The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-09
THE BULL RUN CANNON.
oOL x. oTEY MAKES REPLY TO
MAJOR FRANCIS.
He Is Determined to Have the Truth OF HIS
tory vindicstsd In the War For toe
Independence Of tho South.


lie p1Icr OF March $751; anu i,ao " -,
piv thereto in the issue OF the llmes "a
sfav 18th from Major Francis, OF the hst
Regiment. y. Y. y. c.. 10 whlch asN
The privilege OF your columns to reply
and then / am done.
take the Major TO be. from his pref
cut rank In the y. Y y. Guard ana NOR
,ugh familiarity with all Tat occurred
at the battle OF First Manassas, to be
veteran OF the war and not OF the ninety
DAYS campaign as originally enlisted ior.
Commenting In my article on the bun
Run Tablet" con memoratlvc OF the val
!ant deeds and patriotic services OF the
fist. | had nothing TO exienuate, nos
ought 10 set down In malice but we OF
the South. at least. regardless OF VINO il
hit. intend TO have the truth or history
INDICATED in the war for the indepcnd-
cnce of the South. I endeavorcd. from
a knowledge of what occurred in That bat
tie. gathered IN person on the field ana
confirmed by official reports, 10 show the
absurdty of a regiment I'm line OF battle
In perfect order cool and collected as the
"Old Guard" al Waterloo Not man
running" is the expression used, COW
cring the retreat OF an army. or a por-
ton thereof. of 5000 10 1000 men. con-
ceded az historical fact, to have been
the widest and most reckless stampede
Il which history gives any account.
HOW HE WENT ABOUT IT.
How did I 20 about IT? Not by telling
Colonel Martin II wanted him 20 under
stand" that so and so was so. no. bat
stating the highly improbable fact that
the list. in perfect order, not a man ex-
cited or unrufned. marching, not run
ming" should have left their artillery.
Two pieces on the hed-one q fancy
mountain or boat howitzer. n donation
from the Navy. In view Of the reputation
OF the command. and the valiant and
patriotic services" they were expected 10
perform. that they would use 1t on the
enemy should occasion arise. defend ana
never desert IT. and left the reader TO
draw his own conclusions.
lie says the regiment was never near
the "Honry House Grant IT, l said
saw the artillery near the Henry
House" Ii Is sufficient 20 know me
artillery. as he tells us. was abandoned
at "Cub-Run" bridgc. and no doubt SUD-
sequently, in gathering up the spohs.
vas parked near the Henry House.
No one on that field, or who went over
IL and viewed the line OF retreat OF
Helntzelmans and Hunters divisions the
desolation and ruin marking their tracks,
the bridge across cub Run blockadeu
10 "suffocation" with 'pleasure-carriages
and every other descriDable Vehicle,
smashed and splinteTed. harness cut 10
free horses and facilitate night, medl-
cal and other stores, arms ana accoufe-
ments covering the earth. would suppose
for a moment there was command lh
that army that stood upon the order oil
their going.
WILD SCRAMBLE FOX LIFF.
Doubtless 1t was a scene TO appall the
stou,osi heart. whilst visions and fears
~ the "Black-Horse Calvary" lent addi-
tionel terror 10 the occasion. Is II likely
is II reasonable TO suppose, In such WHO
race and scramble for life and liberty on
that battlefield, and We think IT not eN-
aperafe1 (see account Of IL by General
Jas. Il. Fry. II. : Army on General NC
DowelTs staf) that a regiment in line or
hattie. in good order. not a man run
ming" bu, ready to turn upon the enemy
and make him bite the dust. should have
covered the retreat of an army OF at
least 5000 dcmoralized and fleeing men
and preserved line OF battle. organiza-
ton. and discipline throughout that mem
Orable stampede?
Nav be the list then and there conclud-
ei IL was necessary not only TO abandon
their artillery. but also abandon the regi-
ment.
Again. Is not the Major at fault as to
the depth Of "Cub Run? "Fordng up
TO the chin" They must have struck
deep hole. or did not go over In march
INK order or In position of soldier. II
had not raincd since the 18th. four days.
the date Of the scrimmage at Blackburn s
Ford. and there was nothing to swell the
Run.
II is said that in battle the firing of
artillery and muskctry has a peculiar ef-
feet upon soldiers under fire for the first
time. and the swelling Of the stream may
be attributed to that.
The writer's recollection is, and he Is
confirmed by others well acquainted with
the country. that cub Run" is an insig-
nlncant creek dirtys and muddy from the
nature Of the soil, but nowhere attaining
a general depth OF water to preYent It's
being easily crossed.
IA to the inscription On the piece of
artillery. Major Francis says the regiment
was fist y. Y. 5 Militia now y. y. y.
Guard. and not y. Y. Volunteers. or
the correct lettering or wording on the
piece. as previously stated. l did not re-
member. but thought IL was list y Y. Vel
unteers. as there were some blankets
captured stamped fist Regiment " \.
Volunteers. of which I've corrOboratiNe
evidence. and the reasonable inference
was that the inscription on the piece OF
artillery was the same. II there be any
doubt Of this. there may be in existeffce
row some OF the blankets, on the moths
IiNf III StAhiltN'h AAfihl preserved 80
relies OF the war and the production OF
one would settle H.
THE ONLY OBJECT ~ urw.
In conclusion. l neither attempted nor
desired 10 say anything "unwarrantcd.
or 20 make a statement not sustained by
evidence at my command. and thercfrom
let the reader draw his inference. I've
no object IN view. save TO have true
history Of the war written. and from
which j am satisfied the South will not
suffer. 10 give the Southern soldiers IN
the ranks what Is due them. who tough;
virtually without pay or expectation OF
reward and 10 honor their wives and the
noble women OF the South who sent them
70 the front and suffered and sacrificed
in silence that they might defend their
homes. their firesides. aud their children
from q hired and foreign invader. bought
and substituted for the native born Amer
lean. To honor the men who fought the
war and not every little whpper-snap-
per Of a Captain. Major. or Colonel uor
the army Of titled warriors now outnum-
her that of the privates) who bubbles up
on every occasion of laying a corner
stone or unwilling a monument. with sew
eral holes bored through them or riddled
with bullets. but still alive through sur
glcal science and Skill posing as the de-
tenders and sayiorS of their country: nm
the forefront OF every procession or plat
form. when. IN fact. could the truth be
ascertained. they occupied bomb-proofs