The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-07

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before they could have reached the main line
in front on the Brock road. These lines were
held by Leasures Brigade, to which several
members of the different regiments have testi.
fed. If they were unoccupied when CARROTS
Brigade advanced, then Leasure's Brigade must
have advanced to the main line, and thus the
diary gives proof to orr claim that we preceded
CAROLS Brigade, and did not support it.
have seen very little in the testimony thus
far presented to make me change or modify the
| original statement There is only one point
which seems little uncertain, that is the posi-
tion of the 21st Mass, which l placed in the
second line, while Comrade DOak, of 4th Me-,
and also comrade of the 99th Pa. claim
that they were posted in that line Of works
thus admitting the fact that there was more
than one line along the Brock road, which
CAROLS men dispute. If they were located
| in that position, then ] say they stood their
ground manfully and WELL and their superior
officers have done them great injustice when
they report that Wards Brigade retreated, and
give all the credit to CAROLS men, who should
not monopolize all the honors, but be willing
| to share them. as Leasure's men are prepared
| to do, if the 4th Me. and Goth Pa. make
| good their claim to the second line at the
| Crossroads.
If ! made mistake about the 21st Mass. It
was owing to the fact that those works were
being hastily constructed of old logs while we
| lay lcstiuS ny INC sue VI INC Ilduk IOdu dileT
our exhausting march across the front of the
Second Corps amid the smoke and heat of the
| burning woods which almo st stifed US at times.
There were no other troops as reserves but our
| brigade in sight when the firing began. The
2lst Mass. lay close to the second line. while we
were some distance in rear OF the third line.
Troops began to file into the second line before
we received orders to occupy the third line. /
| thought, and still believe, that it was the 21st
Mass, and am confirmed in my opinion by the
fact that the second line was vacant in front of
the Sd Md. after we had taken position in the
rear line. In moving into position, | think,
we did not take up more than enough space to
allow the Tooth Pa. TO rest their right flank On
the Plank road. The regiment in front of them
did not extend more than two-thirds across
their front, and there was scarcely room enough
for the 4th Me. and Goth Pa. in the space that
l saw occupied by what l thought was one
small regiment like the 2lst Mass They can
make it clear by stating when they were as
signed to the second line of works leaving it
for the readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE to
decide in their case whether they have not
been greatly wronged by their own officers in
their official reports, which VIC all know often
took the color Of sef-interest having in view
their own promotion.
This controversy has developed an Interesting
fact, viz, that all the corps of the Army of the
Potomac were represented by their favorite
his greatest blow, and believed that he was
about to repeat the history of the Wilderness
of the year before-the Second Corps, by Car
rolls; the Fifth, by Rce's; the Sixth, by the
Vermont Brigade, and tho Ninth, by Leasure's;
although we find that we were "long way
from the headquarters" Of justice on that oc
casion, but We are very thankful to Comrade
Meyerhof not only for his diary, but for his
recent testimony, that is calculated to strengthen
our claim that all the truth has not been told
by history as las she is writ" not even that
of Swinton, based upon the official reports of
brigade, division and corps commanders"
any more than that founded upon the imagi-
nation of the interested correspondent" Of
which the c0mrade complains. for he assures US
that "Swinton gives Carrol's Brigade credit
for rush on the left where the breastworks
were on fire." and than makes this candid ad-
mission: Now, it may be that Carroll's Bril-
Rade made that rush, but confess that the
14th Ind. was not in it."
l hope be will not charge me with twisting
his testimony in this ease, but l think we will
be warranted in the conclusion that CAROLS
Brigade could not have advanced very soon, or
they would have reached the first line in time
to see the burning works, and that they were
on fire both friend and foe have testified, the
first giving that as an excuse for abandoning
the first line, the others as the chief obstacle to
their advance. But the best proof is that the
until the works were abandoned by the three
lines Of BATTLE which some Of the members of
the Second Corps have testified held the front
line. / cannot doubt my sense OF hearing on that
occasion, when that battery made the music so |
agreeable to our ears, while we waited for the |
order to advance. There was 10 such welcome
sound from the two pieces on the Plank road |
after the stampede from the first line hence |
concluded that they bad been abandoned, as |
they lay between the first and second lines. |
and exposed to the enemy's fire in the first |
line.
/ am surprised at the statement of the COM |
rade that there was no sign of burning works |
when the l4th Ind. arrived at the first line 1t |
may be explained by the fact that such portion |
as had caught fire had been consumed before |
his arrival which have stated met my sight |
when started down the Brock road to ascer- |
tain if the enemy held any portion of our works. |
found nothing but long line of burning EN-.
bers. which was all that remained of the log |
works that we beheld in the morning as we |
moved down the Brock road to meet what was |
thought to be an advance of Longstreet upon |
our left aank. My absence may account for the |
fact that the comrade missed me, and did not |
find my name in his diary, which has caused |
him to say, where were you, anyhow,
during the battle?" and then follow it with
that facetious story about the Army of the
Lord"
After reading the history of that battle from
rebel standpoint in the Century Magazine,
where Gen. Field ascrbes their failure at the
crossroads to the wall of fire." / have con-
Guided that the Lord of Hosts was very close to
the Brock road on the 9th of May 1864 and
when the scales of victory were turned against
us by the arrival of Longstreets Corps, which
forced Hancock's troops to retreat in confusion
and disorder to their last line of works, that
the God of Battles came to our help and threw
his sword of fire into the balance which pro-
duced that wall of fame and thus held the vic
torious army in check while that battery piled
them with grape and canister which they could |
not even lie down on the burning leaves to
avoid, and turned victory into defeat and CON-
plete rout even moro disastrous than the stanl-
pede Of Hancock'5 men. Never did history
record such fact where two armies were found
retreating from each other as was shown at the
Brock road, leaving every thing quiet and calm,
as fonnd when INDUCED in that little prone
made down the Brock road look ing for an enemy
which could not be found.
But for that battery they could have re-
manned until the works were reduced, and they
would not have had to wait long for they could
have crossed where / passed along; then they
could have swung around and swept down the
Brock road, taking Leasure's and Carroll's
Brigades in the flank and gobbled every thing
at the Crossroads.
Who has the temerity to say that even Can't
Graham, with the 500 of Rice's Brigade, could
have stemmed the tide that would have set
against US but for that obstacle which OBJ
structed the path of the enemy, and held him