The National tribune., 1893-02-09
ES'S REGULARS.
a Comrade Wants Honor Given to Whom
Honor is Due.


Honor is Due.
TN your issue of Dec. l, 1892, appeared an
article written by ID. NJ. Perry. Wash
ngton, n. j., on Gen. McDoweiPs hat.
In the course of his article he said that
at the second battle of Manassas, on the even
ing of Aug. 80 1862. tho tide of rebel advance
was rolled back from the Henry House Hill
by the solid front of Sykess Regulars" think
Sykes's Regulars were not there that evening,
for the following reasons:
At that time belonged to Graiiams Light
Battery X, 1st L. S. Art, which served with
the Army of the Potomac during the Peninsnlar
Campaign. We were ordered from Harrison's
Landing. via Aqua Creek and fredericksburg,
10 reinforce Pope's army. On the march from
Fredericksburg to Manassas our battery was In
the advance supported by large force of cav
airy. We skirmished with the rebel cavalry
all the way to Manassas where we arrived
late on the evening of Aug. %. and on
the morning of tho 29th the battery re-
ported 10 Gen. kearny for duty. During that
day and the forenoon of the 30th we were not
actively engaged. On tho afternoon OF the 3Oth
the rebel infantry. in four large columns, came
out of a strip of woods in our lett and front,
and marched across a meadow towards our line
of battle. All the artillery within range, our
battery included, opened fire upon them, and
while they wero crossing tue meadow shot,
shell aud caseshot rainctl upon them but
after they struck our line of battle the artillery
ceased firing. because to continue would ell
danger tho lives of our own men.
Late that afternoon Gen. kearny Withdrew
our battery from the right OF our line Of battle,
and marched towards the left, or towards the
head of the rebel advance Gen. kearny, in
uniform. mounted, rode along on the left OF
our battery, when he met Gen Mcdowell and
said General, this is bad business. Gen.
Mcdowell said Yes it is very bad bust
Gen then said - ant be
stopped p Gen. Mcdowell replied E" 1t seems
not" Gen. Kearnv then said May have
yonr permission TO stop it? Gen. McDoWeit
Certainly yon have my permission Gen.
Mcdowell at that time on foot, and he
wore a broad brimmed drab hat and 4 citizens
coat shade darker than his hat.
We marched along in rear OF our line Of bat
tie until we came to deep ravine spanncd by
"a corduroy bridge. On this bridge was United
States QuartcrmaSters wagon. minus team and
driver The wheels on the right of tho wagon
were hanging over the stringer, and no car
riage could pass while the wagon remained in
that position. As soon rs Capt. Graham
the wagon he gave the command Cannoucers
to the front; double quick The cannoneers
having 0beyed the command. the Captain or
dered them to pitch the wagon over into the
ravine. They had hardly done when the
9th Me- battery. minus their guns. which had
been just captured by the enemy came along
driving at full speed. They took possession of
the bridge and we had to wait until they passed
to the rear We crossed the bridge and drove
upa low hill, at the crest of which we found
three regiments OF infantry in line Of battle,
apparently waiting for rs, as there was space
enough left for the battery between the first
and second regiments.
We came into battery little below the crest
OF the hill in the space left between the reei-
ments We loaded our guns. six 12.pounder
4, Ila nd i.,y Ir,rt
by them, awaiting the arrival of the enemy,
who were then in the woods about 400 yards in
our front
Abont twilight the rebel advance came ont
of the woods in front Of the two regiments OH
our left, and formed in double line of battle
four deep. There was about five or six regi-
ments of Confederates. During the time they
were forming not a shot was fired on either
side. but soon as the rebels were formed they
fired heavy voliey into the two regiments on
our left. During the time the rebels were
forming in line Of battle we ran our guns, by
hand, TO the front until they pointed over the
crest of the hill, aud a moment after the rebels
fred into our infantry. We fred our six guns
loaded with double canister into them at AN
oblique range OF 200 yards, causing great de-
struction among them. The ground where
they stood was strewn with their dead and
dying. They had retreuted into the woods
before we had our guns reloaded. We fired
few rounds of canister into the edge of the
woods, and subsequently used spherical case
with short fnze. After we had fired into the
woods for Is OF 20 minutes We ceased 6t:hg.
The rebel officers then began to rally their
men, and while doing so one Of them said:
Close up men. close up; we will take that bat
terry this time" One of our men said in 4 loud
voice: The you will" Capt. Graham
reprimandcd the man, saying: :" You have done
nobiy; keep quiet they are coming again.
They did come again az far as the rail fence
which ran along the edge OF the woods when
we opened fire them with canister, which
made them retreat into the woods. After fir
ing few rounds Of canister We used spherical
case with short fuze
The evening had now so far advanced that
VIC had to use our battery dark lanterns while
cutting our fuzes. The rebel officers tried to
rally their men second time. but failed as
they had had enough OF canister. After the
engagement was told that the regiments WHO
bravely supported us were the 5lst T. y. 51st
Pa. and 2lst Mass. We remained i'll line OF
battle until o'clock p. m, and then fell back
to entreville.-THos. T. CooNEY, Ordnance
Sergeant, U. S. A., Retired Ell Paso. Texas.
AT UICKS PUPG