The National tribune., 1899-09-21
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
THE WILSON RAID.
How Gen. Kautrs Papers Cleared Up Certain Important
Ponts-The llth Pa. cav.'s Part.

lhL "h<SSAN NAIDs
How Gen. Kaut,s Papers Cleared Up Certain Important
Points-The Ilth Pa. cav.'s Part.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: am
glad that the Gen. A. V. Kautz papers on
the Wilson raid have at last been given to
the public. The Generals account clears
up several obscure points connected with
that memorable affair. For instance, it
was currently reported and generally be-
lieved by the men of Gen. Kautz's command
that Wilson was very angry at kautz, and
threatened to put him under arrest for
fianking Gen. w. II. F. Lees position at
Sutherland's Station, and getting into the
rear of the rebels, instead of moving di-
rectly to that point according to instruc-
tions.
Gen. Kautz, when on a raid, always
amount of damage to the enemy with the
least loss possible to his own command,
and always avoided a fight if possible;
but when fighting was necessary the Gen
eral was vigorous fighter.
Again, it has always been the under
standing of the officers and men of Kautz' S
command that the General wanted Wilson
TO go farther south on their return to our
lines, and cross the Weldon Road at Jar
rett's Station. Gen. Kautz does not init
mate giving any such advice, but seems to
think that had he have been in the ad-
vance on June % he would have success
fully eluded the different rebel commands.
The General is probably correct in this,
as he had learned n valuable lesson on the
subject OF eluding pursners from the cele-
brated Morgan raid through Ohio the
previous year. Gen. Kautz was an active
participant in the pursuit and capture of
that noted rebel guerrilla.
Gen. KautZ seems to have been under
the same impression with Wilson that
our people were in possession of the Weldon
Road, an impression that was perfectly
justifiable, as Wilson was informed by
Gen. Humphrey, Meade's Chief of Staff,
that the Weldon Road would be taken on
June %, the same day the raid started.
(See "The Virginia Campaign of 1864 and
1865" by Gen. Humphreys, note 2, page
236.) Wilson also expected that Sheridan
would keep Hampton busy, which was not
done. (See Wilson's letter to Humphreys,
Virginia Campaign of 1864 and 1866" page
429.)
The public opinion of the Cavalry Divis-
ion of the Army of the James was that
Wilson was responsible for the disaster at
Ream's Station, June 20, but Gen. Kautz
puts the blame where it belongs, i. e., on
Gen. Meade, who, when he failed to take
the Weldon Road, should have been on the
lookout for Wilson'S return, and the can
nonadng at Stony Creek on the night of
June %, heard within Meade's lines, should
| have been regarded as a signal Of distress,
and aid should have been promptly sent
| to Wilson, who would have been eXtrlcated
| from his perilous situation.
Kautz is undoubtedly right when he
says: MY proposition to intrench
if acted on would undoubtedly have re-
suited in our complete capture" for our
men were so exhausted from the want of
sleep and something to eat that little fight
ttt ,Nft
as it was, good many of them went to
sleep on the skirmish line at Ream's Sta
ton. and were left to fall into the hands
of the enemy, as all the efforts of their
officers to awaken them We're of no avail.
think that Gen. kautz is in error when
he says he gave his poeket-compass to
Maj. Wetherill, and directed him which
way to proceed. Maj. Franklin A. STRAIT
ton, 18th Pa, was the officer who guided
us when we left the field Mt Ream's Sta
ton. | think all the surviving members
of the 11th, particularly the officers and
men of Co. A, which. was in the advance,
will corroborate my statement.
Mai Stratton was skilled typographical
engineer, and 1 remember distinctly how
he looked on that occasion. He placed
map of that part of Virginia on the horn
Of his saddle, and the pocket-compass on
the map. He then took nail and scratch
ed on the map the direction in which We
were to go.
We did not attempt to find or follow
any road, but Just cut across lots" We
soon came to an old darky plowing corn.
He was speedily pressed into the service as
guide, and we soon arrived at the Weldon
Road. A detachment of rebel cavalry
was just going out of sight down the road
and another of infantry coming down.
Co. A of the 18th Pa. charged the enemy's
cavalry, and we hastily crossed the road,
and were soon out of danger.
do not remember what was done about
the enemy's infantry, but do not think
there was enough OF either it or the cavalry
to make us much trouble.
Since reading Gen. KautZ's papers on
the Wilson raid have changed my mind
materially in regard to Gen. Wilson: | do
not see how he could have done other ways
than run. / always thought that he
might have cut his way through the rebel
lines and got back to the Army Of the Po-
tomac, but had he pursued that course his
loss would nave been far greater than it
was.
The Wilson raid was undoubtedly the
most trying to its participants of any un-
dertaken during the war of the rebellion.
There was serious drouth on at the time.
The weather was hot and the heat was
intensified by the burning of the railroad
material The men were almost suffo-
Gated by the clouds of dust, which were
impossible to avoid. At no time during
men get over four hours sleep in "a, and
on the night of June % no one got any
sleep except in the saddle, and nearly all
the command, men and beasts, had moth
ing to eat from the morning or noon of the
28th until noon of the 30th.
On the return trip it required the utmost
vigilance on the part of the officers and
non-commissioned officers to keep the men
from falling out and going TO sleep, and
in spite of their efforts, VIXEN halts We're
made, men would lie down by the road
side and go to sleep; in some instances it
was impossible to arouse them, and when
the column moved some of them were left
to fall into the hands of the enemy.
HorSefleSh also suffered severely. The
rear-guard was kept busy killing exhausted
horses, and at times the firing seemed like
a small skirmish. The horses were killed
wherever they played out, which was fire.
quently right in front Of a Virginia man.
sion or inside dooryard.
Details of men We're constantly on the
hunt for horses, and enough were found
in the country to keep theicommand mount
ed.
The Wilson raid was disastrous affair
for the 18th Pa. Cay. According to Gov
ernment figures the loss in killed and NOR
tally wounded was 30-three at Staunton
River Bridge, June 26, and 81 at Ream's
Station, June 30.
The loss Of commissioned officers killed
and mortally wounded was unusually
heavy. Capt. Reynolds was killed on
the 26th, and Capts. Loomis and Bailey
and Lieut.. Sears were killed and Capt.
Rob, Roberts was mortally wounded on the
oJ,o~l,r xxo-