The National tribune., 1891-04-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE WILDERNESS.
Another Round from COmrade Graham, Of Rice's
brigade.


gave au account of the capture by the C0nlod-
crates on the 9th of May, 1864, of a portion Of
the Union works at the intersection OF the
Brock aud the plank roads iu the Wilderness
la his article the writer gave the credit Tor the
recapture OF the works 10 CAROLS Brigade
While this was am error, your correspondent,
in my opinion. was quite innocent OF Inten-
tioua Misrepresentation The error probably
arose from the fact that tho enemy penetrated
our line I'D two places viz. on that portion Oc-
Cupied by Stevcnsons Division. of the Ninth
Corps, and also the works lying south Of the
Orange plank road. From the first OF these
plHves The enemy was promptly expelled by the
Eallantry OF Carroll 6 Brigade; from the position
gained on the left they were uncercmonlOusly
driven by Riees Brigade, of Nadsworh's Dlyis-
ion, l'iith Corps Gen. Hancock very properly
commended CAROLS Brigade for their splendid
service. but uuiustly failed 10 mention the
equally mcrtoEious conduct Of Ricc's Brigade.
The real facts la the case having, so iar as j
know, never been made public, i wrote what
believed 10 be a truthful account OF the Fed
eml aud Confederate operations on the left
in the hope that credit might be given where
credit was due. For the details OF the Couied-
crate movements ] Hm indebted 10 Gen, T.. NJ
Law prominent officer la Lees army, who
commanded a portion Of the troops that capt
nrcd the Ninth Corps works. As 10 the Fed
eral operations, i was an eyewitness, and drew
on my Imagination for none of my facts.
Comradc Joseph Carter, Of the Sd Md. takes
exception 10 my statement in an article that
would be very funny u ID were not FOR has evl-
dent distress. The sympathy which ms an
Enish eEcitcs u.s. however. considerably mOdi-
fed by the temper he displays. His charge
that the Second Corps was lacking in martial
courage is highly absurd, aud will pass for
little with those who remember It's splendid
achievements ut Gettysburg aud Spottsylvania,
aud op many other fields. lis complaint that
j made unfair charges against lls brigade,
" added insult to iuiHry, sandered it, etc. /
rests Oh no basis Of fact. ] made no mention
OF Lcasares Brigade for the very GOOD reason
that did not see il at all.
Nhiie the Second Corps aud Wadsworth's
Division, OF the Fifth, were fighting Hill aud
LoHgsueet from early dawn until 10 o'clock
q. ln. LeasuTes Brigade, according TO COmrade /
Carter, WIS lying comfortably al the Brock /
road, a mile and a half la the rear. At 2 D. m. /
II letl This safe position and swept" the en- 4
the front OF the Second Corps, which must |
have carried it Tar north of the Orange plank /
road. As be makes no mention Of sweeping |
back again, his brigade was evidently not al
the intersection Of the two roads al p, M, aud |
his claim that i repulscd Fields attack fails by
his own testimony.
let us see what bis brigade did do Says Com
raae Carter: al p. M. we were ordered 10
sweep the front OF the Second Corps of any
enemy that might be lurking in the brush.
This was done by advancing 10 the lrcut as
Tar as possible without losing sight OF the
brcastWOIks. aud then making a right wheel /
we marched along his Hancock 81 entire front
During that march the left Of the brigade
struck L0ugstTeets Corps, which had exposed
lbs flank. forced il back aud took some prison
err. which were sent 70 Gen Hancock"
From these prisoners, he states, Hancock
learned that DeHEstrcet was on the field. This
ma nHr4. 80 sNH % ]. a ]
IOnrEreet's arrival must have been somewhat
stale after D. M. Tor he left his bivouac at
q. NJ, and WAS al PWkcrs Store at 6 IN the
morning, Ia ample time 10 check Hills hasty
retreat and lIaucOck's pursuit. After lghtiug
LouFs.reet during the whole forenoon, Han
cock probably knew he was there.
