The National tribune., 1894-11-01
CEDAR CREEK.
+" The Cannoneer" Has Something to Say
About the Sixth Corps.

"The Cannoneer" Has Something to Say
About the Sixth Corps.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have
been reading the debate in the columns of
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE between Com
rade Webster, of Cowan's 1st N. Y. battery,
and Gen. Powell, concerning the behavior of
Crooks command-sOmetimes called the
Eighth Corps, and sometimes the Army of
West Virginia "-at Cedar Creek.
On a previous occasion / had something
to say on that subject, and to the best of my
ability / said it in spirit of fairness.
[ have much respect for Serg't Webster
personally. He was an excellent soldier,
aud is now one of the most highly honored
citizens of his locality. He was and is a
magnificent specimen of the Empire State
volunteer.
But cannot fully coincide with his views
as to the behavior of Crooks command in
the early morning of Oct. 10, 1864. Any
other troops under the same conditions
would have done just what they did
The Sixth Corps had at least an hour or
an hour and a quarter of warning Crooks
command didn't have as many minutes.
Webster's battery was with Wheaton's Divis-
ion, and the battery in which / was serving
temporarily was with Getty's.
| declare without fear of contradiction
that those two divisions of the Sixth Corps
what was left of them-were that morning
the best infantry not only in the Army of
the Potomac but in the world.
Yet, after an hour or more of preparation,
when they were struck by the rebel divisions
of John B. Gordon, Ramseur, Pegram, and
Kershaw they reeled and staggered all Overt
Of course they were for the moment out
numbered, buS the savage civilizations, the
ferocious enthusiasm, the desperate conf
dence with which the rebels came on that
morning was not equalled during the re-
beilion, and so far as l know not surpassed
in the history of warfare.
They walked into and over and through
Meningitis battery as if its guns had been
made of wood and its cannoneers lay figures.
The old Vermont Brigade, that never knew
what defeat was, that never had any stray
glers, that had record of losing thousand
men the 9th of May in the Wilderness, of
whom only four were reported missing
even this "Old Guard of the Army of the
Potomac" reeled and staggered when the
rebel wave struck it at Cedar Creek.
The two brigades of Wheaton's Division
-Upton's and the Jerseys-made des-
perate stand around the Belle Grove House.
where they twice rescued Lambs Rhode
the last time led by Horatio G. Wright in
person; and they, too, retreated. And my
friend, Serg't Webster, and his gallant LIST
N. Y. battery, retreated with them. l do
not think he will deny this.
Getty's Division retreated from the line
of the pike to the old bury ing-ground on
the hill west of Middletown. They stopped
there, and stayed, it is true, for nearly two
hours, standing off practically Early'3 whole
army; but about 10 o'clock they retreated
again to the new line mile or so north of
that position. During these two hours
Getty's Division lost about 800 men out of
$500, or more than 20 per cent, notwith-
standing that they were on the upper
hillside " and had good deal Of cover from
stone walls, trees, powders, tombstOnes, etc.
/ have gone into all this detail for the
purpose of mpressing my friend Serg't Web
ster with the Importance of the fact that
the rebel attack that morning was phenome-
nal in it's weight vigOr, and pertinacity.
If the Sixth Corps could be shaken as it
was, and as he must admit that it was, after
having an hour or more of warning, what
could you expect of Crooks command, who
were caught in their tents or shot in the
back?
For my part, I am willing to admit that
an attack which staggered the Vermont Bril-
gade would have ratified any body of troops
that were ever put in line; and 1 think
Serg't Webster will agree with me, because
he knew that brigade much better than
did, having served with it nearly four years,
while was with it only little over four
months.
l like to read the observations of my
friend and comrade Webster, because he is
always in earnest and always interesting.
But / think that in his controversy with
Gen. Powell he goes too far.
/ think | can see in his attitude in that
controversy some indications of the iron
headed obstinacy which was peculiar to the
Sixth Corps-right or wrong!-THE CAN
NONEER.