The National tribune., 1897-11-11
THE cEDgR CREEK CONTROVERSY.
Events of That Fateful Day Reviewed by
One of Growers Division.


One of Growers Division.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The battle
of Cedar Creek, Va, made memorable by It's
disastrous beginning and triumphant end
ing, is still beng fought in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE.
| presume no battle of the war has been
so grossly misrspresented as this. 1t IS
commendable in anyone to desire to per-
petuate the deeds of valor of his particular
regiment or corps, and one may be excus-
able, perhaps, for giving roseate hue to the
part taken by his organization, but much
that is written Is inexeusabie.
The troops participating, consisting of the
Sixth. Eighth, and Nineteenth Corps, with
the cavalry and artillery, were composed OF
men tried and true. The Eighth Corps Was
made up of regiments from Massachusetts,,
New York, Ohio, Connecticut, Maryland,
West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, that had
done valiant service under Gen. Crook.
The Nineteenth Corps, comprisin. part
of the old Nineteenth and part OF the Ihlr-
teenth Corps, was composed OF regiments
from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Con-
necticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New
Hampshire, Iowa, and Indiana, and were
the peers OF any men in the service.
The Sixth Corps was composed of regi-
ments from New Jersey, Connecticut, New
York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, Wisconsin, Vermont, Mary land, and
OHIO. That they were good fighters no one
VIII deny.
These troops, as will be seen, were from
the same localities-were neighbOrs at home.
They were of equal bravery, and of equal
aptitude for doing the right thing at the
right time. The man who thinks his regi-
ment, brigade, or division was the all-im-
portant factor in that battle knows but
little In relation to the same. Many COM
rade seems to have an idea that the small
part of the conflict which came under his
observation was the pivot of operations, and
i. the command in which he fought charged
and drove the enemy at any point that 1t is
entitled to credit for the victory, regardless
OF other commands
/ belonged to Co. A, 24th Iowa, Fourth
Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Corps.
| WAS severely wounded IN the early morn
lug. / was left upon the battlefield when
our forces retreated, together with all the
severely wounded along the lines formed by
the Nineteenth Corps in the early morning,
but WAS retaken when the rebels were
driven back.
therefore know something of the battle,
DdFsug IAN uBOD TIC aii anu
upon the ground which was fought over both
ways. | was taken to a hospital at Balti-
more, Md, and had bSt just entered when |
heard Sixth Corps man telling that the
Eighth and Nineteenth Corps had run
halfway back to Harper's Ferry" and that
his corps had done ali the fighting.
This idea seems still to prevail to great
extent among our Sixth Corps comrades.
Lately, however, it seems TO have settled
down to question as to whether or not
| Getty's Division and brigade OF cavalry
did not DO about all of ii.
This error apparently arises from the fact
that Gen. Sheridan stated that when he ar
rived upon the scene the only forces in
action were Getty's Division and portion
OF the cavalry. This, however, applied to
| that particular time and no other. As q
matter OF fact, at that time Early had ceased
to he aggressive, and was seeking only to hold
what he had Gained and he SO stated IN his
report. Desperate fighting, however, was re-
quired to compel him to relinquish his
position.
In the issue OF Oct 81 Comrade Flournoy
claimed that the day was saved by Col.
Lowell's Brigade of Cavalry, assisted TO
some extent bv the Sixth Corps; also, that
the Nineteenth Corps did no fighting at all.
He states that the Nineteenth Corps can
not be said to have opposed the enemy, as
! their camps were surprised IN the early
morning. those escaping going pall-mell
down the Valley toward Winchester" This
| letter was the s. last straw" and has called
out this remonsirance from me.
! 1t is now 33 years since that memorable
day, and it is about time this nonsense
should stop. The charge Of Lowslls Brigade
through Middletown against the foe, already
in flight is much magntied by COmrade
! Flournoy, as he says it was that charge
which drove Early forever from the Valley
while, as a matter of fact, Early gathered
| his army together after the battle of Cedar
Creek, and it was not until the following
February that Sheridan, after a hard fought
ba tie at Waynesboro, succeeded in driving
Early from the Valley.
Why, Comrade Flournoy, the entire cav
airy branch of the service had only q
killed at the battle OF Cedar Creek, anC
their total casualties of ali kinds were only
214 while the entire loss of the Sixth Corp
was 2215, and that of the Nineteenth Corps
2,488.
The Sixth Corps had three divisions, con
sisting of AZ regiments. The Nineteenth
had two divisions, consisting of 38 regi
ments. Aside from killed and wounded
the casualties of the SIKH Corps were 29l
and of the Nineteenth, S93. | should lik
to inquire of my enthusiastic cavalry com
rade what the Nineteenth Corps was don
while it was losing more men than the Sixt
Corps and all of the cavalry forces combined
having nine less regiments than the Sixth
What are the facts? In the first place tn
camp of the Nineteenth Corps was not SUI