Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-09-26
Incident That Occurred During
the Late Civil War
Days.
Major Clifford Thomson's Wond-
erful Escape From Death at
ChamcellOrsville.
Won For Him Medal of Honor
and Two Brevets i'm One
Day.
WAS A BRAVE UNION OFFICER
by James A. Roonev. mn. d

BY James A. Rooney, LII. D.
Thrilling battle incidents were
the order of the day during the War
OF the Rebellion, but few surpass in
interest the wonderful escape from
death by the fire of friend and foe.
at the battle of Chancellorsyille. of
Major Clifford Thomson. 1t won
for him medal Of honor and. what
is more remarkable, two brevets in
one day, March 10, 1865, one of
captain for gallant and meritorious
services generally and the other of
Major for efficient services and
gallant conduct at the battles of
South Mountain, Antietam, Chan
cellorsville and Gettysburg.
Thomson enlisted as a private in
the First New York, known as the
Lincoln Calvary, July 10, 1861, and
at the battle Of Charlottesville, in
May, 1868, he was a Lieutenant and
aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen.
Alfred Pleasanton, the noted cavalry
commander. The story of the great
battle is history, but the incident in
which Thomson figured so gallantly
is not so well known. 1t took place
after Stonewall Jackson's memorable
charge before which the Eleventh
corps broke; the equally memorable
counter charge of the Eighth Penn
sylvania calvary which struck the
head of Jackson's corps and held it
long enough to permit Pleasanton to
place Martins battery in position to
receive the Confederates. 1t was in
the dusk of the evening of May 2,
when line of men was seen forming
at the edge of the woods about
pistol shot distance from the Union
line. Pleasanton was about to give
the battery orders to fire on them
when an officer with field glasses
told the General he thought they
were our own men. Let Lieut..
Thomson tell the rest of the story
himself: N
THE General said to me: Can
those be our people?' / replied that
would ride out and ascertain who
they were. Putting spurs to my
horse l rode out between our guns
toward the woods where these troops
were forming and approached an
easy stones throw of the line with
out being able to determine def
initely whether they were friends or
foes, but morally certain they we're
Confederates. l could see two or
three of our flags in the line, picked
up by them on the field when the
Eleventh corps broke, and several of
the men called out to me, Come on!
Come on We're friends!' Presently
| made out a mounted officer in
Confederate gray uniform, which
served to remove any doubts l had
as to the character of these troops,
and turning my horse | started to
gallop back to our position. At the
same time the Confederate line
rushed forward to capture our guns,
firing as they advanced and shouting
their battle yell with vigor. Shots
fell thick and fast about me, one
striking the cantel of my saddle and
another the scabbard of my sword.
At the report Of the first shot
Pleasanton's guns opened fire and
was between the two lines, guiding
my way between the flashes of our
guns. Our twenty-five pieces OF
artillery kept up as rapid a fire
as was possible and in a few
the Confederate line broke
and retreated to the cover of the
woods, leaving the field between US
with their dead and dying. |
Meantime / had ridden in between
our guns In safety, having |
escaped the fire of
friend and foe. This was probably |
the only instance during the war
where a Union officer led a rebel |
charge against Union guns.
"As for myself, after getting back |
to our guns | busted myself as best |
I could and when our share In the |
fight was finally over found Gen.
Pleasanton and saluting, said:
General. those people out there
tears as he held out his hand to me |
and replied: i never expected to |
see you alive again. thought IL the
rebels didn't kill you I should. but |
II was no time to stop for one man."
II was for this that Major Thorn
son was awarded a medal of honor
by Congress. At the close OF the |
war he declined an appointment as
Captain In the regular army. Having |
fought In 102 engagements during
his five years service without being |
once wounded he decided to return |
TO civil life In New York. where he
established the Spectator. which he
edited until his death as stated. His
remains We're buried with military
honors and with requiem mass fer
the repose Of his soul in st. Mary's
church. East Orange. N. j.