The National tribune., 1894-04-19

had been withdrawn at an early hour in the
| morning and that Gen. Early had abandoned
the attempt 10 capture Washington, and
with his whole army was well on the way
back to Old Virginny."
Late in the afternoon of the 18th Gen.
Wright's command started in pursuit of the
enemy Not having at his disposal force
that could cope with Early army, twas very
evident that Gen. Wright would not make
very vigorous pursuit. We did. however,
catch sight of the tail end of Early's army
just as it was whisking across the Potomac,
and our artillery fired a few shots to hasten
the movement of the struggling column.
Thus ended Early's raid. The subsequent
operations of Gen. Early in the Shenandoah
and his final disastrous overthrow by the
Union troops under the command of the
gallant Phil Sheridan, furnish material for
an interesting chapter in history.
The total of the Union loss in front of
Washington July IL and II was 313 killed
and wounded. The loss in our brigade
during the few hours we were under fire
was 50 killed and SO wounded; total, AS;
my regiment losing seven killed or died of
wounds, and 10 more or less severely
wounded; total. %.
That the percentage of killed was un-
comparison The Official Records show that
in the battles of Autietam, Charlottesville
and Gettysburg taken as whole, the Union
loss in killed was 1853 per cent. of the aggre-
gate of their killed and wounded, whereas
in this engagement the killed in BidwelPs
Brigade was 358 per cent. of the aggregate
of casualties in the brigade.
We buried our dead upon the battlefield
without form or ceremony. No needless
collins incloscd their breasts, not in sheet
nor in shroud we wound them" but six
days after the battle Secretary Stanton
issued an order TO the Military Governor of
Washington directing him to "cause the
Union soldiers who were killed in the recent
defense of Washington to be carefully dis
inferred and honorably buried in the Ma
tional Cemetery, with suitable care and
memorials to preserve their identity"
At later date ground was appropriated
on Seventh street beyond Fort Stevens, on
what had been the battlefield, and Ma
tional Cemetery dedicated, styled the Battle
Cemetery" and in it the bodies of those who
had not been claimed by their friends were
laid TO rest. This cemetery was set aside
for the inerment of those Union soldiers
who were killed in front OF Washington
during the time that the rebel army under
Gen. Early threatened that city; no o:her
interments have been permitted there.
The citizens of Washington welcomed our
arrival, and were very grateful to US for re-
lieving them from impending disaster; but
gratitude is an emotion that soon cools,
and theirs never maerial;zed. Forty-three
heroes sleep their last sleep in the little
Battle Cemetery, their graves cared for and
kept green by tire National Government,
and strewn with flowers each Memorial Day
by their surviving comrades; but the resi-
denis of Washington have not placed tab
let to attest their gratitude nor reared a
shaft to commemorate the deeds of the noble
fallen, and to tell the visitor that these men
gave their lives in the cause of the Union
and in defense of the bom~s of the citizens
of Westinghouse. A. MCDONALD, 1921 \.
z Cleveland O.