The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-17
a BATTLE LOST, THEN WON.
A Member of the 153d n. Y. Tells His Cedar
Creek Experience.

Creek Experiences.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: So much
valuable space in your paper has been allowed
for the discussion of the Cedar Creek battle
that / am afraid you will begin to think it
an imposition to ask for more; but / would
like to say q word in defense of the Nine
teenth Corps.
The 153d n. Y. formed part of the First
Brigade, First Division, of that corps. and
was in position behind breastworks occupy
ing the extreme right Of the corps with a
battery of artillery standing behind Co. II.
The morning of Oct. 10, 1864, | was the
first man in our company who made his ap
pearance on the grounds Hearing musket-
firing on the picket-line, at once went to my
Captains quarters, aroused him, and told
him there was firing on the picket-iine. lie at
once jumped up and told me to arouse the
men and tell them to pack up and be ready
for action.
We hal barely time to pack up our traps
before the rebs came running into our camp
from the rear. 1t wa so foggy we could not
see them until within few rods. The can
noneers spiked their guns. We all jumped
over in front of our breastworks and marched
obliquely to the right down the hill and up on
the next, faced ABOUT, and made desperate
stand
Bat we were soon forced to fall back, con-
stantly loading and turning to fire at our
pursuers, until we reach tIie position Of the
Sixth Corps, where we occupied the extreme
right of line, and continued in line with them,
falling back when ordered to DO So
Finally. about noon, we reached stone
wall The enemy failed to follow us, and
firing ceased. We ate luncheon and lay on
our ar,,s for Suna fimn ilrHars f.an,e to
marca We met Cen sheridan Soon after
ward the bugle sounded the halt; staff
officer came up and announced the Generals
arrival and said it was his orders that we
turn about and march back.
We did so, but when near the rebel line we
were halted, formed line and lay down for
some time giving Gen. Sheridan time to ride
the entire length of the line and see every
thing was in readiness before making the
final charge.
As he passed our regiment he said: Boys,
you can take coffee. on your old campground
to night"
Finally, the order came, very quietly, to fall
in, and we marched through a strip of woods,
coming out upon a masked battery, which
OPP ned upon US with grape and canister,
moving down the ranks
We passed up hill. TIE enemy thought
they saw chance to turn our flank, their
line extending one regiment to our right.
They at once swung around to come up in
our rear but Capt. Mclaughlin, then in COM
mand Of our regiment, was on the alert, and
SOON saw the movement. He sang out:
"One hundred and ffty-third, right-about,
double quick, march!"
Our boys, on turning, saw what was up,
and made for a stone wall about midway be-
tween tie two regiments. Having down-h hill
to ran, our regiment reached the wall first,
and as our boys ducked behind it the rebels
opened fire on US.
As quick as a fash our boys sprang over
the wall. fixing bayonets at the same time.
When within few PAGES of the enemy we
gave them a volloy that broke them, and then
we chased them clear around and doubled
them up on the flank of their main line, re-
sulting in the breaking their entire line.-E.