The National tribune., 1901-04-04
Capture of q Battery.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Martin
BOYER, 18th Ind, writes very curlously
about the capture of the battery, four
miles down the NansemOnd River, during
the siege of Suffolk, va. lie appears 10
think his regiment made that capture.
Two attempts were made to surprise the
enemy before its final capture. The writer
does not know what troops were engaged
in these attempts, both of which failed.
AS l understood 1t at the time, no as
sault was to be made, unless the surprise
was reasonably complete. The comrade
is probably correct in saying that the lotn
Ind. was the regiment that made these
efforts. If memory serves me correctly,
these movements were made respectively
on the Thursday and Saturday nights be-
fore the capture, which occurred on Sun
day.
Now for the facts of the actual capture:
On Sunday morning, the S9th n. L. ana
the Sth Conn. these were all) were or
dered to march down the river and as
sault that work in open daylight: Inc
two regiments were put on board such
a boat as he speaks Of; the Sth Conn. oc-
cupied the bow, and We of the S9th, the
rear of the boat.
The Connecticut comrades were TO as
sauit. and we were to be their support
The Confederate work was located on
high point, which jutted out into bend of
the river. In some way the current changed
the boat around, and our end reached the
shore first, the boat having grounded IN
the bend of the river, just above the tort
At this point there was a single Confed-
crate on duty, in small rine-pn. ne
started and ran-up around In rear OF the
earthworks, followed by about 2o men OF
the S9th n. Y. Reaching the roadway
leading down into the fort, these men nes-
itated. q short time, and We're Joined by
about 20 more. Capt. Striblins, who com,
manded the battery, having discovered
this movement in the rear, turned around
and trained one of the two 24-pounders
uDon tiyis roadway. Having expended all
of his 24-pound cartridges, he put in two
12-pouud cartridges, and the result was
that when the lanyard was pulled the gun
failed to respond, and before another fric-
tion primer could be supplied our men
sprang forward, few as their numbers
were. and had them all prisoners.
While this move In the rear was GO
;np on the balance Of the S9th n. Y. and
the 9Th Conn., were struggling up the steep
incline In front, expecting desperate
fight as soon as the level of the fort was
reached. The capture had already been
made, and the main part of the work Ind
been done by about 40 mon OF the S9th
Comrade Boyer Is also In error as to
the makeup of the Confederate force.
The battery captured was under the COM
mand of Capt. Stribling, and was from
Virginia. The two companies of infantry
were from Tennessee. All were good
fighters. but having been completely sur
prised by the movement in the rear, were
compelled to surrender.
Comrade Boyers estimate of numbers
is substantially correct. How the COM
rade got the impression sion that hat this capture
comnrehension. The writer Of this re-
members the regiment. 1t was an A No.
/ organization, and its record does not
need bolstering up by claims to which It
had no right. The comrade has simply
fallen into an error, growing out of the
long time which has elapsed since the
davs and years have passed, which tried
the power and endurance Of our people
and Nation.-R. P. CORMACK, Captain,
90. A, seth N. Y, Delhi, N. Y.