The National tribune., 1902-07-31
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.
COL. MILES AT YARrER's FERRY.

COL. MILES AT 1IARPERS FERRY.
o. d. johnson, 18th Ind. Battery,
Woodbine, Iowa, replying to an article in
The National Tribune of June &c, writ
ten by w. A. johnson, Co. ID, I'd s. c.,
G. s. A., in which the writer, speaking of
the capture of Harper's Ferry, said that
he saw six injured Federals and one unin-
jured man, and expressing surprise at the
light loss of the FederalS, says: Mr..
johnson saw about all the Yankees that
We're left on Maryland Hights, as Col.
Miles had ordered the evacuation of that
position two days before, and the heavy
guns had been dismounted and the men
withdrawn across the Potomac, leaving
only few on the Hights to give the
alarm when the enemy advanced. l was
Acting Orderly for Col. DUtassy, and
heard the conversation between Col.
Miles and Col. D'Utassy, when the latter
pleaded with Col. Miles to hold the
Hights, saying that if allowed he would
take his regiment, the Both n. Y, and the
18th Ind. Battery to occupy the Hights,
which he believed he could hold against
greatly superior numbers. Col. Miles ar
gued that it was useless to hold the
Hights, as the enemy could not advance
with artillery from the opposite side, as
the hill was steep; and, further, that the
enemy could not get guns on the flights
without using the road from the Potomac
But Col. Miles was mistaken. The enc
my did place guns on the Hights, and on
the morning of Sept. 10, 1862, began
throwing shell down on Bolivar Hights.
As to the killing of Col. Miles, he was
battery up the Potomac, and not from Il
battery of Maryland Hights. He was
standing near our battery waving Il white
handkerchief when wounded. 1t was
about : o'clock i'll the morning, and the
batteries on Maryland flights and Lou
doun flights had ceased firing; but on ac-
count of the fog rising from the river the
batterymen above Bolivar flights could
not see the signal of surrender, and con-
tinued to throw shells for about 10 or 20
minutes after the white flag had been
raised. Miles, just before he was wound
ed, ordered Col. D'Utassy to send an or
derly to battery headquarters for white
flag, and then have the Orderly ride back
and forth on top the ridge, SO that the
batteries up the river could see the signal.
Col. D Utassy ordered me to go for the
flag, but as 1 knew there was no white
flag at battery headquarters, saluted the
Colonel and said, Colonel, as we came
down here to fight and not surrender, We
have no white flag in the battery He
then ordered me to get a sheet and tie it
to pole and ride along lne ridge in front
of our guns. | ripped open tick, which
l found in the officers quarters, poured
the straw on the ground, and attached the
ticking to pole and carried it along the
ridge as directed. l was within a few
feet of Col. Miles when he fell"
CROSSING LYNCH CREEK.
J. L. Wilson, Co. B, Sd Iowa, and Co.
1, I'd Iowa, Roswell, n. NJ, replying to a
picket-sbot in The National Tribune cf
June II, says that Comrade John w.
Blume is mistaken when he says that Col.
J. Il. Wever was in command of the I'd
Iowa at the crossing of Lynch Greek, 5. G.
Col. N. Il. Howard commanded the regi-
ment. The Sd Iowa and I'd Iowa had
been consolidated, and at that time COM
rade Wilson was Acting Sergeant of Co. 1,
I'd Iowa, and had been placed in charge Of
detail OF six men, forming the extreme
advance of the regiment. COmrade Will
son and his detail had crossed the creek
when they ran into some Of Sherman's
bummers, who had been on a foraging ex-
petition, and were being closely pursued
by party of Wade Hampton's cavalry.
The timely appearance of the little squad
enabled the mounted men to escape into
the swamp, and before the rebel cavalry
could form for an attack the I'd Iowa had
crossed the creek and was in line. Soon
the batteries followed, and Col Howard
had his force arranged to make it eX-
tremely unpleasant for any attacking
party. Previous to the brush with Hamp-
toms cavalry, Serg't Wilson had sent three
of his men ON the branch road, and these
had taken to the swamp. OF the three
remaining with the Sergeant one was
wounded.
UNKNOWN CONFEDERATE DEAD.
A. Baker, 44th Va, c. S. A, Granbury,
Tex, writes to express his thanks to the
citizens of Alton, ILL.,, and those who dec
Grated the graves at Camp Chase, Ohio,
for their remembrance of the fallen Con-
federate soldiers buried at those two
places, and says: Had we known one an
| other in 80 to go, as we do now, there
would have been no occasion to strew
flowers over the graves of unknown dead"
81 AND SHORTY.
S. A. Gettys, Sherman flights, Tenn,
| writes: Don't you dare to go back on 81
| and Shorty until they get home. l have
been following them for years, and was
during the war, and l want to see what
becomes of poor little Pete. Why, it will
be bigger affair than the Grand Review
at the close of the war when they get
home
HOMES FOR CONFEDERATES.
Thomas Rohann, Co. B, 21st Wis,
Ladysmith, Wis, writes: "ThOse who
wore the gray were fighting for what
they believed just cause. They have
acknowledged their wrong, and are now
under the Stars and Stripes. We who
opposed them can bear testimony to their
courage. In the battles of Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines these same men
and their sons have proved themselves
worthy of our respect. They are our
comrades. These veterans of '61 to 90,
like ourselves, are now growing old, and
will need assistance but for few short
years before they cross the river and camp
on the other side. While do not favor
admitting COnfederates to National Homes,