The National tribune., 1900-08-09
OPPOSING JOHNNY REB.
Connecticut Yankees Story of Several
Happenings.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having
read i'll your most valuable paper an arti-
| Gle by X. J. Hummell, speaking of the
| 9th Pa. as live regiment, l would say
| that in 1861 there were a number of such
| regiments in the Shenandoah Nalley-tO
my knowledge the 9TH \. y. II. ~, 9th
| Md, 9TH Va, 10th and 13d Ohio, SIth
| Pa, and many more, including the 18th
Conn, of which ! was a member.
Speaking of New Market, the first bat
| tie of that year, Hummel says the J4th's
loss was ia men; our loss was 5S. AT
Piedmont, Hummel says, their loss was
80 killed and wounded; that of the 18th
18th was ordered to charge the rebel
works, which were built of rails set up on
end at an angle of about 40 degrees. We
did charge, but not until after Col. Ely
had asked for cannon and the battery
had "socked" shell and canister to them
and had driven the rebs out partly. At this
time Gen. Sam Jones was killed while
ordering his men back under cover of the
rails. |, with others, fired at him and
saw him fall, pierced by many bullets, and
soon we finished the charge and took the
| works and some 800 prisoners. | do not
mean to say the 18th did all this alone,
but their part fully; nor do i wish TO say
that the 54th Pa. did not do their duty;
but simply wish share in the glories of
that day for the 18th.
On June 6 we moved out early on Staun-
ton. AS the 18th filed out of the woods
into the highway, Gen. Sullivan and staff
went riding by, and the General cried to
his staff:
Three cheers for the 18th Conn, who
| saved the day at Piedmont
Gen. Hunter also compiimcntcd the reg
imcnt for its gallant conduct, and we went
on, cheering and singing Well hang Jeff
Davis on a sour-apple tree" There was
great enthusiasm along the whole line, so
the 5ith Pa. did not do all, nor did the
18th Conn; but | think there were many
more good regiments, and they did their
duty. The S7th Pa. went in and lost quite
heavily. Their time of enlistment having
expired some days before, they were sent
back across the mountain from Staunton
with the prisoners and a wagOn-train full
of our wounded.
As to the next battle, at Lynchburg,
June II and IS, we were there, as our
losses show, but not so many as at Pied
mont.
When the retreat was started the 18th
was left on the skirmish line and not
called off until 10 o'clock at night. The
cavalry claim to have left at Q o'clock. To
verify this Col. Piole asked Col. Thoburn,
who had acted as brigade commander dur
ing the battle, why he left the 18th in such
an exposed position unsupported. He re-
piled:
because the 18th Conn. stays where it
is put"
The history of the 18th Conn. is also
the history of other regiments. Among
those our historian gives great praise and
credit in the Union army are the 1st, 4th
and 18th Va, Shows Maryland Battery,
the 9th n Y Ii. A, the 34th Mass, 10th
and 123 Ohio. They deserve to be hon
orably mentioned in connection with Hun
ter's raid.
1t is evident that the Union forces put
up a very handsome fight, and the many
regiments deserve praise. The 18th showed
fight to the very last, and rebel report
claims that during the battle and the re-
treat the first day they only captured
40 prisoners.-CHARLEs U. Brooks, Co.
III. 18th Conn, Tolland, Conn.