The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-10

James II. Wilson, whom ! consider 70 have
been the best aud most accomplished cavalry
officer in either army"
Now, may be mistaken in the person, but
j think he is the same Gen. Wilson who COM
manded the Third Division, Cavalry Corps
Army Of the Potomac, in the Spring aud early
Summer Of 1864 We accomplished very little
while he was in command
In June, 1864, the Third Division OF Cavalry,
with Gen. kautz's Brigade was sent on a raid
through the Confederate lines below Peters
burg, destroying Confederate property, which
we did 60 a large amount, many miles Of rail-
road track. locomotives, cars, stations and
bridges, which no doubt was a severe loss TO
the enemy. We had two or three engagements.
in which quite q number were killed aud
wounded On our return the enemy headed
as Of al Stony Greek. and quite a severe bat
tle was fought. The enemy had a large force
Of infantry and cavalry, and By working
around our hauks had us nearly surrounded
Our troops commenced 30 get uneasy. and large
numbers were scattered around. We had %
wounded in ambulance. aud it became evi.
dent we could not get away with them. The
ambulauces were drawn up beside the road
and the horses removed.
About this time was sent 10 the front with
"A dispatch from Uen. Mcintosh, Commander Of
the First Brigade On returning / found the
command considerably broken up and dsor-
ganized. Gen. Wilson sat on his horse on q
high bank beside tho road alone / stopped
my horse near him 10 see what was TO be done
aud this is the command or exclamation which
lac gave out 10 the troops about him The
first - - - - that tries 10
got by here / will cut off his head" |
thought to myself this is quite nice remark
for a Major General commanding a division To
make TO his men. If he had made an attempt
10 rally the men, ii seems 10 me it would have
been better.
He sat there on his horse a few minutes and
then started for the head Of the column, which
was moving away, aud kept that position until
We reached our lines. after marching three
days aud nights without stopping. IL was the
worst defeat the old Third Division had ever
received We had two batteries and "A section
Of artillery, besides ambulances and hcadquar-
ter wagons. We lost everything that went on
wheels and about 1000 prisoners.
Some Of the command came in in squads and
one regiment WAS cut oil and came ia by itself !;
think il was the lst Conn. Cav, though am
not sure. Before the retreat, when Gen. Will
son SAW how matters were going, he wanted
the Colonel OF my regiment TO take a few OF his
best men, and with him Gen. Wilson, escape
10 our lines, aud let the whole division get
away the best they could. But our Colonel
was too much Of "A man and soldier and would
do no such thing. This / know to be a fact,
aud no hearsay, aud was told to me by the
Colonel himself
Now, am quite certain If Gen. Fitzpatrick
or Gen. Custer had been in command of the
division, the disgraceful skedaddle would not
have occurred; and do not think Gen. Wilson
is any more to be compared to either Of those
Generals than night is to day.
Shortly after this we were sent e. the Sha-
nandoah Valley with Gen. Sheridan Gen.
Wilson was removed and sent South, and Gen.
George a. Caster was placed in command, and
from that time to the end of the war we never
lost a fight, aud captured every piece Of artillery
that WAS trained on Us.
Ia fight with Gen Rosser's Confederate
cavalry in the Valley, Gen. Custer led my regi-
ment in charge aud captured five pieces OF
artillery; and in the same fight we captured a
Headquarters wagon, one We had lost on the
Wilson raid, containing some Of Gen. Wilson's
clothes, which were packed up and sent "a
him.
From that time on to the end Of the war the
| old Third Division, Cavalry Corps, Army Of the
Potomac did more fighting and captured more
prisoners and artillery than any other division
in the service. This may look like big talk,
but they are facts. and if any one Of our old
army friends doubt this, let him refer To Gen
T.. w. Whitaker, Of l406 Pennsylvania avenue
| Washington. ID. g. and he will give them the
| facts and fgures.-GEOEGE w. Tons. Orderly.
| Sergeant, 9TH ~ Y. Cav. Stamford, Conn.