The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-11-25
cEDAR CREEK.
I'd Ohio Cav. Veteran Has Something TO
Say In the Controversy.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / note
Comrsde ST. John claims that the first
attack made on the Union army at Cedar
Greek was on the First Brigade of the Sec
ond Division, and that the 9th Ohio drove
off the enemy.
Now. / have not word to say against the
Sth Ohio ii. e., old 44th). They need no
praise their record is well known by all
Ohio men. Yet l claim the first attack
made that day was on the pickets of Gus
ter's Division, on the Northern road cross
ing of Cedar Creek, and that the Sd n. J..
Cav. Butterflies ~, alone and unas-
sisted, held them in check. True, this at
tack was only a feint, yet there was hot
work for 10 minutes.
/ should like much to hear from some
Butterfly" comrade on this point. l re-
member this attack was before daylight,
the stars still brightly shining. The Cd
n. Y. Cav. was hurried out to their sup
port, but soon returned to camp, the Colonel
OF the brave Dutcnmen (they were nearly
all Germans) saying he needed no help.
Comrade ST. John also makes the Sixth
Corps next to the Eighth Corps, in which
he ia entirely wrong. Hs is right when he
says the Eighth Corps were the first infantry
struck, and were forced to retire, but when
he says the Sixth Corps were next in regu-
lar rotation" he is wrong, and every man
who was in the battle from a. III. to
p. N. well knows it.
True, Poweli's Division would not be apt
to be familiar with the camps on Cedar
Creek, they having been stationed at Front
Royal, nearly 10 miles from the battlefield.
/ wonder if the comr des of that regiment
18th Ohio) recall how they were hurried
out OF their camp between the two branches
of the Shenandoah about D. m. the Satur-
day prior TO the 10Th of October, and were
sent through Front Royal TO guard the ford
above aud the two roads that met there :;
also, the road leading through Manassas
Gap.
| remember that we took charge of their
camp that night, and if the boys of the Sth,
on their return the next morning, did not
find all that they left there the previous
evening, let it console them to know that
other Buckeyes profitsd thereby.
That Saturday, Gen. Sheridan started for
Washington, intending to join Gen. Augur
on the east side of the Blue Ridge, and our
regiment was guarding him through Manas-
sas Gap. That night he spent i'll the square
brick close by the camp of the Sth Ohio,
and that regiment was sent beyond Front
Royal to guard all roads east and southeast.
But, as TO the bat tie of Cedar Creek, Won
der if Comrade ST. John saw the Nineteenth
Corps when 1T was brought W on the right of
the Sixth Corps some two hours after Sheri-
dan sarrival; thai is between IL and 1 o'clock?
II so, l can understand what he means by
saying the Sixth Corps met the Nineteenth
far IN their rear, and the Nineteenth was
not at all demoraized, well RENE bering
what l had seen about q. -m., when hun
dreds of tie Nineteenth had passed US to
the rear, nearly every one having that fur
tive, hunted look. In truth, the only Or
ganization | saw in the whole corps then
was that of a Corporal of the 15od N. Y,
who had under him eight men. i saw him
report to some officer and continue his re-
treat. Often have I wished l knew who
this Corporal was. He and his squad were
sOldiers-every inch of them.
For 80 years I have been waiting to see a
full account Of the reorganization of the
Ninteenth Corps; and one of the most won
derfnl things of that wonderful day was the
TACT that the presence of Little Phil was
able to turn these hunted men into the
brave soldiers seen q few hours after-R
Co. M, I'd Ohio Cav, Cincin-
natl O.