The National tribune., 1906-09-20

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said to myself that man had double
nerve. and If | ever get wounded l want
80 take the matter just like him.
1 never was wounded. although | had
many narrow escapes. Just as | was
| standing near the comrade with ths
stump arm i heard the order. Fall in
33d, and up the road we went toward
the firing line for about mile. when
we noticed heavy firing to our right
! The order came. Prime" which oas
/ done in moment. Ready" was the
next order and here we waited for the
sight of the Johnnies which never came
lou see, the Johnnics wanted to flank
us off from the river. which was oul
line of retreat. and they were moving
on our left for that purpose. but | guess
| they thought we We're too strong FOR
them. as our brigade mustered about
1000. The SD Mass. had about SOa
and looked like brigade to the John
MES. as 1t stretched out we'll good
spyglaSS could show the rebs that vc
We're fresh and ready to meet them. so
/ theJ gave up the job in attacking us
ard we had no orders to attack Them.
s" consider it a draw.
End of the Battle.
The firing ceased along the line about
| ! a m..and that was the end of tho
| battle of Charlottesville so far as the
I'"bo'Stiiitht oii cuHudE uioTHlnS, MAY 3,
| 1853. This was without any advantag.
to our arms. In other words. men were
sacrificed and no gain. which was
| enough to dishearten any army; but
the boys kept stout heart. and what
they lost at ChancellorsviIle they gained
| at Gettysburg
Now. the question Is. who was to
blame for the loss at ChanceIiorsville ,
Gen. Hooker said that the Army of the
Potomac fhay, hn d,,.c
the globe. Tho breaking or the run
ming of the Eleventh Corps could not
have caused the loss of the battle. for
the very best soldier would run if he
was met with a murderous fire rom
the enemy. both rear and front, and
especially when he was not expecting
it. A General who claimed to have
SUCH fine army as Gen. Hooker said
ne had. and allowed himself to be out
thanked by an inferior force should lose
his reputation as General / am not
throwing the blame on any particular
General, but if our Generals we're on
the alert the Eleventh Corps would
never have been outfianked. and II
would have met the enemy in front in
stead of the rear and iiank Jackson
was manuver!ng all day May on the
flank of the Eleventh Corps. md ;hs
reports were that Gen. Howard was
told of 1t time and time again. I be-
iieve that If Gen. Howard had disobeycd
orders and thrown his left back to meet
Jackson face to face he would have
saved the day. 1t seems that our Cen
erals did not work in harmony at tho
battle of ChanceIlorsville.
AT the battle of Gettysburg the FIey
enth Corps was the mainstay, -or or
arriving on the field the First Corps
was on the retreat. the rebs pushing
them through the town and up toward
the Cemetery. when Howard rushed up
his corps watch drove the rebs. back
and saved the day. Here the Eleventh
Corps showed what they could do when
handled right. Not only did the Elev-
enth Corps show themselves on the
first day of the battle of Gettysburg.
but also on the second, when they
Were charged upon by the very same
Johnnies who fanked them at Chancel- |
lorsville. and here the 33d Mass. Maid
the rebels for stealing their knapsacts |
at Chancellorsville.
In the W~Bt
Again the Eleventh Corps showed
themselves when they We're transferred
to Chattanooga and fought the battle
Of Lookout Mountain, when the EIev.
cnth and Twelfth Corps We're ..onsoli- |
lated into the Twentieth Corps They
showed what mettle they We're made of |
N the Atlanta campaign in the march J
% the sea.
I don't think that history has any-
thing to say or blame the Eleventh
forps for the loss of the blttle of |
'hancellorsville: for if they had gotten
chance the next day they would have
retrieved their fortune, OF. in other
words. they would have shown Gen.
howard or Gen. Hooker that they could
is1t as well as any other corps if they
a "a n ill ,-frrt rt.e
laTe made up for the loss of the night
If the I'd. l know, or at least / believe
nat II the Second Brigade had gotten {,
nance at the JOhnnies next morning
heE would have made the Johnnies
mink terror was in their guns. espe-l
Tally the 33d Mass, for / never saw so
many mad soldiers in my life All their
'hapSacks were captured by JackSon's
nen- | don't think they would have
cit very bad over the loss of their
l0thing and blankets. etc. but the loss
II their best girls picture, also their
athers. mothers, brothers and sisters
pictures prisoners q might say) in the
lands OF the Johnnies, and no doubt
III their love letters. too. was enough
o make many ''cuss'' expressions and
naledictions on the heads Of the rebs
have been talking since with one
# JacksOn's orderies. and he toLi me
a his life as he saw when they made
he charge on the Eleventh Corps's
ank the night of May 2. 1863 He
aid jackson broke in on us where our
were. and that our men :,
howed but very little resistance. as I
hey were cooking their suppers at the r
me. He said, of course we were d
hecked by some other troops. the =
anne of the corps / have forgotten.
ie asked me what troops left their ,
napsac!ls and ran. | told him there
-ere no troops or Yankees who left
heir knapsacks and ran l then told
i'm how our regiment left them there
18th guard over them whilst we went q
n reconnaissance Cor. l might s. j., a
lid goose ehase). Yes. | recolIect it =
ow," he said. I'VE saw YOU fellows.
nd We expected you back after your
but YOU never came" II
sked him if Jackson didn't get his
cath wound on or about the place
here he found our knapsacks. He
nd he believed it was
Now. this leaves me in doubt as to
hat was in my mind the night Jack
IN was wounded. Jackson knew that
ur regiment was out somewhere, andl
e expected we would come back foI
ct our knapsacks that we had left. !
ence his orders were to fire on any
ing that would come in their front
e and his staff were the first victims.
therefore, the loss of our knapsacksl
as indirectly the cause of Jackson's
cath; for. as I said. Jackson no doubt
ipected that We We're not aware of the o.,
llamity to the Eleventh Corps. and {
lat after Our Reconnaissance ,ya would c.