Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-02-28


gInny passing over grounds and
places familiar to every soldier Of an
observing turn Of mind. The army
made It's winter headquarters at
Brandy station, va.
In the early spring of 1864 Lee out
fanked this position. which meant
retreat again. About this time Cen
eral T. y. Grant came east and as
sumed command of all the United
States armies, making his headquar-
ters with the Army Of the Potomas,
General Meade commanding.
On May 5, 1864, we reached the
Wilderness" and fought two days
without gaining any ground General
Grant advanced his army left in front.
tapping Lees right flank and arriving
at Spottsylvania Court House on May
s. Here the armies made a stubborn
and bloody fight, lasting four days. 1t
was at this point that General Grant
telegraphed headquarters at Wash
ington, II propose to fight it out on
this line il 1t takes all summer"
Resuming his old tactics, he moved
the army by the left flank, arriving at
Cold Harbor about May 20. The army
at this point did considerable digging
and lived in trenches. There was con-
siderable fighting for positions and
some of the finest sharpshooting was
displayed 1t became so general that
trenches were made parallel to road
ways so that they could move about
under cover unseen by the enemy. 1t
was a web of underground roadways.
About June IS, 1864, the army
crossed the James river on the long
est pontoon bridge ever used by an
army. Arriving at Petersburg we
found our old enemy in our front
still disputing our right of way.
Our colored troops showed their
mettle and ability to fight. taking
earthwork after earthwork until they
seemed TO exhaust the lines and then
cried for more. They seemed to en-
Joy 1t and consider 1t sport; it was
new business to them.
About July ] the Sixth corps was
ordered to Washington. On our ar
rival We found Early knocking at the
back door. We had the extreme
pleasure of seeing Fort Totten. one
of the chain around Washington, that
our regiment assisted in building in
1861, open It's old-fashioned monster
guns on Early and his advance guard,
thus for the first and only time ac-
lively defending the capital Early,
observing that troops from the army
of the Potomac had arrived and
part of his mission being to divert
from that army, retreated into vir-
ginia and the Shenandoah valley.
The Sixth corps and the Nineteenth
corps, with a part of the army of
West Virginia, together with Sheri-
dams cavalry, comprised the army of
the Shenandoah, General Philip Sher-
idan commanding. In the Shenan-
doah valley we met Early's army on
several occasions and did some brisk
fighting.
On Oct. Z, after fierce battle on
Fishers hill, our favorite Little
PHIL ordered retreat, thus draw
ing the mighty Jubal Early out of
this stronghold. We took up posi-
ton along Cedar creek. In the alb
sence of Sheridan General Wright
was in command.
In daylight, when every movement
of the armies was discernible to each
other, the Sixth corps moved out over
the Blue Ridge mountains move
ment calculated to deceive Early,
which it did. AS he harangued his
troops he informed them that the
Sixth corps had gone to Washington
to rejoin the army at Petersburg.
leaving the Nineteenth corps and a
few other commands which his army
could annihilate and gobble up before
dinner time on the next day, Oct. 10.
Accordingly the attack was made
at daybreak. 1t was a surprise to our
troops and Early had everything
about his own way. The Nineteenth
corps put up stubborn defense and
acquitted themselves nobly.
Now you must remember this was
a put up job. See the results. Under
the cover of the ingnt the Sixth corps
returned and each regiment took up
their old position along the line of
Cedar creek.
What looked like a rout of our ar
my so elated and inflated Early that
he ordered forward his wagon trains,
etc, to follow up a seeming victory.
After they had crossed the one bridge
they were in a trap. They came on
until they struck the lines of the
Sixth corps, who were quietly await
ing their coming. 1t was just here
that Little Phil" arrived on the
field, after making that famous ride.
The troops, on sight of him, caught
an inspiration, surrounded him and
called for a speech. Sheridan replied
This is no time for speechmaking." /"
This did not satisfy the veterans !;
they would not let him out. He then
said, "If they come again, go after
them" This also failed to satisfy
them and then Little Phil" raised
himself in his stirrups and said
Gentlemen, the highest compliment
can pay you is. you are all generals
-r0w on affor thar,