The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-20

der Col. Milton Cogswell, of the I'D n. Y,
of being both a coward as well as imbecile
although he does not say so in so many
words for ordering a retreat-which he
never did order-to the bank of the Potomac,
from which position he, as a military man,
knew there was but little opportunity OF
either fighting or Tetreating. This does not
seen very much like what an old Regular
Army officer, and man loyal to the Union
as Cogswell was, would have done under the
circumstances. Nor did he do so, notwith-
standing what the writer says to the con-
trary. But such accusations were very
peculiar TO some of the officers of the 10Th
Mass. Immediately after that battle, and
am sorry to see are so still after the lapse of
30 years.
First it was the gallant Baker, next it
was Gen. Stone, and now it is Col. Cogswell
| who is to blame for that disastrous battle,
while in reality; and as the rank and file of
the Add n. Y. were always aware, it was
the carelessness of some of the 18th Mass in
firing on supposed camp of the enemy while
on a reconnaissance toward the town of
Leesburg that was the means of bringing
on a disastrous battle, which was never
| intended to have been fought at Balls
Bluff. I will also say that the four COM
| panies of the ADD n. Y. which were engaged
at the battle were always of the opinion that
| it was principally for the purpose of draw
| ing attention from their own conduct on that
occasion that the officers of the 18th Mass.
were always accusing Others, and that too,
when in most cases the lips of those accused
were sealed in death. Continuing, the writer
says: /" 1t was sunset; the 18th Mass. was
in line of battle as formed under the direc-
ton of Col. Baker when he first reached the
field"
This statement is far from being the truth.
Both the 18th Mass. and Col. Bakers own
regiment, list Pa, were driven back by the
enemy to the summit of the bluff, from
which position short time after Col. Bakers
death they were also driven; so that at the
time Col Cogswell took command there was
no line of battle on the summit of the bluff,
except the Confederate line; and short
distance below the crest of the bluff few
companies of both the Goth Mass and the
42d n. Y, who had just arrived, and were
using every exertiOn to keep back the enemy
from the summit of the bluff.
On taking command, Col. Cogswell, instead
of ordering a retreat, epdeavored to rally
around him the now panic-stricken troops,
which were going in all directions but that
of the enemy, and seeing that all was lost,
and capture by the enemy unavoidable,
unless some desperate effort was made to
keep back the enemy. Col. Cogswell re-
solved TO try the only honorable and soldierly
course left open to him, which was that of
endeavoring to cut his way through what
he considered the weakest point of the
enemy's line on our left flank, and if posi-
bic get to Edwards Ferry, which was about
three miles lower down the river, with
what men he could take with him.
oil m RI hot Poll 1nF
would perhaps have been less disastrous to
our troops had Col Devens rallied his men
and supported Col. Cogswell in his bold
attempt to cut his way through the enemy,
which, under the circumstances, was GER
tainly the most honorable and also the
safest means of retreat. When Col. Cogswell
however, on made known his purpose both
to Col. Lee, of the Doth Mass, and Col.
Devens, of the 18th Mass, the latter officer
remarked that he considered the battle
already lost to US, and conse quently did not
wish to further sacrifice the lives Of his men,
whom he told to look out for themselves as
best they could, and left the field
Cogswell, however, placing himself at the
head of the four companies of his own regi-
ment then on the field, resolved to charge
the enemy On the summit of the bluff. Be-
fore doing so he gave orders to Col. Lee,
Doth Mass, to get together all the men he !
could, both Of his own regiment and the |
other two Bakers and Devens's), and push |
to the left and endeavor TO cut his way
through, while he (CogswelD charged the |
top of the bluff with his four companies.
In this charge the AID n. Y. encountered |
both the 9Th Va. and the 18th Miss, whom !
by their sudden and unexpected charge |
they succeeded in pushing back a short dis |
0f he Inf al
Lee at the same time using every effort to cut |
his way through on the left flank. But the |
effort proved Intellectual to accomplish the |
object in view, and our success proved of |
short duration. The four companies of the |
42d \. Y. engaged lost Capt. Olden, Co. II /; |
Capt. Gererty, Co. K, and Lieut.. ellis, Co. |
G, killed; while Capt. O'Mara, Co. Z, and |
Col. COgswell, with all the men these two |
officers had with them, were captured do |
not mention the enlisted men, both killed |
and wounded.
Thus it Will be seen that while both Col. |
Cogswell and Col. Lee were CALAMITY fight |
ing the enemy, the 18th Mass and its COM
handing officer were making the best of
their way across the Potomac River TO
Harrison's Island, out of harms way.
Perhaps it was well that not one OF the Off |
of the AID engaged at the battle of Balls |
Bluff were left to give their evidence before |
the Joint Committee of the 37th Congress |
on the Conduct of the War; else there
would have been a very different story to |
tell.
While ] do not wish to say anything dis |
paraging of that gallant old regiment which |
in after years made for itself an excellent |
war record, ] must say in reference to the |
battle Of Balls Bluff that the 18th Mass |
was the regiment to bring on that djsas- |
trOus battle, and they were also the first to |
leave the field. / would not, perhaps, have |
taken notice of Capt. Eager's article; but on |
previous occasions / have seen articles in the |
columns of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE on the |
same subject, and also rejecting on the regi- |
ment in which / had the honor to serve, but |
they were so ridiculous that passed them |
over.-EUGENE SULLIVAN, AID n. Y, 339 |
Seventh street, South Brooklyn, n. Y.