's and Leasure'
Brigad,s.


EDTroR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have re-
ceivod 8 letter from ComTade MyerhOh, l4th
Ind. ol CMIolfs Brigade, calling my atten-
ti0n 10 hi5 article on the subject 0t The
Brock road IN the Wilderness, ! was much
pleased ,e see such important testimony on the
subject. os which j would have taken notice in
my comm auiCati0n of November 9th IL j had
not sent !, away before his article was pub
lished My object was 10 draw out Just such
Information rs his diary contains
By ID have learned that OHrrolIs Brigade
had sava the two pieces OF artillery on the
Plank raad from the hanGs Of the enemy on
Nav 5.n. WHOM the Second Corps came 10 the
rescue %. Gs,tY's Division, OF The Sixth Corps,
which ha8 boon sent by Gen Meade 10 hold the
iuuct.sa o.. The Plank and Brock roads until
The SueOr# Corps could return from the drec-
tion ol -pa. .sylvania Courthouse, for which
they had started on the morning of the 9th Of
MAY. ll.ey returned about 3 p. m, amid
great ci..1irg. .See Swiutons Army OF the
potoHgr Vol. 3. p 42i)
have uu doubt that was the cheers 10 which
he rcler and have no question 10 raise on
the part hey acted on May 5, and they no
doubt deserved the recognition Of Gen. Han
cock on tiHt day, and ii be had stated the 9th
instcad ut the 9th OF May ] would not object
But lbs diary describes tho action of the lIth
Ind ou The 9th, by which learn that Car
rolls Braade was on the right Of the Plank
road and the 20rh Ind. on The left OF that
road ano judging by Gen. Carrolls commands
the l4th must have crossed the Plank road
and moy. TO the front over the two lines Of
works held by our brigade; then il becomes
question between Carrolls and Leasure S
Brigades md IN the language OF the man who
fell out OF he balloon, then Rice's Brigade " rs
not IA IL. ] am sorry for Capt. Graham As
Il hnd by reference TO Swinton, that Nads-
worth division, Fifth Corps, was sent on the
morning Of the 9th. along with Stevenson S
Division. %, the Ninth Corps. 70 aid Gen. Han
cock who Iso retained Getty's Division OF the
Sixth taips
Tho trualle with Capt Graham, according 10
the statement of Capt. Buginin, OF the lg1th
n J.. s that he attempted 10 describe The
struggle ihHt took place upon the Plank road
mt ID a, m. some distance beyond the Brock
road. Tine question between Carr0ls and
Leasures Brgades is about the contest at 4 p.
M, when The rebels took the last line of
works from the Second Corps on the Brock
road and who recaptured them. j learn this
by reieleuce 10 Lossings History OF the Civil
War Vol. 3, p. 30l,) who speaks of Nads-
w0rJh's death in the struggle for some works
in advance of the Brock road az III a. M and
On p4go 1B3 lie describes the attack at p. m,
and ihe light Of the Ninth Corps towards
Charlottesville, and winds up by giving Col
Hoffman the credit OF saving the day with part
OF nine regiments according 30 Hancock.
What strikes me as very strange is that Swim
Ton gives CaTolrs Brigade the credit for doing
the very same thing at the very same moment,
and the trouble with Capt Graham arose from
quoting Losing while CAROLS men swear by
bwinlOn.
do not doubt that some part Of Stevenson's
Division. OF the Ninth Corps, did run away, for
unfortunately there was number Of new
TegiHgnts that lacked drill and discipline who
were rut into that division aud were thrown
into their GTst fight on the right OF the Second
limo - Hn n of (Anfu
Tade Ayclhoh, when speaking Of the retreat Of
Carrols Brigade about il a, NJ, the Ninth
Corps soon after takes position IN our rear; we
fall back the Ninth Corps held the enemy In
check lur one hour, then went 10 pieces" that
was doing very well for recruits in face Of
IsOHF,tlgr,'s fresh troops who were only exc
cutting q Eguk movement on the Ninth Corps
o. he bac done for the Second Corps and forced
them % retreat. So hOn0Ts are easy between
She two corps about a stampede.
