The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-13


Comrade James +. Yates, claiming that tho 4tl
w. Va was not in the First Brigade. Second
Division, Fifteenth Corps | may have been
mistaken as to the brigade but surely / am
not in thedivision. The 18th w. Va, 41th, 37th
and Both Ohio left the great Kan La Valley
about Jan. l. 1868; arrived at Young's
Point. La, opposite yicksburg. Jan. 81, and
was assigned to the Second Division, Fifteenth
Corps. | am not sure az to the brigade: per-
haps the Third, commanded by Gen. Hugh
Ewing, who was formerly Colonel of the Both
Ohio. The above. named regiments charged
together on May 49, which | mentioned in
IN early issue Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
and which Comrade Yates disputes. He also
thinks that am little Off as TO the time
that my regiment arrived at the great Gibral-
tar. He claims that we arrived in tue vicinity
of the works OH the 18th. The regiment to
which he belonged might have done So but
the 4th did not. We came up to within some
600 or 800 yards of the works on the l9th and
there awaited the orders of the day. The
comrade says that l said that the batteries
were ordered to fire one shot each all along the
line He is mistaken / stated that siege
gun was fired, which was the signal for the
charge
Salisbury's Bastile.
Alfred Turner, Sand Hill w. Va having re-
ceived numerous letters from his prison COM
Prison, sends description OF that horrible
place. ut was situated near Salisbury, n C..
on fat piece of ground Of between 10 and
12 acres. A "stockade about IL feet high ran
around it, on tho top of which sentinels
Kept watch by day and night. Inside was a
four-story old brick factory. one two-story and
three little one-stOry tenement houses; also.
two rough frame houses, called hospitals aud
some tents, all of which. as vel! the in
closure. were literally packed with our poor
comrades; there were over 10000 of these
brave boys in blue III there when many of our
brave boys of the 9TH n. Y. II. A.. who were
captured at Cedar Creek, Oct. IS, 1864, entered
therein. Our rations consisted Of a piece of
black bread about three and one-half inches
square, and to quench our thirst we had to
drink water out of holes dug i'll the ground
called wells" into which the filth of the
grounds ran. 1t was not long. however. until
our noble youths for many OF our boys were
in their teens) began rapidly 20 die. Commit
tees were often appointed to wait on the officer
of the camp and request him to lei a few OF us,
who were able, go TO the woods under guard
to get leaves and brush to raise our sick and
dying comrades off of the cold aud muddy
ground also, to let US get clean water for them
to drink. This was at first denied. but after
awhile allowed. Did we have any fres?'
has been asked. Well. if you can call piece
of green pine wood about the size OF an ordi-
nary fence-post, for that was what was issued
daily to each squad of so men, fires. we had
them. Friends, the horrors Of Andcrs0nville,
Salisbury Libby and other prisons can never
be adequately told; therefore, do not marvel
at us old boys, who saw and went through so
much for our country, feeling indignant at
these pension -haters. In our opinion. &C, 900
souls of such could stand OH the point of
needle"
The Real Circumstances.
Frank Tallman, Co. E, 9th N. Y. II. A..
Lincoln street. Auburn, n. Y, writes: :" LII
Picket Shots of Feb l6, Comrade Barney, Sd
Md z. H. B.. asks who ired the shots that set
fire to Trails barn, which stood northwest of
the raj A5ad bridge at Monocacy Junction,
during Me fight at that place July 9. 1864.
Comrade Rawlings i'll his answer March 9
makes mistake when he says it was the 9Th
N. Y. II. a. who fired shots from Harper's
Ferry at the men who were releasing horses
from the barn, thinking they were rebels.
The 9th n. Y. II. A. was the only heavy that
was in it at Monocacy. and the only troops who
used the Harper's Ferry heavy muskets. The
9th was then and after in the fighting Second
Corps in front of Petersburg, while the 9th
Ii. A. was IN line of battle in the wbeatfeld
between the river and Thomas House Col.
w. Fl. Seward sent company OF the regiment
/ think, in command OF Lieut.. Burton, to guard
the approach to the bridge. where they were
afterward driven from and many captured, in
Guiding Lieut. Burton. The only reason ] can
see why we changed front was that Early had
over three men TO one Of ours and 90 pieces of
artillery to our four. They crossed enough
men below US Oh the river to turn our left
flank, and this explains why the First Brigade
were so terribly cut to pieces at and near the
Thomas House."
"Saved the Bridge"
J. Kille, Corporal, Co. II, 18th n j. Clayton
N. j.. says that under the above head he saw in
our issue of Sept. 8 al article by William Ohm.
sted, 59th NY. Col. Olmsted gives all the credit
of saving the little wagon road bridge near High
Bridge, Va, the railroad running from
BnrkesviIle to Lynchburg, April T. 1865. to the
10th Me. He says there were no troops but
the 18th Me. in sight on that occasion. Com
rade Kille says that on April Z. 1865 Gen.
Thomas w. Smythes (Second) Brigade OIL
the advance of the Second Corps, and the
18th N. j. was on the right of this brigade
moving out first early in the morning. About
10 q. M. the head of column came ont of the
woods to open fields just as the rebs blew up
the fort near High Bridge. A cavalry picket
sitting on his horse not far from us went down
the hill and over the little bridge in hurry.
Lieut.-Col. II. +. Chew, commanding the 18th
N j. gave the order to double quick, aud the
old 10Th followed him down that hill on a run,
having one man shot down on tho wagon-road
bridge. The planks on the bridge were on
fire at both ends. High Bridge, on our left
was also on fire at the end next the little fort
The Pioneer Corps of Smythe's Brigade I'M
der command of 18th N. J. comrade, mounted
High Bridge, and with their axes cut the
bridge in two and saved the structure. The
18th N J. crossed the wagon road bridge On
the run through the fire and rebel bullets, and
the writer we'll remembers seeing the rebs
move up the bank of the Appomattox in the
Tba1 y, a1 tn4 la
right of the railroad to woods; then toward
the left and crossed the railroad track in rear
of the rebel fort; formed line of battle to the
right of Farmvile in front of the rebel battery,
which was Smelling them. Gen. Smyt the rode up
| in rear of the 18th n. il suppose to order an
adyance-when he was shot by q rebel sharp
| shooter, being near enough to hear the crack
of the ball rs it struck him in the left side Of
his face.
Marye's Nights.
A, P. Benner Co. !, 9th Me-, Willimantic
Conn, writes: II see Comrade Holehonse again
comes to the front in regard to Marye's Nights
| He seems to have a wide knowledge of what
| took place that Sd Of May morning in 1863, of
| what regiments composed the assaulting col
| umns, and that the 9th Me. and 9Th Wis. were
merely supports. If a skirmish-line supported
| by line of battle, advancing on the enemy's
| works in open field, under heavy infantry and
artillery fire is considered support, then l ad-
NIT the comrade is right-we were supports
| If Serg't Campbell did not see the 9TH Mass.
! that day it was probably because he had enough