Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-10-31
WAR
If5lIZI1fNlI!S::CHaSgBS
18TH PA. AT SHEPARDST0WN
Eyewitness Tells Story of Crossing
of River by 4th Michigan and
Sileneed Battery.

+. A. Ludlow. Holden, Mo, compli-
nents Comrade McElroy on his &C
count of the crossing of the 11Sth Pa.
at SheDardstown. was an eye-wit-
ness to that affair, writes a. V. Cole
Of Hastings, Neb., in the National
Tribune. On Sept 10, 1852, I think,
the 4th Mich. was moving down a "a
vine on the north side of the Potomac.
near Shepardstown Ford. A rebel
battery stationed on the south side of
the river near the ford opened fire On
US. A member of Co. F was killed
and others were injured. This Incl
dent did not cause the regiment to
feel very friendly toward that battery;
and as we approached the canal which
runs along the north bank of the riy-
er at that point, we were halted and
the Colonel (Childs) said: Boys, are
you willing (without orders) to ford
the river and try to silence that bat
tery?"
As I remember it, there was no dis
senting voice. Al Isaid, Yes" AS it
was now getting quite dark, we filed
down into the canal We forded the
river, captured the battery, and dump
ed it over the bank No one on our
side was killed, but two or three were
Slightly wounded. 1t was a surprise
to the enemy. They had not thought
Of an attack of that kind after dark.
After accomplishing what we started
out to do, we formed for our return to
the north side.
At this point the wagon raOd, or foot
path, ran at the foot of the bluff near
the river. AS we were crossing this
path on our return we heard the clat-
ter Of horses feet crossing up the riv-
er. We waited for their approach, and
to their dismay we took them in.
There were seven of them-some
members of Gen. Lees Richmond re
pOrters. We returned to our camp on
the north side of the river without fur
Their Interruption
The next morning before we had
cooked our coffee or had our break
fast, we were ordered to return to the
south bank of the river. We took the
same position that we had occupied
the night before, gathered in a few
prisoners, a wagonload of -four that
had been abandoned, and many other
things. I never shall forget two pris-
oners we captured, one a long, lanlI
North Carolinian, the other a short
ITishman. The North Carolinian COM
menced to whine and beg, saying he
hadn't fired a shot. But Pat says: 81
fired a shot and will do it again if l
get a chance" We had some respect
for the Irishman, but very little for
the man that whined After we had
accomplished what we were ordered
to do, we again returned to our camp
on the north bank for the purpose of
getting our breakfast, after which we
were to prepare to march.
While we we're doing this, the 18th
Pa. crossed the river and took the
same position that we had occupied
an hour before. They had been in
line but a short time when a strong
force Of the enemy came out Of the
woods and attacked the 18th with
such vigor that they were compelled
to retreat. They we're driven over
the bank into the river, some below
the dam and some above. The ford
was just below the dam. Those that
went in above the dam had to swim
for their lives, and I understood at
the time that some were drowned
believe that this was the 118th's
first experience, as they had just come
to the front. They were known as
the Corn Exchange Regiment, the
Pride Of Philadelphia. Seventy or 70
Of their number were killed as this,
their first, experience. We were on
the north bank of the river, where we
could see every move that was made
and yet we could not get to them in
time to render any assistance. Whose
fault was it that caused the slaughter
of those noble Pennsylvania boys?