The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-10

~ flsJ~-sff 1A3& Edmonds Co G. 4,h w
5ilsi E.FZ9lN5 Va. which appeared IL
ETsIW Ezaag-zZ your issue of Nov. u
ssaE9-= who stated that he wa
on the "slirmish line,
etc
was also on the slzirmish- line on the day O
the battle aud 10 the best Of my recollection o
the events that occurred that day, as ] possess
no notes except the names of a few soldiers wht
reported To NE on account of disabilities
believe that Comrade EdmonGs is correct IN ms
criticism ,hat Gen. Hunter did not command
the troops that were engaged IN this battlei al
least, we who were in ID did not think so.
While we were az Maryland flights Gen
Sige was superseded by Gen Hunter and be-
lieve that the gallant Gen Crook, whose bravery
is undisputed, succeeded Gen. Hunter, and was
In command during this engagement; conse-
Quently, " Gen. Hunters command was mol
demoraliZed." Like Cumrade Edmonds, j
thought there was a mistake in placing the
river between Us and the main force, and ln
an article headed Muligan and HIS Men.
which appeared IN the New York Mail and f1.
press Feb. . 1889, j SO expressed myself But
OF course J. GA account OF my position IA the
army. may not have been able to judge my
superiors correctly, and can be convinced oil
the wisdom and judgment Of the commandcr
IN placing us there, IL any reasonable cXpiana-
ton can be given Tor doing so.
i was with the dsmounted cavalry, which
was commanded by Col Samuel b. nj, Young
of the 4tli Pa Cav and now 81 the "a Regular
Cav, la charge OF the post OF San Antonio, Tex,
Col Young was a tried ard brave veteran who
had been wounded IN previous engagement
and was wounded again at the battle OF kerns-
town which took place about 10 days after,
having had his arm shattered while calamity
leading his men.
To our left was the Ohio mlita-three
months men. ] think il WAS ihe l35th Regi-
ment Of infantry; aud on the rigbtoi our COM
mand, in clump Of trees we erected our hos
pital tent j do not now remember the names OF
the medical officers who were there, but the
Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon of the 23d III.
and a couple Of others, whose regiments have
forgotten, were there. There was an Assistant
Surgeon attached 70 our command, but j saw
nothing OF him in this engagement nor Alter
wards AS he had been complaining Of illness,
] suppose he may have been relieved aud placed
on the sick-list.
il seems 10 me that, unless Serg't Torrill can
bring further proof that Gen Hunter was Ia
command Bt Smokers Ford and that his COM
mand was demomlized, he win have 10 change
his very interesting record of his "reminiscences
Ii is true, as lac asserts. that the COnfederates
attacked ms very vigorously, marching against
us three OF four columns decp and appeared TO
be in greater force numerically. The battle
seemed 10 be against MS from the start, rs the
MtnhA HliN iuINA lAAnhtlIA 4Ill- anu III AllltlN
denoted that they greatly OutnumhcrCd us, and
heard some OF our men remark when any
further resistance appeared 10 be useless, that
they bad only the alternative 81 being taken
prisoner. on 20 take their chance OF reaching the
other side Of the river n safety. They seemed
20 have 8 dread Of Confederate prisons, and
much preferred the risk Of being shot down
and Of being drowned Ia their retreat across
the river 10 join the main force, than to he cap
tuTed by tie enemy aud marched to Libby on
sOme other Confederate prison.
On The opposite side Of the river, on a hill,
was our main force, which consisted Of the
Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, who were quietly
resting and were apparently obiiyious OF the
battle that was passing close by. IL seemed
strange 10 Us who were engaged in the
battle That We received no support what
ever lr0gl the main army but were allowed 10
DE driven back by a force which probably eX-
ceedcn us boo numbers and probably la military
experience. The attack OF tile C0niedeTatcs
could have easily been rePulsed By the aid Of a
portion % either OF these corps and many lives
might have been saved by their timely assist
Buce
ID seemed also risky 10 nit three months mi.
litia and dismounted cavalry, no matter how
brave they might be, on account OF the for.
mors lucEpcrience iu battle and the lattoT'E
ineXpcIicHcC as iniantrymcn. 10 combat against
Eaflys Confederate veterans who were old in
war aud iu military experience. The troops
however, did very well and the militia. under
tie circumstances, acted better than was ex'
pecied
Col. Young was q we'll known aud well-liked
commander, aud Dds men had the greatest con.
1dencc iu IBIS ability. a few particulars I'D re-
gard 10 Dds command aud Of lis composition
might br 81 interest as the other commands
seem 10 le pretty well known.
Col lUuug's command was composed Of al
Nss.s f .H..T 10 "a ma !
Div slOns aud Reserve Brigade Cavalry Corps
Army Of the Potomac, which consisted OF
veterans from more tLau dozen regiments
OF cavalry, Regulars aud volunteers They
marched from Camp St0ucmuu cavalry campl
near 6iesaor0 Point, j. c. early iu the morn inl
OF July 3, lsGs, and upon arrival a. the Wash
lngton Railroad depot two regiments Of Oil,
100 days infantry aud a battery reported and
Joined tho command This large command en-
barkcd on three large trains, and proceed iul
IN the direction q Harpcr's Ferry dobarket
at SANDY Hook, Md. about o'clock IN ths
morning q. july 6, 1868, aud scaling Maryland
flights Joined Col James "A. Mulligau's line O
batilc Cal. MulliRan commanded d brigade
ano looh az position on his loft, after frs
reporting 10 Gen. Sigel.
portion Of Col. Noung's command wa
immed lately engaged, and ia less than thrc
houu hia entire command, with Col Null
game was engaged la defending the works aul
resisting ,he attack Of the C0ufederates Jude
Gen. Bft-Einridgc and Others. The Tosistauo
wac successful, and Gen. breckenridge with
drew
Some days later our command forded tn
Potomac River crossing below Harpers Ferry
aud attacked the Confederate Ia flank ~ the,
were rctrcatuR in front 81 Gen Wright's com
mand, uud shortly aflorWard Col. Young
command crossed the Shenandoah "a sunltorf q
hcclyE Brigade, think. This command va
driven BACK pell-mcll, and carried the tW
Ohio militia regiments 0r Col Y0uug's com
mand Will 10 and loft him with very inferio
force io hold the enemy iu check, which \
successfully dad until near dark, when ia
balance OF the men reCrosscd the Shenandoah
Al Comrade Edmouds truly stated, ther
were number drowned there were also
number shot and drowned while crossing IN
river. ] shall always remember the piorcin
Shrek Of one poor fellow who successful
crossed tsC river and waE climbing up the ban
ahead 81 nae sud iu my range who had vor
nearly reached the top when cruel Coufot
eIale bullet struck him, aud he fell back SAT
thc river and was seen by me NO more.
Upon arrival on thC bill there was one sma
Held piece, but the Confederate shells bur-
over ouT heads aud around us 30 thick that "
MeIt Obliged % move closer 10 the main force
THE ended the battle of smokers Ford, an
although the ConiedeUtes had The best Of n
hghii they jndici0us'y refmined from follow
ing 81 up probably bclug aware OF The Vetora
corps which were back on The Inn. or roserViU
their forces ior the battle OF Kernstown, whic