The National tribune., 1894-03-22

Conflict.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In re-
cent issue / notice the kindly criticism OF
Comrade Webster, of Auburn, n. Y, relative
TO The battle of Cedar Greek, Va. Not hav-
Ing official record at hand as to the numerl-
cal strength of The opposing forces, was no
doubt mistaken as to the strength OF Sherl-
dams army. Not being accustomed to drink
ANYTHING stronger, / will pay for the milk
shakes at the next Pittsburg Encampment
and clasp hands with him across the bloody
chasm.
Now, if the comrade will scan the nara
tive closely as penned by the subscriber
he will concede that in essence and sub
stance it is correct.
1t will be seen from official figures that
the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps lost in
killed and wounded at 0pequan, Cedar
Creek, and Fishers Hill about as many
men as the Army of West Virginia ever had
in any of these three engagements. From
this the inference must be drawn that
either of the above corps must have been
double the strength of the Army OF West
Virginia, and if any who are interested Will
take the pains to learn from official figures
the strength of these three corps separately,
they will see that the Army of West Vir-
GINA suffered proportiOnately in killed and
wounded with the other two corps; demon
strating, all things equal, that they fought
as well and were as much exposed to the
fire of the enemy.
The writer has written nothing disparag-
ing of the Sixth Corps. Everyone who
knows anything at all knows that 1t was as
good fighting corps as could be found IN
the Army of the Potomac, but there was
some odium laid upon the Army of West
L al n
not deserve. and the soldiers of that body
demonstrated in many a hard-fought, far
and square stand-up fight that she whipped
her length in Johnnies every time. The
writer will say mOre-that if the Sixth
Corps had occupied the position of the Army
of West Virginia on that fateful morning at
Cedar Creek it would have done one of three
things: surrendered Internationally, suf-
fered a swift and awful massacre, or skipped
out at the rate of Is miles an hour.
Quoting from Camp Battlefield and Hos
pital," by DR.. L. P. Brockett: 1.-THE out
lying pickets reported to Gen. Wrights
Headquarters the muf1ed murmur of a host
passing along their immediate front" 1t
will be remembered that Gen. Wright, COM
handing Sixth Corps, was temporarily left
in command of the army during Sheridan's
absence at Washington, and had reached
Winchester on his return.
The comrade in his criticism says that
severe censure is to be attributed to the
commander for failing to take prompt ac-
ton. To whom
Had Gen. Crook, of the Army of West Vir-
ginia, any right to order a reconnaissance in
force on his front or flank, in the absence of
orders from Gen. Wright? Crook did all that
he could do-order roll-call at o'clock in
he Il 1od in
every battalion. But the rank and file, hav-
ing no intimation of immediate danger, re-
turned to their tents after roll-call, and when
the rebel invasion came like tidal wave,
nine-tenths of this corps was slumbering in
the arms of Morpheus
Again, the comrade seeks to leave the i'm
preston that this corps was not assailed by
five rebel divisions. Gen. Early ordered
LOmax's Division of " full-fedged Johnnies"
to advance by Front Royal to the attack, and
be governed by the sound of the firing. If
they did not put In an appearance on the
flank and rear of the Army of West Virginia,
then where did they show up?
Using further in substance the language
of the rebel General, 81 sent Gordon, RAM
seur and Pegram to attack the Federal left
would not this make four divisions? To
quote further from Early: Moved myself,
with Kershaw's and Wharton's Divisions
and all the artillery, along the pike through
Strasburg and attacked the enemy on the
front and left" The Army of West Virginia
held the left of the Federal position, hence
one Of these rebel divisions assailed it in
front, as Gen. Early asserts, with artillery
besides. 1t will not require a very close
mathematical calculation to show that five
rebel divisions attacked he position held by
the Army OF West Virginia
The Sixth Corps boys, as well as the Nine
teenth, found the Army Of West Virginia
very valuable auxiliary, a factor by no means
TO be ignored or despised, in every one of
these three most desperate sanguinary bat
ties that were Tough with the flower Of Lees
army in the Shenandoah Valley.
We have not forgotten and never will for
get the great conflict at Opequan, where 1000
Federal soldiers were killed and wounded
and 1000 missing IN fight from sunup to
shutdown. Long time in even scale the
battle hung hat day." and it was one of the
gTandest and most ingpiring sights of the
writer's life to see the Army of West Vir-
ginia sweeping forward to the relief OF their
sorely-pressed comrades of the Sixth and
Nineteenth Corps crossing the Opequon and
scaling the nights beyond.
We found enough JOhnnies down on their
IAEAl ndub " udfC AuIlCu the Tue OF DdlIl6,
reversed the victory, and driven them into
the Potomac, IS miles away.
When old Jubal Early, brusque and burly,
found that the Army of West Virginia was
turning his flank, he hurried battery after
battery down to his left until that DEVILS
girdle numbered six times six, hurting grape
canister and solid shot into the uncovered
ranks Of as brave men as ever stood up to
die. Nothing short of the vortex of hades
ever gets hotter than that place was, COW
cred at every point with it's artillery and
sweeping storm Of musketry.
Here the writer had his boot-sole shot
apart with conical bail, the back part of
his pants leg shot out with a fragment of
shell, the left side Of his blouse shot away.
the point of his thigh shot of, and the cur
rency shot from his watch fob by an inquis-
itiye piece of rebel shell.
Let US not forget, comrade, that we all had
hand III conquering a glorious peace, and
hand down TO our pOsterity priceless legacy
which We hope shall endure while time shall
last.-J. II. PRATHER, Co. L, 91st Ohio,
Manchester, o.