The National tribune., 1891-06-18
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.


The Pigeon Range Affair.
r. B. Wallace, Co r. lst Colo Cav, Green
Mountain, Iowa notices that Comrade Fitz-
gerald, in speaking Of the battle Of Pigeon
Range, says The Texans were met By the Regular
troops from Fort Union and the % Colo, under
Col. Slough, and the New Mexican volunteers,
under Kit Carson etc. The troops that fought
the battle Of March =, 1859, were the 1st Colo.
(ater lst Colo Cav.} one company Of the ID
Colo, Capt. Ford; Cos. A and G., 9th U. 5. Inf;
two batteries Of four guns EACH commanded by
Capt. Rider and Capt. Claffn lRegulars.)
There were no other troops. Gen. Candy and
his Regulars and Kit Carson and his Mexicans
had been defeated at Val Verde, near Fort
Craig. The Texans came on them, and would
soon have starved them into surrender IL
| Col. Slough had not gained the victory at
Pigeon Range. Sibley'5 command were very
/ busy after that trying 20 get back 20 Texas,
starting that night. The California boys we're
al right, and that was nice song they sang
but they did not get there all the same until the
rebs were driven out Of Mexico.
A. +. Brown, Go. 3, "a Colo. Cav, TempletOa,
Cal, says that Comrade Fitzgerald in his arti-
Gle about the California boys makes many
errors. He says that Sibley captured FL Paso
and fought the drawn battle Of Val Verde. This
| is not the case. Canby's command consisted Of
| the 9Th u. s., part Of the 10th U. s., two COM
paues Of the % Dragons, and the 9TH U. S.
battery, besides a few other scattering troops,
I about 700 in all. The battle lasted from early
morning 10 shutdown, which ended in our rout,
/ for what else could be expected when we were
| fighting 5000 Of the enemy2 COmrade Fitz-
| gerald also says that at Pigeon Range Sibley
was engaged by the Regulars and the I'd Colo.
As q matter Of fact, there were only two com
/ panies of the 2d COlO.-A aud b. Kit Carson
| and his regiment were not there, Col. Carson
/ being at Fort Craig. The COmrade also says
that after leaving Secoria Siblcy passed east Of
j the mountains. The writer knows that after
l Candy formed junction with SlOugh's COM
mand, they engaged Sibiey at Peralta; then
marched down the east side of the Rio Grande,
while Sib!ey marched on the west side in fun
view of them for two days. At La JOya, not
| SeeOria, Sibiey destroyed bis surplus baggage
and marched west into the mountains, striking
the river 30 miles below Fort Craig. Here the
/ pursuit ended. There we're no California troops
| on the Rio Grande at that time.
! What Co. D's Roster Shows.
| ]. t. Parker, Captain, Co. ID, 18th Iowa,
| SigOurney, Iowa, sends US the roster of his
/ company as shown on April 1, giving the place
/ Of residence Of each man. There are 100 men
alive and accounted for, while % are known to
be dead The company served three years
| nine months and three days. and the writer
thinks that the fact that he belonged to
Crocker's Iowa Brigade would prove that they
were not bandbOx company. They were
fortunate in not having many men killed by
bullets, but over so men were wounded in ac-
ton. They marched over 1000 miles and had
u men captured July y, 1864, at Atlanta, who
were prisoners until March and April, 1865, all
but one coming out Of prison. He makes a
point that the number of men alive to-day
show that they were hard 10 kill, and would
like some other company TO show anything to
equal it, taking into consideration length Of
service and performances. He does not claim
that they did more that anybody else, but does
claim that they did whatever they were asked
70 do, and often more.
But One Flag.
D. K. Mitchell, Co. ID, I02d Ohio, Corsica, o.,
having noticed resolutions Of Lincoln Post, 3,
Department Of the Potomac, against the ex-
hibit Of the Blue and the Gray at Chicago, de-
aires TO say that they are very timely and
patriotic for we certainly have no room for
two flags in this country at public exhibition,
and the sooner we can stamp out every attempt
20 honor the emblem Of treason the better it
will be for Us. He hopes that every Post, Union
soldiers, and patriotic citizens, will say amen
TO the resOlutionsof Lincoln Post.
Too Much for Him.
Rev. Charles A. Cook, Pastor Of the Baptist
Church, Sterling Mass, is an applicant for a
pension, but expects to withdraw the applica-
ton because Of the hard conditions imposed.
He is informed by comrades that the require
ments are both disgusting and degrading that
at Worcester two comrades are required to ap-
pear for examination before the Doctors in q
nude state, one waiting for the other, and it
usually takes half an hour. The applicant is
made to crawl, leap, run, and 20 through other
mountebank movements. Rather than submit
10 this he would seek the shelter of q poor
house.
Rocky Comfort.
CIV. WYE, Rocky Comfort Mo-, says that
so many have taken him at his word and sent
for description of his part Of the country that
he has been kept busy answering the boys.
This part Of Missouri has wonderful curiosities
in the shape Of springs, some Of which flow at
the rate Of barrel a minute. Besides, they
have medical springs. 1t is a good place for
the old boys who are ailiug, living being only
81 per week. 1t is also a boss place for settle
ment, and there are now from 10 to 10 Union
soldiers and GAR Post within 10 miles of
Rocky Comfort. There are three different kinds
of land for SALE Government, railroad and
decided land; enough for all who desire to come.
Over 70 have already written him and propose
TO come; but they want more so that they can
have their own school, churches, mills etc.
Credit where II is Due.
B. franklin sanborn, Acting Engineer, U. 8.
g. Richmond, 1926, Boston, Mass, having
noticed an article giving credit to Joseph L.
use of chain armOr used by the fleet in passing
Forts Jackson and Phillip, and afterwards by
the Kearsarge in her engagement with the
Alabama, is glad that even tardy justice is be-
ing done Shipmate Vantine, as this is only one
of many cases where suggestions have been
made by blue-iackets for which the officers have
taken the credit. Neither Engineer John W..
Moore or Eben Holt both Of whom have been
credited with this suggestion, ever dreamed of
it until it was suggested by Vantine, and he
agrees with Comrade Simmons that Congress
cannot do better act than grant him a hand
some pension TO comfort his declining years
for that armOr furnished material aid in giving
us New Orleans and the grand victory of the
Kearsarge on the ocean.
He Lost the Tip OF His Ear.
B. F. Johns, Corporal, Co. A, 10th Pa, says
the "Cannoneers" account of the battle of
Spottsylvania is most vivid and interesting.
and while reading it he can imagine that he
hears the booming of cannon, the shouting, and
the wild rush of battle. His anecdOte of poor
Harvey reminds him Of similar occurrence.
Just after they passed over the Second Corps,
lying on the ground, boy who had been with
them only a short time, commenced TO cry, and
said 81 cannot stand this; / am going back"
When the writer told him that he should not,
and was cooking his gun and threatening him,
| q ball cut of the tip of the boys left ear. He
dropped his gun and ran like a deer to the rear.
1t was getting very hot at this time, but the
writer could not help laughing at the way the
kid iumped aud scratched gravel He would