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


commanded Carlin's battery, has kindly sent
me copy of his diary of May 10, 1864,
which gives his loss Is three guns and one
caissOn. The other two guns which were
lost belonged to Van Kleiser's 30th n. Y.
| battery. Evidently the statement that
| Carlin's battery was lost is incorrect.
"As to the charge that any part of the
| 18th w. Va refused to advance to the sup
port of the battery, there is not the slight
est degree Of truth in it. / was In the ranks
of the 10Th at New Market, and in every
battle or skirmish in which it was engaged
from there to Appomattox Courthouse, and
l know that such thing did not occur.
Capt. w. A. Smiley, of Co. d, and j. b.
Jester, Of Co. K, 18th W. Va, who were
present with the regiment at New Market,
confirm my statement in this, one OF them
writing that he had never heard of such q
charge. / am also indebted to Capt. Jester,
for copy OF letter written by Gen. Sigel,
Aug. 10, 1891, which does not agree with
Webster's quotation.
:" In this letter Gen. Sigel says: The 18th
w. Va. took position behind the right of
Thoburn's Brigade as reserve, and two COM
panies of the 18th W. Va. were posted behind
the battery on the right for its support.
Not word about them refusing to advance
to its support He also says that the 18th
w. Va. consisted of good and brave officers
and men, that he had been glad to learn of
their gallant conduct at Piedmont and other
OCCASIONS and that he would always re-
member with kindness and gratitude the
services of the 18th w. Va"
Loyal Virginia Cavalry.
". ]. Mcmillan, Sergeant, Co. K, list w.
Va. Cav, Osceola, Mo-, writes: "A state
ment in your issue of June 6, by Comrade
Averill, of the 18th Pa. Cav, is misleading
He says he recolects in the Spring of that
same Summer q company of loyal Virginia
cavalry and Co. F, 18th Pa under Capt.
Samuel Speese, made a start from Winches-
ter by way of Front Royal and Piedmont
Station, where they ran into a band of
Johnnies that had been over to Charlestown
the night before and captured the Mary
land cavalry that had been doing duty at
that place.
"Now, that company of loyal Virginia
cavalry consisted of Co. K, 1st W. Va. Cav,
and Cos d and E, Sd W. Va. Cav, command
ed by Maj. Niece, Sd W. Va. Cav, on de-
tached duty with Gen. r. III. Milroy during
the Winter and Spring of 1863.
1.-THE expedition that Ayerill speaks of
was made up of details from these three
from the 18th Pa, the force commanded by
Capt. White, of the Sd w. Va.
1.-TWO Jessie Scouts accompanied the expe-
dition, and they found out from rebel citi-
zens that larger body of rebel cavalry
would soon be alongwi q lot Of Yankee
prisoners.
"They made disposition to receive our
Southern friends. When we were drawn up
in a bend ia the road waiting for the john
MES to get close enough to charge them,
noticed the Pennsylvanians in the rear of
the column, somewhat demoralized. We
charged the rebels, recaptured all their pris-
oners and number of rebels. The company
of loyal Virginians was in front, and the
18th Pa. Cav. cut very small figure In
that affair"
Soldiers Should Have Preference.
Alfred Stoakes, 9Th Wis, Milwaukee, Wis,
writes: I" In all the National Homes of the
country we find civilians placed in positions
that ought to be filled by the rank and file
of our old volunteer army, and l believe
Congress intended this to be done when
they created the Homes. We see the sad
spectacle of old, worthy ex-soldiers having
to give way for petty politicians-men either
too cowardly go and face the foe or too young
at the outbreak of the war.
1.-The Board of Managers has the power
to remedy this evil, but will not do so, foT po-
litical reasons, therefore propose that at the
next Encampment of the GAR. at Louis
vile, KY, this important question be brought
forward for consideration so that 1T may be
presented to Congress after it assemblies IN
December"
Who Was He?
D. H Smith Co. D. Goth Pa. Cav, Elliotts-
burg, Pa, writes: During the Summer of
1864, the rebels tried to move a lot OF prisoners
out of Andersonville, but the citizens wreck
ed the train north of the prison. Among the
men on that train was a Westerner, timer
by trade, who took pieces of tin of of the
wrecked cars and brought them back to pris-
on; there he made large camp-kettle out of
the pieces. After that we were sent to Sayan-
nah. then to Millin. On our way this COM
rade jumped from the car and escaped for a
time, but he handed this large kettle to
James Forbes, of Philadelphia. Forbes and
l used it a few days. but finally the owner
made his appearance and claimed the kettle.
Can anyone tell me who this comrade WASP"
At JonesbOro.
George W. Hines, Co. G., 93.h Ohio, says
the 18th n. Y. Zouaves first crossed the
works at JonesbOrO. He was one of the
skirnishers of the Second Brigade, and had
a pretty good chance to see. If they did not
cross the works Nntil Gen. Govan was capt
ured, then / know they were not the first,
for Gen. Govan surrendered to Serg't James
Dckerson, Co. G, 9Sth Ohio, who took the
Generals revolver from him, at the same
time ordering the General to the rear. While
passing to the rear he was taken in charge
by the 14th Mich. In regard to the battery
and turning of the same on the rebels, there
was no battery in the line where the 18th
Mich. crossed the works. The battery that
Capt. Lacy speaks of was in front of the
Second Brigade, and the 98th Ohio was the
irst to cross this line and take charge of this
battery, turning part of the guns on the re-
treating rebels.
Il have before me Gen. Carln's diagram
of the battle of Jonesboro in THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE a few years ago, and this
shows the I'd Ark. battery at this angle of
the works, and it was at this point that the
Second Brigade, Fourteenth Corps, with the
96th Ohio in front, crossed the works, and
this was all the battery that was opposed to
the Fourteenth Corps. The old Lumis bat
terry, on our right, was in front of the Fiji
teenth Corps"
Information Wanted.
Mrs. McFee, 1913 f street n. e., wash
incton, d. c., wishes the address of James
Gleason, who was in Washington during the
Encampment, and witnessed the accident to
her husband near Long Bridge. Mr.. McFee
fell from moving train.
M. d. Hakins, Doom, Lyon County, Iowa,
,.y, -, IN tnow fha whereahnufs nf Melley