The National tribune., 1893-02-02
CRITICIZING HAMLIN.
Battle of Charlottesville as Seen Through
other Eyes.

| Battle of charlottesville as Seen Through
| Other Eyes.
TN an article under the title of "Chancel-
| lorsville." in your issue OF Dec 10. 1892
by Col. Augustus c. Hamlin, as historian
of the Eleventh Corps, the criticisms he
| makes on Gen. Alfred Pleasonton are, to say
| the least. unfair at this late day. There has
been ample time aud far better opportunity
to set right any mistakes or Misrepresentation
as to the action of the Eleventh Corps at the
unfortunate battle of Charlottesville than
now. when so many who took an active part in
that battle are silent in death or incapactated
by the infirmties of age to respond to such at
tacks as the author in his article referred to
above sees fit to make public.
Serving as did temporarily on the staff of
Gen. Pleasonton in that action, the writer was
in Il position to know whereof he writes, the
facts being derived from personal observation,
as well AS from memoranda taken at the time.
Whatever Gen. PleasOnton's faults may have
been. he made no errors of Judgment at the
battle of Charlottesville. and his reports of
that engagement in no way exaggerates the
prominent part he and his little handful of
cavalry. with Martins battery, performed on
that disastrous evening OF the I'd of May, 1863.
Aud to those who were near him on that
casion he will ever DO remem bered as a brilliant
leader who with disaster staring the Army OF
the Potomac in the face. checked the utter
rout Of the Eleventh Corps, which was carrying
CONSERVATION to the other corps of the army.
The battle had been waged on the south and
east of Charlottesville during the early part
of the day; but as the action progressed the
sound of battle indicated that the rebel forces
were moving or extending their lines to the
south and west of Charlottesville, and it was
reported that Sckles had stirred up hornets
nest III the vicinity of what was known as the
Furnace at about o'clock in the afternoon. A
little later Pleasonton was ordered by Hooker
to the support of the right Of Sickles which
seemed TO be hard pressed, and promptly
marched out at trot with his brigade, in
Guiding Martins horse battery of six guns, in
the direction of the firing on Sickles's front. As
we proceeded TO the front, about half or
three quarters of a mile south and west, we met
troops marching in columns of fours to the
rear and learned that they were portion of
the Third Corps. Hating his column to ascer-
tain the situation, Pleasonton learned that the
Third Corps were changing position to avoid
what appeared to be a flank movement by the
enemy OH his (Sickles'sl right.
There was q lull in the battle, but for brief
period, when about o'clock heavy artillery
and musketry firing was heard OH the right of
the Eleventh Corps, and everyone's attention
was attracted by the rapid and continuous fire,
which seemed 10 move in an easterly direction
toward Charlottesville along the Plank
road, aud Oh both sides of it. Soon staff Off
GERS and Orderlies were in motion, and indica-
tions of serious nature began to be manifest.
and stragslers began to show themselves in our
front (now changed to the north and vest.
bringing reports that their corps had been sur
prised while cooking their supper.
As the sound of battle drew nearer we could
plainly hear the eXultant yell of the rebels,
and the panic stricken troops began to hasten
their movements. IL was at this jjuncture Of
81, L,t,l ,I,,, tal 4Inra
qualities of soldier which are so es-
seutial to success at critical moment. Order
ing Martins battery into position at a gallop,
by section en- eckeloR, to enable him to change
the direction Of his fire quickly as his little
force, now on the extreme left of the new line,
were nearly isolated from the rest of the army.
and but for the checking of Jackson would
have been.
The space to the front was an open field as
my memory serves me, about 800 yards in
width skrted around by woods about semi
circular. The 18th Pa Cav. supported the
battery just under the brow of a ragine run
ming behind our new position. AS before
stated the stragglcrs from the Eleventh Corps
were becoming panic stricken. and every min
ute increased the numbers until the wood and
field in our front fairly swarmed with them.
Gen. Pleasonton ordered his staff and detail
Of the 18th to deploy with drawn sabers and
try TO stem the torrent Of fugitives bearing
down upon us, but all efforts were unavailng
and fearing further delay would endanger
the whole army and wipe his little command
out of existence he ordered the artillery to
open. The yells from the advancing rebels.
who had just made their appearance in the
clearing in our front in line OF battle, and the
heavy musketry and artillery firing both in
our front and right front, indicated that a
heavy mass of the enemy were following up
their advantage.
Capt Martin double shotted bis guns with
canister, and in 90 minutes reported that he
had thrown 800 shots Prisoners taken the
day reported great loss in front of
Martins battery, claiming to belong to Stone
wall Jackson Corps aud no member of the
Army OF tho Potomac has ever. to my knowl-
edge, until now, claimed that it was any other
than .Jackson's Corps which crushed the
Corps at Charlottesville.
Having witnessed the panic into which por-
tions OF the Eighth aud Nineteenth Corps were
thrown at the battle OF Cedar Creek, the writer
can say that at no time was such confusion and
manifested in that action as on
the evening of Maya 1863. at Charlottesville.
That there were extenuating circumstances
attending the disaster to the Eleventh Corps
Oh this occasion we do not doubt. 1t is equally
true that they were surprised defeated, and r0ut-
ed, and ii is a questionable attempts at vindcation
to belit,le the force which confronted the army
on that portion OF the field, the efforts of
Gen. Pleasonton, which were so timely and
effective in checking the tide OF disaster to our
army.
1t was quoted commonly after the battle by
members of the corps that the Germans were
opposed to the change of commanders, and,
using the expression of that day. they said
81 fights NIT Sigel and runs nit Howard"
They had, too, been surprised, it said.
while cooking their supper, and not only sur
prised, but struck by Jackson on the flank and
thrown into confusion before they had time to
recover from the shock. As one writer gives
it: "Our right was crushed and driven toward
Charlottesville. and disaster threatened the
whole army"
Another writes: Charlottesville had hurt
the infantry badly while the small cavalry
brigade tDevenss, of Pieasonton's command
that shared in that fight had stood Fl rm in the
midst of a cloud of demoraized foot-soldiers,
whom they were detailed to drive back with
their sabers in some Instances"
As to what occurred right in the
gathering up of artillery under Tidball or
others ] cannot write from personal knowl-
edge, as they were removed too far to the
right to be seen by us. except that the guns
were actively engaged, judging from the RAPID
firing OH our right, and it was by direction Of
Gen. Pleasonton, who had assumed command
of that portion Of the field.
The absurdity OF the claim of the Eleventh
Corps historian that !" foraging party of $50
or 200 mon F" could give such sbakingup to
IL n