Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-06-04
Gen. Sickels Said: "You Are Doing
Nobly, Boys"

with great reluctance that / presume
to criticise or find fault with any of
your statements; but after reading
and re-reading your account of the
battle of Charlottesville / am at a
loss to understand why you so utterly
ignore the part taken by Bushbeck's
brigade of the Eleventh corps. In Civ.
ing the details of the fight made by
the First and Third divisions you
make mention of Bushbeck's position,
but as the action drifts back to the
Dowdall house, you pass over the
stand made there by Bushbeck's men
without word. This is particularly
notable, because it is historical fact
that Bushbeck's command did make a
very gallant defense, and Gen. Hooker
himself has placed on record his state.
ment that this command was entitled
to the credit of saving the artillery
and trains of the corps. Therefore, no
account of Charlottesville, presuming
to be history of that affair, is COM
plete or correct without the state
ment of the part played by the First
brigade of the Second division. Some
idea of how they stayed may be caught
from the fact that the regiment to
which l had the honor to belong lost
81 officers and men killed and wound
ed right there in that position. And
again, instead of telling the story of
Bushbeck's fight, you hurry past to tell
about the great charge of a division of
the Third corps into the woods in
front of Jacksons advance, and state
that they retook Bushbecks breast
works. This is entirely wrong. Bush
beck's breastworks were not retaken
by any union troops during the battle,
and the extreme advance of the Third
corps on the evening of May 2 was
never within half mile of those
breastworks, neither did they meet
Jackson's advance at all that night.
The remnant of Bushbeck's brigade
halted and faced Jackson's advance
west of the little creek or run in front
of Fairview, and were firing at their
pursuers when Gen. Sickels rode up
in our rear and sad: You are doing
nobly, boys. Hold them ten minutes
longer and l will have 10000 mon here
to help you" A part of his camp
came up and formed to our right, but
did not advance beyond our position.
Jackson's advance had stopped before
they arrived. We remained at that
point all night, and were not relieved
until daylight next morning, and at no
time during the night was there any
union force between us and the ell
emy. l personally talked with Gen.
Sickles about this incident in Chicago
few years ago, and he then said that
he distinctly remembered the circum-
stance as have stated 1t.
In your issue of August 27 Corp.
Isaac P. Gregg, First Massachusetts,
gives the correct version OF the move
ments of Berrys division that evening.
Knowing that you are acquainted with
| Col. Hamlins book on this battle, the
mystery of such a glaringly erIo-
neous statement Is beyond compre-
heqsion.
Again, in your account of the at
tack On East Cemetery hill, at Gettys.
burg, on the evening of July 2, you
| state that Carrolls brigade made a
great charge and recaptured the bat.
| teries. This Is another of the Can.
nonier's yarns. After the attack had
been repulsed CVroll'sbrigade arrived.
and formed in column behind Ames
and Costar, but did not fire a gun,
could not without firing into our own
men, who were right in front of them.
Your account gives no credit to the
Thirty-third Massachusetts. who prob.
ably contributed as much as any com
mand to the repulse of this attack.