The question az issue is between the two vet
eran l'T3aades OF Carroll AID Leisure Of the Sec
Ond, tud Ninth Corps respectively By reference
40 SRiutuu we learn THAI I.ca6uTe's Brigade was
detached from Steyenson's Division and sent
down the Brock road 10 aid Gen. Gib5On 70
resist thc advance Of LOngstreet, who was re-
ported advancing along that road. In Vol 3
page do: HIS lHaucOck's) immediate front
was cleared by q Well-eXecuted movement
madc - a brigade under Col. Leasure across its
pared % meet the enemy" hno IN q foot note :
LcasHIeF Brigade belonged 10 the Ninth
Corps ani held position towards the left or
Hancock line under the immedi late command
OF Gen. Gibbon, and under orders from Han
cock Col. Leasure formed his command at
right angles with HRncOck's 'front.' his right az
EbOut 100 PAGES from the brcastwOrks. swept
hcross the whole front OF Motifs and Biney 3
Divisions aud crossed the Orange Plank road
o. the right Of Hancock's line, encountering in
bic progress what he Leasure) supposed 10 be q
brigade ui the enemy, which ell back IN dis
order without engaging him"
ln yIuW VI such q statement about the differ
ent divisions OF the Second Corps felt justified
Al Saying that they hrld the line OF works
along ;us Brock road May G. with their right
resting upUn the Plank road, when we moved
acT0sa t4eir front and then were withdrawn
hlong Lhui road 10 the rear Of the main line aud
tool up position in two temporary lines as sup
port when the enemy began 10 advance. did
not sHs flat the works were on Gre IN our iln-
mediate .aout. but that +" the Grst line stood IN
60 their work like men until their works took
fire, aud then it was too much for human on.
durlng., and those on The lett ,Of our brigade
front were compelled 10 retreat, which. ] sap.
pose, demOTallzgd The troops In our front"
do mol tge how such construction could De
placed UHun IL By Comrade MycrhoG. Tor
went on i0 say, f" then we could see tie rebels
with tHelI lag Tying over the first line" That
would H0I have been possible ii the works were
on fra b our front.
Again Hc misquotes me when spealyin about
Carr0. Brigade: Carter says that the thuu
der NJ tlriT guns was splendid music, and nC
dOubt afrW Gen. Hancock from the Plank road
20 that locality" Again This would iudi
cate that l.easuTeE Brigade did not make the
charge at the Plank road crossing" By refer
onCe % nay lrst article Lc will ind that wa,
speaking of a battery Of six guns Ia Main,
battery ! belieye,) which was posted on th,
icil au4 rear Of the extension Of the third lin,
0i wosas, at least BOO yards from the Planl
TOaG, lH Iear Oi the main line Of the Second
Corp on lhc Brock road, which commanded tha
line ~ works, but could not 70 into practict
uuIiI n bad been abandoned By the men wiz
held t.lc Brock road, and the fact that they ne
manned SO their guns after the infantry 10
tFeatcd satisfied me thai they held the enum,
in check aehlnd The burning log works, aud !
was lAc thunder Of their guns that wa
splendid u3usic 70 our ears, and no doubt drcy
HancHI from the Plank road o. that locality
sOml Lnd fault with my statement that u
Second Corps was demOrali ized on that occasion
yet Cauude Myerhof IN bic diary savs
when opposite the break he (CaTolB com
mauds, By the right fiGHk, march; charg
bRyOners aud, with a yell, we charged carry
lBg llc breakers with us and forcing the rcbuli
WHO were FOR q moment greatly oated, baC
over ihe works" Now, who were the breakers
We're ,hty members OF the 20lh Ind and di
they belong 10 the Second Cops2 His diar
ROes d. confirm my statement that the trool
a. fH5.H Il "a