The bulk OF the Second Corps was posted
along the Brock road north Of the Orange plank
road, the line having been strengthened by
concentrating toward the right in anticipation
OF L0ngstrccts attack, aud the Ninth Corps 4
bad been thrown into the gap between Han
cock right and Narens left COmrade Car
ters Brigade, having traverscd the entire
front 81 the Second Corps must therefore have
found itself iu the company OF the Ninth Corps
perhaps OF StcVeusou's Division. Il really looks
o. Boz t might have formed a supporting inc"
Tor Stevenson instead OF the Second Corps
ln advancing 10 the front a. far as possible
without losing sight OF the bseastwoIks" Car
tiers Brigade may have advanced 100 feet into
The Wilderness possibly in some places 100
yards. Al this prrilous distance from tie
Union line, tHc leit regiment OF the three COM
posing Lcasure's Brigade struck Lougs,reets
Corps and forced IL back :" IfGrant had only
taken thc t"o other regiments and sent ono
against Hills aud the other against EweIrs
those corps also ..rht have been forced back %
ana Tic battle would have terminated in a
decisive victory without the aid Of other troops
There De- nothing small about C0mrade Carriers
claim. liE sublime audaClty Is euuaied only
by that Of Capt Robert H. Park, Of Macon. WHO
with only 40 men held lockers Corus in check
az South Mountain for three hours according
~ bis own report.
Never in word or thought have accused anv
troops 81 disEraceful conduct nor have I +" in
suited, injured OF siandcrcd Cumrade Carter
OF his brigade He must remember that the
man Who claims the earth viii probably End
contestant The expression which incensed
hln was perhaps i.-Cl0scn Instead Of saving
" Tive supporting line took TO their hce!s.U i
III .tut have aid they made premature retreat
o. tIey charged % the rear. Whether such
curAeHsm would have been better wc cauBot
tc.. ID might have been less painful 10 Com
Iade 'aIters sensitive feelings, but il would
have lacked good deal n y g0r aud precision
But the cOmTaae need not take our language /
b. 10 heart llg has proven bis brigade was
not There al ali. IL had advanced becoming ip ,
sight tIg DreasfW0rls " wheeled 10 The riprtU
" swept iHp entire front driven back Topg.
street. Corps aud without doubt reformed
many other wonderful things
NIth reference o. CAROLS Brigade their
hOHor were well mcrItgd. When Field cant.
urcl lIr works south of tho plauk road al
O'clock E.ca's Brigade Was there Ia cypcl him
AZ the same hour Law Alabama Brigade and
Perry Florida Brigade. supported by UefBs /
Division. assaulted iHe Ninth C0rps. driving
Buns4rs men beyond The line Of breast
BoIha. Then it was that Carro.Fs men drove
The audaa0us TcAcs out The enemy had
captured parts Of the works at two p5iBtg
mile nr more apart aud Carter claims fgr M
brigade The honor Of Tepulsiug the rebels ip
bota places at once.
"Iuaasiaie lre.i,l' would not one sualrePn
One OF hC officers 81 my old brigade Can't Geo ,
Iugunln, l41tA ~. r.. kindly gave "a view az I
The matter intended o. quiet C0mrade Carter
aud myself closing with the words. Gen
MadswOIlh Has Killed right there" For ~
benevolent Efforts In behalf Of peace. make
due acEuuBlC lgmegt hut the gallant Cgf,f.tiu
vi feco.lcct That Gen. Wadsworth Was Killed
D nIlr west OF the Brock road al IOa.m.
wa speaking 81 an occurrence sm hours subse.
7ueut
tomrdc Valley account will be perfect II
BE- Will change one word. His brigade must
have been north not south Of The blank road 4
Nomuae VALLEY Says the enemy did not can't
ure Zoe works 81 bis brigade" But they dia
capture the works south oi the Orange blank
road. lle speaks OF q battery Of brass Ma
poeona on Dds left These were the guns
mentioned and were on the plank road.
I'lec - Brigade, which drove the enemy from {
2 ~