The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-09

\ SuiibS tbc CUAIACIeT, ADlilUleS, dlu sSi 49, "
their superior officers during the late rebeiilon
| Why is it that all this TRADE against Gen. Nc
| Doweil was not brought forth in print before
| the noble man and brave soldier was carried &c
| his grave? But no, his accusers must wall
| till he passed away before coming out IN PRINT
| traducing the man simply because he wore
| hat of peculiar make. The hat seems to be 81
| the proof they possess against the General
movements and actions on the battlefield
Gen. Mcdowell was all that Comrade Marvin
describes him to be in his article. l knew the
General rs far back as 1860, when he was
Major in the Adjutant- Generals department
In October of that year he arrived at Forl
ripley, Mimi, to inspect the garrison, ana l
know, from what the steward of the ofhcers
mess said, that when the General sat at taoie
with the officers of the garrison he would
neither have tea nor coffee, but simply cold
water the General having informed MS
brother officers that he had never drank any
thing IN his lifetime stronger than spring
water. So much in refutation of the charges
of drunkenness by waysiders.
The next time | saw Gen. Mcdowell was on
Sunday morning, July q, 1861, at Centrevilie.
Va. rs his army flied out of camp to the field
of Manassas. His looks that morning, not
withstanding that he wore the peculiar hat,
Robert A. Shearer to the contrary lin PICKET
Shots in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE OF April
2U.
That Gen. Mcdowell should be stigma tiled
at this late day as a traitor and coward IS be-
yond the comprehension of hundreds OF sol
diers who followed him on many a battlefield.
his first Bull Run, notwithstanding tho pecu-
liar hat would have been grand success had
Gen. Patterson employed Johnston beyond
Thoroughfare Gap, and had Col. Miles, at Cen
treville, come forward with his reserve. 1t
was no fault of Gen. McDowelrs that the day
was lost on July 81, 1861, as officers and SOL
diers OF that field said then, and those of them
who are living to-day will reiterate the same
Then, again, at the battle Of Groveton, Va,
Aug. 30, 1862. Mcdowell could not be traitor.
His corps, in company with that of Fitz John
Porter's (the Fifth, marched together from Ma
nassas junction to point close to Thorough
fare Gap, where they separated, Mcdowell
going somewhat to the right and Fitz John
Porter continuing straight on, with the parting
injunction from Mcdowell to push OH and en-
gage the enemy and push him hard, as he Nc
DowelD intended to give him (the enemy all
he wanted as soon as he could come into action
with his troops.
AS between the two men on that day-Mc-
Dowell and Fitz John Porter--probably our
friend Shearer could be induced to go into the
matter aud tell us how it was that Fitz John
after arriving at the Gap kept himself and his
corps of 1900 men out of the fight. Compare
this with McDowelps pushing into action, and
tuCH tc!I uo WIZ Tue tTdithr WAS Ou Lnat tucin"
orable day. Fitz John Porter is still living,
and can probably reply to Mr. Shearer.
In conclusion, all have to say is that it
very lily becomes Mr. Shearer to Willy the
character of Gen. Mcdowell On the field of
battle from the standpoint of holding wounded
horse far in the rear Of the line of battle Of his
regiment. 1t is queer to this writer how it
came so convenient to him (Shearer) while
holding wounded horse to be SO near to the
General rs to note his every action and move
ment at the battlefield; and then, again, how
lucky Mr.. Shcarer was to be in advance Of his
regiment at the Stone Bridge aud hear Gen.
Mcdowell swear and draw revolver, which
blasphemy and action this writer believes the
brave and patriotic General to have been in
capable of. Now. for the sake of the cloth we
wore, let us not Willy the character of tho many
good soldiers who cannot answer back from
their honored grayes.-PATRIcE BREES, First
Sergt, Co. c, Cd U. S. Inf, Second Brigade,
Second Division, Fifth Corps, Vincennes Ind.