The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-26
SWINTON INACCURATE?
Grant Had q Share Of the Blame for I
Mine Failure. A..

k10O snare Oh tine Blame Tor the
Mine Failure. -,
Editor National Tribune: In Swim
toms History of the Army of the Po-
tomac, published in The National Trib-
une, / noticed in the foot-note where it
describes the place where the mine was
started:
This was the position secured by
Griffn's Division of Warren's Corps in
the attack of the 18th Of June
AS matter of fact, Griffin's Division
nor any troops of Warren's Fifth Corps
ever took or occupied the front line
opposite the crater. This line was first
taken and occupied by the Second Bri-
gade. Third Division, Ninth Corps, COM
posed Of the 1st Mich. Sharpshooters,
10th Mich. oath ". Y. Cav. (dismount
ed), 46th N. Y, 5Oth Pa, and the 6Oth
Ohio. The oath N. Y. GAYS position
in the line was to the front of where
the mine was started. AS soon as we
reached this position, about p. m. of
June Is, We dropped down between the
rows Of corn and began to burrow in
the soft ground, using our tin plates to
throw up the earth-each man for him.
self. AS soon as we were burroWed we
opened on the enemy with our carbines,
and While our ammunition lasted we
made 1t unsafe for a rebel to show his
head. If Griffin's Division captured
this line June IS, what troops was it
that captured the position which Griffin
did actually capture, about mile to
the left of this place, as described by
Buell. in the "Cannoneer?"
Then, again. Swinton disparages the
troops Of the Ninth Corps, claiming
they were an "agglomeratcd mass of
Heterogeneous and Inferior material"
claim that with the same show there
were no better troops in the Army of
the Potomac than those forming the
Ninth Corps. When ] say troops,
don't mean "straw-pulling" Generals
do not know how it was with the
heavy" artillerymen, who enlisted with
| the express understanding that they
were to IMAM" forts around Washing
ton, and not be subjected to any hard
marches or field fighting; but do
know that we of the oath N. Y. Cav
enlisted with the understanding that we
were to be "in it, with the cavalry; and
although It was humiliating in a certain
way and aggravating to be trudging
along on foot, with "a heterogeneous
mass" when we enlisted to serve on
horseback We were not of inferior quail
ity by any means; and the historian of
the war cannot point to one time or
place where we as a regiment did not
render full measure of faithful service
for the Union, from the 4th day OF Nav
"a. to and including April 9, '65. our
loss during that IL months and five
days was s36 men.
In. regard to the failure OF the mine
explosion. l. have always been Of the
opinion that had Gen. Grant taken the
interest in the affair that he ought to
have taken itiwculd have been success
full. Meade was Jealous for fear it
would be a success, and give Burnside
ar"boost." and, contrary to Grants
usual ightedness he permitted it
to fail. Ii Grant had taken proper In
terest in 1t, he would have superin-
tended the whole thing personally
would have placed Hancock in imme-
date command, and would have had
the Ninth Corps troops Offered by men
capable OF taking advantage Of the sit
uation. Everything goes to show that
Grant did not come up to his own
standard on that occasion. He admit
ted in his testimony before the Com
mfttee on the Conduct of the War that