The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-15

cellent articles on the Artillery Service, re-
lates how the fugitiyes of the Eleventh Corps,
rushing through another battery Of Birneys
Division, then at the front, threw them into
such confusion as to cause them to fall into
the hands of the enemy. This battery am
unable to trace. Neither Gen. Birney nor his
Chief of Artillery mention it, Tidball also
describes the confusion at Hazel Grove the
heavy fire of musketry from the enemy, and
how the batteries, entirely alone and unsup-
ported, held the enemy in check,
COMPLETELY AND THOROUGHLY CHECKED
BY THESE BATTERIES"
Furthermore, he says: Had it not been
for the timely and gallant resistance offered
| by Huntington's % guns at Hazel Grove,
which held the enemy in check until the
Twelfth changed position, this corps, too,
would have been taken in flank and rear,
and would probably have shared the same
fate as the Eleventh. 1t is difficult to esti-
mate the value of the services of the guns
at Hazel Grove"
The Compile de Paris, in his interesting
work on the Civil War, copies Pleasonton's
descriptions of his laudable work, and also
keenan'S cavalry charge that Plcasonton
stops the enemy advancing in good order
and in successive lines; that he dismOunts
the two guns brought up in the attack and
wounds Crutchfield, of the Confederate artil-
lery. Neither Crutchfed nor any of his
guns were near Hazel Grove that night.)
Maj. Stein, in his late work on the Army
of the Potomac, almost 80 years after the
event. repeats the romantic story OF keenan's
charge, and Endorses all of Pleasonton's ex-
PLOTS, and states that the carnage that fol-
lowed the discharge Of the double shotted
guns would have bianched The cheek OF I" the
LiOnhearted."
Maj. Watts de Peyster, a brilliant writer
OF the episodes of the war, lends his aid to
immortaljze the thrilling scenes, and writes
in this manner " The intrepid Pleasonton,
with comprehensive lightning-like glance,
and a decision as instantaneous as the cleo
trio flash, gathered up his cayalrr. hurled
them upon the foe until he could range
his own rapidly collected guns upon ridge,
and then drove them back and saved the
army That this fearful disaster was ayerted
is due to feat of generalship and an ex-
hibition of heroism, to both of which the
world can be challenged to produce supe-
riors."
Pieasonton was asked by the Committee of
Congress what produced the panic in the
Eleventh Corps, and replied: "The combined
effect upon their imagination of the sound of
musketry and the increasing yells of the rebels
and their increasing artillery fire.
IT WAS A THEATRICAL EFFECT,
that Stonewall Jackson could produce better
than any other man | have ever seen on the
field Of BATTLE"
Pleasonton also informed the committee that
he ordered the guns not to fire until he gave
the word. as he wanted the effect of an i'm.
IL
of men, and | wanted the whole weight of the
metal TO check them" When he gave the
order the fire actually swept he men away.
1t seemed to blow those men in front clear over
the parapet."
He also stated how he cleared behind him in
a marsh the debris of the Eleventh Corps, piled
up in great con fusion. For this literary enter
tainment Pleasonton was highly complimented,
and the report reads " Although a cavalry
officer, he handled the artillery with exceeding
great judgment and effectiveness. His skill,
energy, daring and promptness upon this &C.
casion contributed greatly to arrest the disaster
which for time threatened the whole army.
His conduct upon this and many other occas-
ions marks him as one of the ablest Generals in
our service, and as deserving of far higher con-
sideratiou than from some cause he appears to
have received"
These glowing accounts of military exploits
performed at Hazel Grove, as narrated, when
compared with the facts, or what appear to be
the facts, seem at variance, and far more
worthy of place among the tales of the late
Baron Munchausen than the serious and truth
full pages of the history Of the Armies of the
Potomac and Northern Virginia.
None of the sterling men of either army can
approve, or will approve, of such misrepresenta-
tions as these The attempt to conceal errors
and magnify trivial acts for selflaudation is
too apparent to stand the test OF inquiry; and
the intent to cast blame where it does not be-
long is too manifest to escape observation.
1t is too late for tho author of these false re-
ports to make amends to the men of the Eley-
enth Corps, for the most of them are dead but it
is not too late to correct the inscriptions in
history wherein every deserving soldier re-
ceives his just reward, no matter whether he
carried musket with tattered uniform or rode
at the head of a column adorned with sword
and stars. The history of to-day should cover
both with equal fairness and it should also
RESPECT THE vALoR OF THE CONFEDERATE
SOLDIER.
| think it may be safely affirmed that none
of the fugitives breaking out of the forest with
guns, cassons ambulances aud horses crowd
lug upon the artillery of Pleasonton. were SOL
diers from tho defeated Eleventh Corps. There
may have been. sometime during the evening,
q few of the pckets of the 10Th Pa escaping
from the forest south Of the DoWdal farm seen
crossing the southern border of Hazel Grove
with guns on their shoulders.
But in the disoSderiy torrent bursting out of
the wood from the northwest, to the astonsh-
ment of Pleasonton, there was neither man nor
beast. neither gun, caisson nor material of any
description belonging to the abused Eleventh
Corps. Furthermore, it may be asserted that
no organization of Jacksons army approached
Hazel Grove that night or until daylight on
Sunday morning; aud that no Confederates
attacked Pleasont0n, except a handful of for |
ayers, numbering from $50 to 200. who took to |
their heels as soon as the artillery fire per-
mitted them to rise from cover. The survivors
to-day declare that not one of the party was |
injured by the pyrotechnic display, aud exami- |
nation Of the terraine and the cover it afforded
the statement
Nearly all OF Jackson's Corps ut this hour |
and at this moment, was halted near the Will |
ierness Church and about the Dowdal farm.
All had been ordered to halt there, and none |
went forward except the groups of disordered |
troops who slowly drfted up the road in search |
Of adventure or plumber, as far as the log works |
built by Wiiliams's Division, OF the Twelfth |
Corps, or to the western border of Hazel Grove. |
1t may also be stated that the story told by |
Pleasonton concerning the charge of the Sth |
Pm. Cav, in order to give him time to place his |
artillery in position,
rs a FABRICATION OF HIS VANITY.
Col. PennOek Huey was the commander of |
he regiment, and did not receive any order to
charge. Furthermore the regiment had dis