The National tribune., 1894-08-16
THE OLD SIXTH.
Without 1t Sheridan's Ride would Have
Been Failure.

| Without IT Sheridans Ride would Have
| Been Failure.
| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The Eighth
| Corps die hard Will they ever be convinced
| that the race they made at Cedar Creek, Va,
| Oct 10, 1864 was a fact and not a dream
Comrade L. H. Stanley says he takes issue
on my comparative statements, etc, and
goes on with: 1t was the understanding
throughout the Army of the Valley that the
Eighth Corps was the smallest" etc.
How does he know the understanding y?
Who gave him the figures? Where is his
authority?
Again / refer the comrade to the official
report of Gen. Sheridan as to the losses at
Cedar Creek given in the issue of Feb l..
Notwithstanding the large number con-
tanned in the Sixth Corps as claimed by the
comrade, his corps Eighth lost nearly
twice as many in prisoners as the Sixth
Corps, and the Nineteenth Corps over three
times more than the Sixth Corps
Col. Fox's book of Regimental Losses in
the War" gives the following strength of the
corps composing the Army of the Valley:
Eighth Corps, 1907; Nineteenth Corps,
1916; Sixth Corps, f2,615.
So, comrade, you see how easy it is TO be
mistaken. The record of the old Sixth
Corps is second to none. Sheridan con-
sidered it the best in the Army of the Poto-
mac. 1t would take too much space to give
history of the Sixth Corps However, this
may be of interest. It's history from the be-
ginning was brilliant-never excelled. 1t
took the Nights of Fredericksburg, which
the army failed to do under Burnside.
Upon the reorganization of the army IN
March, 1864, the Third Division of the corps
was divided, part being placed in the First
nd md no nj
Third Division was filled by the Third
Division of the Third Corps, that corps hav-
ing been discontinued.
At this time the Sixth Corps numbered
"a, 1863 When it went into the Wilderness
under Gen. Grant, from May 5, 1864, to July
], 1864, little less than TWO months, 1t lost
nearly 10000 killed and wounded. Uncle
John SeGgwick's nephews were no runners.
The comrade says: Il do believe if the
Sixth Corps had been in the Eighth Corps
place and the Eighth had been on the ex-
IRENE right Sixth Corps position) of our
line in the beginning of the fight, there
would be dill ferent tale to relate as to who
saved the battle"
Well, that would depend. If the Sixth
CORPS was in the position held by the Eighth
Corps and skipped out, what would the
1907 soldiers of the Eighth Corps have ac-
cOmplished against the entire rebel army?
They would not have made mOuthful for
Jub Early. The Sixth Corps was caught
very much in the same trap as the Eighth
Corps in the Wilderness. The right flank
was turned. Did the corTs skip out? They
fell back short distance, advanced, and
drove the rebs back. That's when officers
count. 1t does not make any difference how
good the men are, if they are not comm anded
by good officers they will fail it cannot be
otherwise.
i know of an excellent regiment, in fact it
was the best drilled in the Potomac army;
its commanding officers were no good. and
the regiment received bad name and record.
A new commander was placed over them,
and they did splendid service.
As l stated in previous article, the
same blood and bone composed the men in
all the corps" All depends upon the
ability Of the officers-the manner Of their
action in time Of danger.
hundred comparisons could be made,
and as many more given, where poor officers
cost the country many lives as well as large
loss Of war material. Without the Sixth
Corps at Cedar Greek Sheridan's ride would
have been a failure.-W. T. WEBSTER, LIST
n. Y. battery (Cowan's), Auburn, y. Y.