The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-29
AN EYEWITNESS
OF THE OTHER SIDE
Former United States Army Officer, Who Took
Part in Battle of N ew Market, Writes in Glow
ing Terms of Valor of V. NJ l. Cadets in
That Memorable Enhancement

The following is a letter from Cap
tain franklin l.. Town. Of Tallahassee
Fla. late CAPTAIN OF the signal corps
thit"u states army. to an old cadet OF
the virginia Military Institute, and
being from an officer OF the Federal
forces who Witnessed the charge Of the
cadets at New Market, It gives peculiar
Interest TO this story of youthful bra.
very that Viii 1.-Two In history as long
as the proud banner of Virginia floats
over the old Dominion:
In compliance with your request that
would state what observed OF the
action OF tho cadct battalion at the
battle OF New Market, I am very happy
10 write YOU my yccollection5 of an
event which deeply impressed me at
the time. and which appears more mer-
itorlous as tho lapse Of years places It
~ a distance from which IL can be dis
pass!onately viewed. and admits of its
examination Us - matter of history.
was designated as chief signal OF.
nccr Of the Department of West Vir.
ginia.' and in that capacity marched
with the division Of General Sigcl in
the Shenandoah Valley. III preparation
Tor th!s duty had organized Il com.
inaud OF some twenty-five officers and
over 2uo enlisted :ncU, constituting ths
signal service corps, and being we'll
mounted. IL formed very respectable
cavalry command The foregoing Is TO
tNHl1lU M presence ana opportunities
for observation. our army was put in
motion. I think, about the 10th of May
1864. from our camp, a LITTLE south OF
Winchester. We moved down tho val
Icy few days and or the morning Of
SUNDAY. May 10, wc lett our bivouac
between Woodstock and Mount Jack
son. and continued our march along the
pike.
The VALLEY turnpike was then. and I
presume II IS now, wide. smooth mac
ndaruizcd road Some rain on the pre-
Vious dny and evening had made the
road q little muddy. so that the troops
would naturally pick out the best spots
TO walk upon. and thus the column got
20 bc good deal strung out" Fol.
lowing the truops WAS the artillery
and then long wagon train. Up to
this time our advance had been OPP
ties. not strong enough 10 rotard out
march or 10 give battle. Before noon
on this day information from the front,
was brought 10, General Sigel that the
enemy vas In position at New Market
about four miles from where the mead
OF the column then was.
Ordered to Escort battery.
While | did not hear the converse.
ticu which ensucd between General
Sigal and his chief OF stan. | think ii
Wa. suggested TO him 10 close up his
column near to and fronting the enc
my. and 20 into bivouac. and attack in
the morning with the army rested and
fresh. but / did hear General Slgel say
loudly. we may we'll light them
to-day as any day; we VIII advance
and he did push on ahead Of his col
umn. all OF infantry. l don't think any
cavalry. and | am sure 100 artillery,
was ahead OF our position In the col
unn After pausinE a few minutes In
:; grove bv the side OF the road and
sending OFT some aides and orderlies
i'll
fantry was passing us toward the
front, General sigcl turned TO me and
ordered me TO walt whcr. | was with
my command for the coming Of Won
l[leiser's Battery and escort II to the
field. and then General Sigel rode for
ward to the battle. This battery was
well to the rear OF the column, and I
think it was, at the moment. the near
est TO the sccnc OF action of any artil-
lery in our command. / waited about
nm hour, until the battery came up.
when closed In my command In front
and rear of tho battery. on the road,
and brought ii up 10 the field.
When the battery went into position
and unlimbered, the engagement was
on; and. indeed, had heard the ring
Of musketry for some time previously
! presume there had been preliminary
diminishing, bat | did not see II, for
when arrived on the field the lines OF
with the Confederate infantry. which
we're behind some light works. Won
Eleiscr's Battery went into position ct
tho left OF our line of battle, just on
the crest of q low hill. Ny escort ser
vice being ended, my men were lat
little TO the rear, and below the slight
ascent up which the battery gnlloped
to take position but | rode up with
my orderly TO witness tho operations.
and sat, on my horse, probably twenty
or thirty yards 20 the left of the bat.
.srJ.
Battery Opens Fire.
The battery, which, as | recollect,
consisted OF four brass Napoleon guns
and two twelve FOUNDER Howitzers,
opened fire nj once on the Confederate
lines 1t was n good battery, and Its
commander was very proud OF It, Be-
ing for the moment a spectator, I could
sec. and so could any one iii position
TO see, that we were getting the worst
OF the fight We had attacked with
the head of the column. while the rear
was several miles from the field, ana
it appeared likely Cas- il really resultcd)
that we would be whipped before VIC
got our troops To the field. From
the front of Won klciscr's Battery the
ground sloped down, very gradual de-
scent, for several hundred yards, to a
little ravine, an Ideal ground for ar
tillery to ire over. The ground APP
Dearcd unbroken and 1t was green. IL
may have been a pasture, or more like
ly n field In which the crops wore just
sprinGinG up; but from where i stood
IL appeared like :. smoothly shaven
lawn, and certainly from the muzzles
of our guns 10 the ravine there WAS no
shelter OF any kind for troops advanc-
ing.
Standing on the crest of this slope
after a short time, ! observed line
forming I'm tho ravino at the foot of
tho hill, which seemed a regiment In
extent, but so Smart" and "natty"
+ In appearance as instantly to suggest
our own pct regiment OF Now York
Ctty--tho Seventh. They appeared more
.tke troops on parade. than, in cam
paign. We Very soon were able to
identify tho command rs tho battalion