The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-06-27

Again, he calls me to time in quoting Gen.
Butterfield's congratuiatory order. / copied
the order rs found in the history of the 102d
ILL., The records say, The support of this
assault" etc, while wrote it, The brave
support of the assault" etc. 1t is well to be
particular in all we do or say, and this COM
rade seems 10 be one of the particular kind.
In the Picket Shots OF May 16, under
the head of "A Trifle Sarcastic" a comrade
who claims TO have belonged TO the 18th
n. Y. Saws at Resaca they went in, passing
over two lines of men wearing blue stars
that were making photographs in
the mud" meaning that these men were
living face downward. Let me explain.
Gen. Butterfeld, in speech in New York
City some years ago, said his division (the
Blue STAR lost 900 men at Resaca in 40 min
utes. The Official Records show (page 324,
Part 2. Vol. 49, that the actual loss of the
Third Division was 81 officers and 926 men
total, 963. Yes, comrade those were I'M
doubtodly some of the men you saw max
ing photographs in the mud, and passed
over, if any, the ones whom it was our sad
duty the next day TO lay away under the
ramparts OF the fort they had died to cap
ture.
The 18th n. Y. did not run over any line
of living uninjured Blue Stars; at least, none
of the First Brigade, only the dead and
wounded
There was 18th N Y, and it was near
the line where the fighting was going on
May Is, 1864, as we will prove to you by
the Records. page 296, Part2 Vol. 80. The
report of Ii, ut.-Col. Koert S. Van Voorhis,
reads, at Resaca under date OF May 10,
1864:
" In the morning strengthened our works,
and at 10 a. m. marched toward the enc
myis right and forming in column of regi-
ments slowly approached his works, being
more or less under fire. This regiment was
formed on the right of the 18th n. Y. and
ordered by the General commanding the di.
vision to charge and carry a fort in our I'M
mediate front. The regiment started, but
was ordered 10 halt by the Colonel COM
handing the brigade. We then construct
ed breastworks and were held in readiness
for action all night. One commissioned
officer and five enlisted men wounded"
So, comrade, you "were more or less
under fire. You started to charge the fort"
but was ordered to halt" You halted
and constructed breastworks," and were
held in readiness for action all night" Was
that the manner in which you OF the 18th
n. Y. captured the font? You had five
enlisted men wounded" did you? None
killed. Or did your Colonel fail TO report
those men Of yours wearing the white star
that you thought were killed in the FORT?
A regiment that, up TO June 2, 1864, on that
Atlanta campaign, as shown by the report
of Col Geo. A. Gotham, pages 27S-2Sl, Part
q Vol. 50, did not have a single man killed.
And yet you are a trifle sarcastic over the
Blue Stars. Remember, if You please, there
were 963 Of them who were making photo
graphs IN the mud on that old Georgia hill
side on that 18th day of May, 1864.
My good comrade, we should all remem-
Der that it is now too late to make the his
tory of the great war; that it is now more
than 80 years since the events of those days
took place; that in this long period of time
we may have forgotten some things; that
the Government has published all that is
known and recorded of that time, and that
this answer is based entirely upon and in
the light of the Official Records.-G. III.
BLAKEsLEE, Lomax, Neb.