Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-24
GIVES GRAPHIC ACCOUNT
OF HIS WAR EXPERIENCE
Lieutenant John Tyler Writes Of His
Adventures After Seven
Day Battles.
ON GENERAL THosiAs's STAFF
Tells of Death Of Federal General
kearny, Who Was Shot While Try.
Ing to Escape Capture by Confed.
crate Forces.
~ JOHN TYLER.
First Lieutenant Letchcr ARTILLERY.


First Lieutenant Letchcr Artillery.
After the sevcn-day battles around
Richmond, during which our battery
lost twenty men and twenty-five
horses. Captain Crecnlec Davidson. Of
our battery. was taken sick and was
absent on furlouSh about month.
during which time was in command
OF the battery. and WAS camped near
Fichmord, where damage to guns was
repaired and horses lost were replaced.
IN about a month Captain Davidson re-
joined the battery. just before II was
ordered TO march through Richmond on
us way to Orange Courthouse.
In passing through tho city | got
permission from the captain TO stop
and have a tooth attended to. which
had been aching and caused me much
suffering. l overlook the battery be.
fore 1T react "a orange Courthouse. but
during thu march up the colonel Of the
battalion missed me from the battery.
TO whom the captain explained that
Was absent by his permission and the
circumstances under which the per-
mission had been given. The colonel
thought he was justified in placing me
under arrest for not obtaining his per-
mission.
HE JOINS THE STAFF
OF GENERAL THOMAS
so being without a command on the
tcercd as aid dc camp TO General r. l..
Thomas. OF Georgia. who had lost both
his aids. one. Captain Morris having
been killed. and the other. Captain Nor
wood. having been wounded at the
battle OF Cedar Run. I Joined General
Thomas just after the battle OF. Cedar
Run and continued with him during
the second battle of Manassas and the
battle Of OK Hin.
On August % ". crossed The llama
hammock River with General Jackson's
Corps at Hinson's Mill and camped
that night at Salem. Starting at day
light next morning. we reached Bristoe
station at night. where the enemy were
encountered and completely surprised.
was struck during this march with
The care taken by General Jackson to
avoid the main road when II could be
seen from any high point. pulling down
fences and skirtinE woods TO preserve
secrecy. We slept under arms and in
line Of battle that night. and moved
carly in the morning OF the o1th
On III" 18TH We encountered the enc
my in the afternoon and fought up TO
" o'clock +. NJ. when We had driven
them from IN. aeld. and slept in line
OF battle. selected a small tree to
lie down undcr-several others hsing
under the same tree. on awakening
IN the morning ! found had been
sleeping between two dead men.
ON tn" 2ath we were resisting all day
repeated attacks Of the enemy on our
line. but managed to hold them. al
though opposed 10y fearful odds.
ON the 30th the encnl, attacked us
early in the morning. and r,u,inucd his
attacks up TO or o'clock i'm the
day, each attack being repulscd with
great siaughi"i to tho enemy. Thomas's
Br.Sadc was on Tho extreme left of
the line and located in tho railroad cut
so when tho attack were made our fire
vas held until the enemy we're close
upon us Thcr, at tho opening OF our
fire their Who'll" line seemed 10 drop
This so demoralized them that the sur
vivors fed in confusion. We were so
close 20 tho enemy that w. could hear
tho Federal officers curse the men for
a damn set of towards
TAKE AMMt NiTIoN
FROM ENEMY'S DEAD
We got so low In ammunition that
when the enemy's line would break
and run our men wcn, out and took the
ammunition from tho enemy's dead.
while some OF our soldiers who were
out OF ammunition fought with stones
taken from the embankmcnt
In the afternoon, the enemy's attacks
having ceased. our line was ordered
10 advance. which we did with a yell.
and drove the enemy before US until
late in tho evening, when We found
wc were completely in tho rear OF the
enemy and at ono OF their hospitals
near the Warrenton Turnpike. There
We halted IS IL was then dark. AFTER
we had been there but short time
heard the enemy's wagon trains
and artillery moving in retreat alonS
the Warrenton road, about nifty or
100 Yards from us. Realizing what the /
effect Of panic would be. especially
at night. and how little it took to
produce one, | asked General Thomas
70 allow me to take about nifty men
and open fire OIL the rctreatins trains !
on the road. This he seemed to think |
we'll OF, but said that ne could not
without consulting with General ,
Fender. who was ranking officer In
the three briSades that were H.
this advance movement He returned .
after consulting with Generals Fender
and Archer, and said they were afraid |,
10 take the responsibility. as We were
:. mile or two from the balance OF /
our line, and General Hill could not
ne reached to consult with.
SPEND NIGHT LISTENING
TO ENEMY'S RETREAT !
then proposed to General Thomas !
10 allow me TO go back and hunt up |
General a. p Hill or General Jackson /
and inform them OF this wonderful !
opportunity las II appeared to mel to |
ready half-beaten enemy. General |
Thomas refused to let me CO. as /
"aH the only aid he had with him. and .
in Ease anything should happen he
'ould not be without an aid. So the
whole Of the night we were listening
10 the enemy retreating towards Wash
inSton, while by n night attack the |
result OF the whole war might have
been changed
ne next morning we retraced our
steps and resumed our place on the
extreme left OF the line. In goins
over the ground where the slaughter
OF the enemy was so great. opposite
the railroad cut my horse could hard
~ place MS feet without treadin,r on
some OF me dead In some places the
dea! wore Nv" or three deep. notably
'front.' or the railroad cut. where
each advancing line would nice, our
hrc n the same place and would al
on top %; the preceding line who w,r,
kllcd. "'''
TN august 81. being Sunday. We we're
put In line Of march and proc.sdaJ
towards Fairfax Courthouse snsi.