The National tribune., 1893-02-23
GfnysoH',
OFFICIAL MAP.
Support to Battery.
d d4L III
1atts'y

OFFIcI4
cheer our men sprang over the breastworks,
and at a rapid double-quick rushed down the
declivity to the edge of the meadow, where Co.
f. the skirmishers, Joined in the ranks. doubt
if any one of the survivors of that day can
clearly describe the crossing of that meadow
It will BIZ seen that Col. Morse speaks of the
advance of his regiment alone. No other regi-
ment is mentioned
Now, let anyone look at the positions of
the two regiments in the accompanying map
before starting. and then judge whether they
could have entered the meadow in line to-
gether. The 9th Ind. is facing Rock Creek,
aud at the other end of the limo the I'd Mass.
is facing the meadow. After the I'd Mass. has
started on its charge, as an afterthought, (as
proved by Mai. Colgrove's letter, heretofore
publsbed,l the 9th Ind. joins in the move
ment But Comrade Hinkley brushes facts
like these aside.
Secondly. Col. Morse confesses his inability to
clearly describe the advance and doubts if any
one of the other survivors can describe it. This
shows that as far the I'd Mass. was concerned
the movement must have been complicated
affair.
The following sentence contains all there is
in the quotation concerning the 9th Ind:
rom my position near the left l could see
that the I'd Mass. alone, the 9th Ind.
meadow"
Reinforced with this quotation, Comrade
Hinkley assumes the air of a victor. He sesms
to believe the original SANDER is confirmed,
and his own side in the controversy sustained.
admit that the sentence implies that the two
regiments moved together but that does not
prove il. 1t was mere assertion, made long
after the war was over at a Reunion. And there
is one point to be considered here. Col. Morse
is probably the man who furnished the data
upon which the original SANDER based, if
he did not write it as 10 published. He
was in command of the regiment after the
battle, and Of course is responsible for the re-
ports at that time. The mere repetition of an
old SANDER by its author anyone else proves
nothing. Then, the paper was read before the
Cd Mass. Officers Association, which has been
a fountain Of Misrepresentation ever since the
war. This association gave its approval TO The
writings of Gen. George III. Gordon, which is
an indication of the extent to which it can be
relied upon for historical accuracy.
That the two regiments started at different
times and operated at di fferent points has been
proved beyond cavil by The evidence hereto
fore published. All efforts to disprove this
amount to nothing. Perhaps some I'd Mass.
comrade will reinforce Comrade Hinkley with
another fabrication. Perhaps his peace OF
mind will be impaired if the 9th Ind. is not
consigned to inlamy. fso he is doomed to IN
rest All eHOTtS III iH1S ulTcCtioh
contemplate
will make another quotation from Comrade
Hinkley's last letter:
Il feel sure that any other regiment in the
army ia the same position that the 9th was in
| would have done just as they did or worse"
| This admission is a justification Of all / have
heretofore written in this controversy; but it
does not help the hurt that honor feels" to
any great extent 1t shows that the statement
| in the Adjutant- Generals report was uncailed
| for and designed to misrepresent the true stu
| alton.
The language in that report is censorious,
| and was intended to convey an impression d.
rectly opposite to that conveyed by Comrade
Huxley.
In his pragmatical efforts to straighten out
matters, Comrade Hinkley has got himself
into very deep hole His contributions to
| history will not bear scrutiny. i have taken
| the trouble to reproduce the official map which
hope will settle several points in the contro-
versy for all time / call particular attention
to the position of the Third Brigade of the
| First Division. The 9th Ind. and the larger
part of the 18th n. J. are facing Rock Creek.
| The Cd Mass. and the remainder of the 18th
| N. J. are facing the meadow. These three
regiments form q continuous line. Then in
the rear Of the I'd Mass. about $50 yards is
the Sd Wis. The only other regiment of the
| Third Brigade, the 10th n. Y, is on duty in
| another part Of the fold
Let rs see how some of Comrade Hnkley's
statements harmonize with this map. In
his first letter. concerning the position of the
| ID Wis, he said:
The Sd Wis was near the edge of the
meadow and Immediately On the left of the
| I'd Mass. when they were ordered to charge"
In his second letter he said:
The position of the Sd Wis. at Gettysburg
on the morning OF the third day was on the
left of the Gath (2d) Mass and little in rear,
not $50 yards. as stated by Comrade Rankin,
but less than 80 yards" etc.
In his last letter find the following:
al stated in the first communication that
was near the edge of the meadow, little to
the left of the 2d Mass when they started to
charge across the meadow. and in the second
communication that the Sd Wis. was less than
30 yards in rear of the line of the Cd Mass.
Both these statements are absolutely correct"
il Comrade Hinkley can harmonic these
statements with themselves or either of them
with the official map he can do more than /
can.-JoHN Il. RANKIN, Co. A, 9th Ind,
Washington, ID. c.