The National tribune., 1903-07-30

the historians failed to satisfy me. The
sketch in The National Tribune is the best
| have seen.
l belonged to the 9th \. Y. At Cedar
Greek MY regiment WAS Il part of the Sec
ond Brigade. Wheaton's Division, Sixth
Corps. Associated with us were the 'Jer-
seys." constituting the First Brigade, the
Third Brigade being absent, on duty at
Winchester After the early morning
fight, the two brigades, consolidated, were
little stronger than a full regiment.
l shall not attempt to recount events
that characterized the early morning en-
gagement. So much has been written
from various standpOints, the statements
conflicting. that l am certain my story,
although truthful, would be criticized, and,
peradventure, some comrade would rise
up and insinuate doubt that l was at
Cedar Creek at all. However, | am going
to relate Il few incidents of that memor-
able day that can be amply verified by
living members of the Goth and 69th y.
Y, and the I'd Conn. They, as well as
|, can tell of heroic daring unsurpassed iii
the annals of war.
Having fallen back from the scene of
the morning conflict, we were marched by
fence in a little valley, the Jerseys" being
on our right. a woodland was i'll our
front. Our Colonel and four other OIL
GERS had been left dead on field aban-
doned to the enemy. Our modification
was accentuated by the conduct of a
drunken Major reeling in his saddle and
inquiring with Falstatiian bombast as to
the whereabouts of his regiment. I'm
-, where you ought to be- was the ex-
clamatory answer he received.
Some of the men bitterly commented
upon the absence of Sheridan. The vet
| Grams felt that his presence would save
them from useless butchery and unavail-
in hnr fa1 fha. thnip
fate was in the hands of incompetent of
ficers. Such expressions as why is Shcr-
idan not here?" "What business had he
| to leave us to these incOmpetents? were
| frequently heard.
| While lying behind the fence, We heard
the cheering on the left that greeted Sher-
idan's arrival Strange to say, however,
when he rode along the line of our brigade
| there was no cheering, such as we read
about: but from the moment of his appear
ance upon the field there was no want
CT confidence, no doubt of victory.
We had been in position behind the rail
fence two hours. probably, when we ad
vanced through the woodland to an oper
| field, fronting 4 stone wall some 100 yards
distant. Behind the wall was rebel line
| that poured volley after volley into us
tearing our ranks fearfully, our return
| fire being seemingly Intellectual. In nc
| other battle was / ever under such ter.
|
men became dazed, a break being immi
nent. At that critical moment an officer
rode to the front. passing between my reg
| iment and the I'd Conn. II. a. Turning
and facing us. he drew his sword. and
said: Men, follow me-" Followed by us
he rode straight toward the stone wal
whence came that withering fire. Over il
he went, horse and man, we following
The enemy broke and we pursued them tc
the crossing of Cedar Creek. The officer
who led us over the stone wall was Gen
| Frank Wheaton. How he escaped deatl
or wounds is one of the mysteries of war
His gallant charger, however, fell dead
after jumping the wall. some of the arti
lerymen and myself releasing the Genera
from the crushing weight of the horse
upon him.
The ;nccssant and decimating volley.
fired by the enemy were accounted for by
the rifles they left leaning against the
wall. They were rifles they had cap
tured in tie early morning. and which
they had loaded. expecting us to charge
A Sergeant of the 1st S. c. told me he hat
six guns besides his own. Behind tha
stone wall was a veritable arsenal.-IoH,
BRoGAN, Co. c, 9th and Goth n. Y.
. | Rtppmiupfan Ind