The National tribune., 1897-12-02
CHNNONEER" GOES In.
Uniimbers "A Few Guns in the Cedar Creek
Controversy.

Controversy.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: l have been
reading with much interest, some amuse-
meEt, and little grief, the recent dis
cussion of Cedar Creek in your columns.
The most luminous contribution have seen
is that of Comrade II. f. Blanchard, oath
Iowa, in the issue of Nov. II.
| am particularly struck by Comrade
Blanchard's remark that Getty's Division
OF the Sixth Corps fought at Cedar Creek
quite as well as Growers Division of the
Nineteenth Corps would have fought, if it
had bad the same chance.
This statement will be received by all
students of history as contribution of
extraordinary value to, the literature of
Cedar Creek, for two reasons: Because it
embodies distinct admission on the part of
the Nineteenth Corps that Getty's Division
was there and because it involves an ex-
press confession on the part Of the Nine
ieenth Corps that Getty's Division being
there, actually did fight.
The chief historical value of this admis-
sion and this confession from so eminent e
judge of fighting as the Nineteenth Corps
Is due to the fact that, prior to Cedar Creek,
the Sixth Corps in general and Getty's
Division in particulaR R-or, for example to
get down to minor "details, the Vermont
Brigade in the extremely detailed SENSE
had never seen much actual fighting, but
had enjoyed all through the war up 10 that
tine what was known in the Army Of the
Potomac as "soft thing
True, they had crushed good deal of
mud, and digested Il large amount of hard
tack and salt horse, but the first chance
they ever had to fight as we'll as Growers
Division of the Nineteenth Corps would
have fought, occurred at Cedar Creek.
This was apparently what might be called
the sole opportunity of a lifetime.
The readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
must understand that j lay no claim to
share in the gloriss of the Sixth Corps. My
presence for duty in the ranks of one of its
batteries from July to Nov. 4, 1864, was
due to causes wholly beyond my control
and, assure you, utterly without my con-
sent.
My presence there meant that had been
arbitrarily and cruelty yanked by Capt Nc
knight out Of an extremely soft snap" as
Acting Ordnance Corporal at the City Point
ammunition wharf.
Capt. Mcknight had inflicted this cruel
destiny upon me simply because, when sur
veying "a line of available recruits for his
battery in sudden emergency, he noticed
TIE iatai cnafacterS ID on the cross
cannOns which adorned my cap.
! didn't want to go with Meningitis bat
terry. didn't want to have anything to do
with the Sixth Corps. | was perfectly con-
tent to check off the deliveries of ammuni-
tion issued at the wharf for other people to
fight with during the entire balance OF the
war.
Perhaps if l had known at the moment
whom Cant MIX piunt nrd.raI
out and join his squad Of recruits for bat
terry Nj, that 80 years later | would be spared
10 read Comrade Blanchard's certificate that
Getty's Division fought as well at Cedar
Creek as Growers Division of the Nineteenth
Corps would have fought if--I might have
felt differently about it. But as it was, not
having the gift of prophecy, | did not well
come the destiny that made me for about
four months an involuntary member of the
Sixth Corps.
Possibly / ought to add here that about
the only thing that tended in any degree to
reconcile me to the situation was the fact
which / soon ascertained, that the moral
tone of the Sixth Corps was pitched in the
same high key as my own.
Everyone familiar with the history of the
Army OF the Potomac knows that the Sixth
Corps, particularly during the last two years
of the war; monopolized the morality and
had almost what Wal! street would call a
=" corner" on the religion of the Army. In
those respects they had always been a
shining example to other similar organiza-
tions.
The tradition was that, when driven to it
in the dire extremity of self-defense, the
Sixth Corps would fight. Incidents of this
kind had occurred at Salem Church, in the
Charlottesville campaign; on the Plank
Road in the Wilderness; at the Bloody Angie
of Spottsy ylvanis, anG III the two murderons
assaults OF the Sd OF Jane at Cold Harbor!
But prior to Cedar Greek no division of
the Sixth Corps, not even Getty's, had ever