The National tribune., 1908-02-20

my slight injury late in the evening OF
the following day. Gen. Rodman was
sent to ford some distance below, and
in crossing a ford there drew away
from ToombS's force sufficient to en-
able Sturgis and Crook to force the
crossing at the bridge, tho part OF
Crooks Brigade, few companies of
the 2Sth Ohio. found crossing above
the bridge at a ford there. Gen. Rod
man lail down his life for his country
in turning Toombss right. kntietam
Creek could not have been a forbade
stream except at few points called
Ifords. and Longstreet, seeing this,
guarded and defended them and the
| bridges from the first, and Lee ac-
| copied the plans from Longstreet, whom
he had sent to locate the backgrounds
Having clearly, 1 believe, established
an almost ineXcuSable error in this
matter of the fordab ility of Antietam
| Creek, it removes one of Mr.. McElroys
strong points alleged against the Ninth
Corps. am inclined not to be ashamed
of my short connection with it.
An Incident.
Mr.. Editor. may I add another item
on a matter that has often required to
my memory, in the hope it may lead
to some information long desired Hav-
ing lost that portion of my diary cover
ing the Antietam battle, and for some
time before and after, 1 am not able
to give names, and can only refer to
facts as remembered. On the morning
of the 18th Maj. Andrews, of my regi-
ment, came riding by where 1 had
quartered the preceding night, and feel
ing myself able to care for myself, 1
obtained his permission not to report
to the field hospital, but to report to
my company after the battle. On the
morning of the 18th, or perhaps later
in the day, l started to find my regi-
ment. and went over the Burnside
Bridge and up over the hill or bluff
slope where Toombs's Brigade has been
located. Some of the dead were yet
there. On arriving in full view of the
open field beyond, 1 saw at a distance
of few hundred yards, across the field
and near by, as l remember, An old
hedge fence, or perhaps part of an old
stone fence where some trees or brush
were, two Union soldiers, who appeared
to me to be alive. The wounded were
then supposed to have been cared for
or taken from the battlefield, and many
of the dead had been buried. This at
tracted my attention, and l went direct
to them, and found as / had suspected.
They were seriously wounded and had
been great sufferers. One could talk
but little and with difficulty, being
wounded. think, in the neck or throat
and near the ear of one side. I had
fresh water in my canteen and some
crackers, and the water was very re-
freshing, and my attentions We're re-
ceived with manifest gratitude. One
could not eat with any comfort on ac-
count of his wound. After doing all /
could in the way of temporary relief,
I started for the hospital quarters, and
before getting far away saw an ambu-
lance in the distance north or north
east of me, which 1 successfully hailed,
and it drove to me and explained the
situation. The hospital steward of my
own regiment was in the ambulance,
and said he would look after the men
Immediately, and did remove them at
once. l have never heard from them
or either of them since in any way. One,
think. belonged to Connecticut regi
ment, and if so probably the 18th of
Rodman's command. The other was
also, believe, member of some East
ern regiment. If the publication of
these facts should discover these COM
rades, or either of them. and let me