The National tribune., 1904-06-02
PORT REPUBLIC.
"Sprigg" CarrolIs Fighting Brigade. and
the Bridge That Was Not Burned.


"Sprigg" CAROLS Fighting Brigade. and
the Bridge That Was Not Burned.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: You have
published within recent months different
letters Il bout Shields and the enemy at and
around Port Republic and concerning the
failure to burn the bridge there. None of
the writer's is wholly correct or exactly ac-
curate, if my own observations were cor
rect and my memory is reliable. The last
letter on the subject that l have seen is
Feb. Is, from COmrade Stafford.
The comrade says that Col. s.
S. Carroll was ordered by Gen. Shields to
burn the bridge. and that after the bridge
was fired Gen. Mcdowell. who Outranked
Gen. Shields rode up and ordered that the
fire be put out that Shields got very mad
and called Mcdowell a traitor. and that
that was the reason Shields left the army.
Now, let me say that this comrade is
away off. Gen. Mcdowell was not within
40 miles of Port Republic on the morning
of June g. 1862. Shields was not within
15 miles of Port Republic on that morning.
Col. Carroll was there and held the town
for about 30 minutes. and left without
burning the bridge, which he could easily
have done. He started with his brigade
from point - or Is miles down the
river. presumably with orders from Shields
to burn the bridge at Port Republic in
Carroll, with his brigade, was accom-
panied by about - of the 1st w. Va.
Cav. under Maj. r. +. Chamberlain. We
marched all night. feeling our way through
the intense darkness-and midland at
daylight the cavalry, which was some dis
lance in advance, came in sight of the
town of Port Republic on the morning Of
June s. 1862 Stonewall Jackson, with
the advance of his army. was also there;
Jackson having his headquarters in the
town that night; the advance of his army
encamped on the north side of the Shenan
doah River, opposite to and in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the town. After some rec
onnoitering by the cavalry. Col Carroll or
dered Maj. Chamberlain with his cavalry
to charge and capture the town, which he
did. All the boys that were in the scrape
will remember that as we came around n
sharp bend in the road and just as we
We're up against the town we found that
the old nest was located iii the forks of the
river. and that the nice thing about it was
that one of these forks had no bridge
the fork that we had to cross before we
could get into the town. Here was di-
emma. The rain during the night had
raised the river booming high. Although
the stream was narrow it looked risky to
cross. | was mounted on big brown
stallion and rsked the try. ! plunged in.
crossed and was soon followed by Corp'l
l. G. Shaw. Corpl /. Stewart, Sergt SUIT
ton. Ebic Howson. Pete Leight. Jack Mil
all of Co. II. However. all, except some
shoulder straps. were soon over.
The rebels appeared to he scampering
out Of town in all directions without firing
a shot. \ prisoner we captured the next
day told me that the first he saw of Jack
son that morning he came running up to
camp without his hat or his horse.
fai ri int fI,a
came Col. Carroll, who appeared to be very
anxious to fight some one. Capt. Rice
then in command Of those who had crossed
the river. was ordered by Col. Carroll. 10
send Sergeant and three men across the
bridge and up TO the top OF the hill beyond
to make an observation and report to him.
Now. 70 cross that bridge and go to the
top Of that hill meant q dash into the rebel
camp. But it was ordered. and it had to
be done. The Captain, as usual, when he
had mean job on hand. always expected
me to do it. The old man looked round
and said: Prank. pick your three men and
CO. ] selected Sere't Sutton. Viii
liams and Charley Winters. We galloped
over the bridge, turned to the left. into a
big rye field. up long hill. TO the top,
where we discovered the whole rebel camp
in commotion and getting ready for fight.
Immediately in our front, and but few
rods away. was bunch of rebel infan-
try, sitting in the shade Of tree, who ap-
pcared to pay no attention TO us. and must
have supposed us to he some of their own
men. We, like four fools. raised our old.
single-barrel pistols and fired at them-of
course did not hit one of them. You had
to get pretty close to n big barn door to
hit it with that sort Of a gun. The report
Of our weapons had effect. 1t drew the
attention of all the rebels within half a
mile of us and guess they all opened
fine
wounded. Back to the bridget we
could get there: Bullets were whistling all
a bout us. from all directions: and il column
Of rebel infantry TO our left was on double
quick down the hill toward the bridge, and
less than one-half our distance from it :.
Down the hill we went. however. at break
neck speed. beating the rebels only few
rods. cleared the bridge, and reported to
Col. Carroll what we saw and what was
coming. He turned to Capt Kerr and
ordered him to charge on these rebels and
give them -. 1t was too late then to
burn the bridge. Part of this column was
crossing it; part lined up on the bluff above
the bridge and opened fire on our little
squad.
/ will just say here that Carroll dashed
through an alley from the main street and
disappeared. The rest Of us did not stand
on the order of our going, but just fol-
lowed the Colonel.
i want 10 mention a story here that ]
got from rebel prisoner the next day
Col Carroll had ordered one piece of ar
tillery over the river. after we had taken
the town, and the piece was planted ut
the end of the bridge and trained right
through it. The rebels story was that
when they were charging over the bridge
they saw one man standing near the gun.
who they supposed. intended to surrender
with the gun: but that. when the rebels
were within few feet of the gun the
fellow fired off a double charge of crane
and canister into their faces and then ran
and got away!
! have now told what was done by orr
little squad of very poorly comma nded
cavalry on that morning of June 8, 1862;
will some of the infantry brigade tell lis
what they did OH that morning! Please
tell us how near YOU got TO the town and
all about the fight next day. If any one
can corroborate the story of our 18th Va.
comrade about the ugly quarrel between
Mcdowell and Shields, please do so.
Paddy Shields was one Of the bravest
Of brave men. Col. Carroll. on many n
field after Port Republic. proved himself
to be n brave and competent officer. Peace
| to his ashes and honor to his memory.
If the poor fellow is still living who,
hid .l,I 81 E.-l ~