The National tribune., 1909-08-26
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along fhe
Whole Line.
Red River Troops.

| Rcu flSer troops.
Comrade John c. Sayles, Nationa
Soldiers Home, Danville, ILL.,, writes
Il think some of the boys that are now
on the firing line of Picket Shots col
umn of The National Tribune are doing
some very wild shooting. For instance
when Comrade Chas. Bissel says in the
issue of Jan. 9, 1908. some things OF
Gen. N. =. Banks and the Nineteenth
Corps he comes pretty near hitting me,
and l therefore would like to take the
twist out OF his rife sights before he
shoots again. 1 have been sojourning
now for some years in the Western
States and have had to listen to great
deal of criticism of Gen. n. p. Banks
and York State troops in general.
don't approve of the style some have OF
berating the service cf all troops except
those from their own State. Now,
wish to inform Comrade Rissel that
had pretty good standpoint from
which to take observations on the Red
River campaign. Capt Robert p YorI
being attached to headquarters of the
First Brigade, Nineteenth Corps, as
Provost Marshal. had his entire COM
pany detailed az headquarters guard.
Co. III. 11th n. Y, and / well remember
what unshaken confidence we of
|
|ers of our Western comrades When they
appeared on the scene of action with
their fine horses and ample equipments
to give the enemy battle in true West
-ern dash; and as long as they were
ahead we felt that all was secure and
safe until the eventful day of which
the comrade speaks, and we found our
front of Western troops suddenly dou-
bling back upon us, the enemy in VIC
torious pursuit. in which they never
paused until they stumbled upon the
weil-ordered lines of the Nineteenth
Corps, and their General in command
fell TO rise no more, before the rifles of
the Hath N. Y. as is well esta abIished
in a volume Of the records of the said
day. now lying before me as / pen
these words. But that Generals name
was not Moulton, as the cornrade has
it. but Mouton, and il the Nineteenth
Corps was back II miles when the
Western troops were turned back upon
us he must give us little credit for
covering that II miles in good time to
let the Western troops reform and rally
from the first shock of battle. 1 well
remember the remarks of derision !
heard from the Western troops about
the comparison of their wagon teams
with ours. We had to do with the
young mule teams mostly that were
broke into service from the herds on
the plains the first year we We're in the
department. Certain II was that the
enemy had well-set trap for our army,
and it was rashness in all to rush into
it as we did. and failure to keep up
a good understanding between the land
and river forces was another grand
mistake on the Union side"
Spanish Fort.
Comrade James L. Weed writes from
St Edwards, Neb.: Permit me to make
a reply to Comrade VIM. Stropes. 2Sth
H.. concerning the capture of Spanish
Fort. He seems TO claim that the Thir-
teenth Corps captured the fort. He
says that Gen. Candy had the guns
marked captured by the Thirteenth
Corps That may be so, but there is
one thing sure. I was there, too. be-
longed to Co. K, sth Wis, Second Bri-
gade, First Division. Sixteenth Corps,
and was on the right of the Thirteenth
Corps. My regiment joined the Thir-
close to ravine. was in the rifle
pits until the charge. and T know
whereof 1 speak. The Sixteenth Corps
was there all right; did good service,
and should be granted as much honor
as the Thirteenth, for they did as much
fighting as any troops engaged. There
was enough honor for all in that battle.
four rods of rebel rife pit, one of my
company being with me, ard you can
guess We had close calls. Let us stand
by the facts. We all went where and
when ordered, and now let us stand by
each other and by that glorious old flag
we fought under for four years. I want
to say this to all the boys who wore the
blue: May your future be as prosper
onsi and happy as your past has been
brave and honorable.'o
Spanish Fort.
John s. Ray, 18th Iowa, Naponee.
Neb., takes issue with VIM. Stropes,
2Sth ILL.,, who. from the fact that the
guns were marked Captured by the
Thirteenth Corps" says. That is proof
enough as to who captured Spanish
Fort" Spanish Fort, one of the de-
fenses of Mobile, was invested March
81. 1865. by the Thirteenth and Six
teenth Corps. A vigorous siege was
kept up till the evening of April s,
when, after a heavy bombardment, the
8th Iowa, Sixteenth Corps, charged and
captured portion of the enemy's
works. That night the pickets of the
18th Iowa. Sixteenth Corps, discovered
that the works were being evacuated.
The Third Brigade, First iylsIon, Six
teenth Corps, at once entered the Fort
and captured lot of prisoners, Syho
were about to embark for Mobile, across
the bay. Struggling parties of the
Thirteenth Corps appeared on the
scene after the fort had been taken
possession of and the prisoners cor
raled. Imagine our surprise, however,
the next morning to find the whole
shooting match. guns and all, marked:
Captured by the Thirteenth Corps
Which Is "the Old Man?"
Coprade Edward B. Stephens, Of
JohF f. McQuade Post. Il. G. A. R.,
Utica, N. Y. writes: IT saw an article