The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-16

~ ENG close reader of THE NATIONAL
H TRIBUNE have read with considera'
bic surprise the latest enGeavor To
cast oboauy on the poor cid Elev.
enth Corps And the first inquiry that arises
is this: What is the cause? Have not the
troops that composed that organization been
subjected TO enough lies and villifcation ia
entitle them to a respite9 But it seems that
in these latter days there has appeared his
torian who knows more about the hattie OF
tIettvsburg than Gems Doubleday, Hunt. Col.
Bachelaer, or any of the great men upon whom
the world has derended for the story Of that
fearful encounter. This man, with few
Others to protect his tanks held the most oil
Hills Coris aud large part OF Rodess DI-
vision of the rebel army IN check on the lst
day Of Julv. 1853, from 2 O'Clock y. m. until
sundown. And now this historian with the
iron GALL very patronizingly tells US that some
of the Eleventh Corps nen have t.ken char
acteristic umbrage because he has said that the
result Of the first days batsiSSSould have been
different had the Sixth Corps been present IN
stead of the Eleventh" He now tries TO avoid
the just resentment of the boys he has en-
deavo,ed Ia belittle by saying that there was a
great difference in the strength of the two
CORPS numerically, hat his evasion is lame
Now, while this is and can only. from the ma
ture of things, amount TO mere suppositi0n,
and is therefore of ne value as history or any
thing else yet, when it is repeated, unchal-
lenged might he accepted by those unacquaint-
ed with the facts as the truth; and thus as
good troops ever formed line OF battle would
receive unmerited ceDsure.
In studying the work done by the First and
Eleventh Corps at that time compare the posi-
tions occu,ied by the different organ izations.
The First held a commanding position. and
were fighting almost entirely on the defensive.
When the Eleventh Corps arrived the enemy
had already taken position and planted cannon
on Oak Hill and the high ground east of it,
and the corps was compelled TO fight for posi-
ton. taking the offensive over very unfavor-
able ground. That they performed their duty
msnfully is the testimony of every authentic
record of the event
Gen. Doubleday, the able commander of the
First Corps after Gen. Reynolds was killed.
says that although their right flank was
enveloped, and they were greatly outnumbered,
they fought calamity. And history is
searched in vain to find a more heroic resistance
than was made by the two brigades of Gems.
Ames and Won elisa and Battery 6, 4th U. S.
Art Where in the history of the nations can
be found more devoted action or heroic death
than that of Lieut. Wilkesen, the gallant CON-
mander of the battery just mentioned? And
right here / want to put on record the opinion,
and it is fully supported by careful study of
their record that there was not anywhere in
than those commanded by Gen. Adelbert Ames.
viz, the 18th Conn, 18th. 10Th. and 10th
Ohio. These men were soldiers tried and true,
who always and upon every occasion performed
their duty with unfinching bravery. The
Confederate General John B. Gordon, who
attacked them that hot July afternoon, says:
"They made stern resistance, and were only
6islodged after repeated assaults by superior
numbers" This is the official record, not the
nnzyfpg,nrte1 inn of unreliable and
obscure writer. and / fearlessiy assert that,
while according ali praise due to Sedgwick
and the others named, the names of Gems.
Francis C. Barlow and Adelbert Anes will not
Eufer in comparison with the best of them.
is IL possible that any sane man who has
studied the field of Gettysburg will assert that
the FIRST days field couh have been held By
any 24,000 men when atfaeked on three sides
by 5000 TO 10000. and the superior force in
possession of Oak Hill. which dominates all
the ground northeast Of Gettysburg? The
fact is that the first days battle was great
mistake as a military movement. and would
not have occurred had Gen. Meade known the
position Of the enemy.
The wonder being that. after allowing about
one-sixtb of his own force TO be attacked by
two thirds of Lees whole army. and leaving
the small remnant practically unsupported
whole day, and not having interest enough in
the result TO ride to the front himself-the
wonder. say, is that the First and Eleventh
Corps were not annihil&ted or captured.
After the First Corps was all engaged. and
the. Generals oil the ground had discovered
what it was that they had encountered, the
Eleventh Corps was simply thrown in piece
meal TO prolong the struggle and prevent the
capture Of the troops already engaged. ! ask
any honest and nBprei udiced comrade TO study
the situation, forces engaged, and official rec
ords, and If he is not convinced that the boys of
the crescent badge did all that men could do
then have studied the subject in vain.
At p. ~, when it became evident that the
advanced position could be held no longer, the
First Brigade, Second Division. Eleventh Corps
was ordered TO advance through the town and
cover the retreat Thus, in the fortunes of
war, this brigade was required to go forward
TO the post of duty when their comrades were
IN retreat. Under such circumstances ii re.
quiresthe nerve and staying qualities of vet
Grams. The movement was performed in fine
style Moving cut Stratton street on the
6ouble-quick, they SWING into line just in
front Of Kuhn's brick-kiln. Hardly had they
reached their position before they were at
tackled by Hoke's Brigade in front supported
by Smiths Brigade, while Hays Brigade
actually moved TO their rear past their left
flank. Although nearly surrounded, those
men, who had SO nobly withstood the onslaught
Of Stonewall Jackson's legions at Chancellors-
with uHfliBching 9rmness- Col. Goodwin, who
commanded Hokes Brigade, says (see official
Records. Series J., Vol. q, page 4s4): They
stu bbornly held their position until we were
actually In their midst" Hoke's Brigade lost
145 men in this assault. and when Bushbeck' s
old brigade finally fell back their four small
regiments were surrounded by IA regiments Of
the enemy at short range; and yet their re-
treat WAS far from being rout. az they stopped
1t the kiln and fired few parting shots, and
after regaining the street resisted the advance
Of Hays Brigade with one gun of Dilger's
batterv, which had fixed prolonge and was fired
retiring
1t viii take something more than the un-
supported word Of this new historian (?l to
prove TO the survivors OF Early's Division
that their $50 killed and wounded that day,
and the 400 Union dead gathered by them at
this point, did not indicate that they met foe
men worthy of them then and there The
boys that Pat Jones had the honor TO command,
or that gallant Pennsylvania regiment led by
Capt Dan Kelly, were not in the habit OF
leaving the field of battle until the foe had
felt the quality of their ammunition; and
they had proven by their conduct 60 days be-
fore, on the south bank Of the Rappahannock
that they were not to be ratified because other
organizations in their vicinity were in con-
fusion. And it needs only a careful reading
OF the official reports Of the commanding of.
tcers opposed to them to prove that they per.
formed their whole duty nobly on every field
npon which they appeared.
And now regarding the much-debated even,
Ing OF July 2, at East Cemetery Hill.
Ii lie not to be wondered at that Carrolps
Brigade should want all the credit that belong.
60 them; and / am proud 10 say that | have