Today in History:

229 Series I Volume XLIII-I Serial 90 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part I

Page 229 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.

soldiers spent the night in ministering to their wounded and dying comrades. Instances were not a few where the miscreant enemy had stripped the persons of our wounded of clothing, and left them without covering upon the ground. The bodies of the dead were generally robbed of all clothing and effects. It may be said, however, that many of the bodies of the enemy's dead had been robbed and stripped by their own troops. A rebel officer was killed, upon whose body was found clothing and other private effects of Captain E. M. Ruhl, Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania, who was mortally wounded in the morning.

Considering the unfortunate circumstances under which the battle commenced in the morning, and its long and sanguinary character, too much praise cannot be given to officers and soldiers. Colonel William H. Ball, commanding Second Brigade, showed superior judgment, coolness, skill, and gallantry. Colonel William W. Henry, Tenth Vermont, Lieutenant Cols. M. M. Granger, One hundred and twenty-second, and Otho H. Binkley, One hundred and tenth Ohio, James W. Snyder, Ninth New York Heavy Artillery, and Majs. William D. Ferguson, One hundred and eighty-fourth New York, Charles Burgess, Ninth New York Heavy Artillery, Charles M. Cornyn, One hundred and twenty-second Ohio, and Aaron Spangler, One hundred and tenth Ohio, together with many others, were particularly efficient in the discharge of their important duties.

It is impossible to mention names of the many who displayed acts of distinguished gallantry. The Ninth New York Heavy Artillery and a battalion of the One hundred and eighty-fourth New York Volunteers, commanded, respectively, by Major (now Lieutenant Colonel) James W. Snyder, and Major W. D. Ferguson, for their noble behavior deserve to be specially mentioned. The former regiment had several hundred recruits and conscripts who had just entered the service. The battalion of the One hundred and eighty-fourth New York had never before been engaged.

It is painful to mention the bad conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Charles G. Chandler, Tenth Vermont, Major G. W. Voorhes, One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio, and Gilbert H. Bargar, One hundred and twenty-second Ohio Volunteers. These officers shamefully deserted their comrades in arms, and went to the rear without authority or good cause. Captain Bargar had just received a leave of absence. He abandoned his company while it was in actual combat with the enemy, and under his leave of absence attempted to shield himself from shame and disgrace.

Staff officers of brigades were very efficient in the performance of their duties. Lieuts. John A. Gump, acting assistant adjutant-general, J. T. Rorer (now Captain), brigade inspector R. W. Wiley, acting aide-de-camp, Second Brigade, and Capts. Charles H. Leonard, assistant adjutant-general, H. W. Day, brigade inspector, First Brigade, are among the most conspicuous. Lieutenant Gump was mortally wounded and has since died.

Capts. Edgar M. Ruhl, Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania, L. D. Thompson, Tenth Vermont, and Orson Howard, Ninth New York Heavy Artillery; also Lieuts. W. B. Ross, Fourteenth New Jersey, Augustus Phillips, One hundred and eighty-fourth New York, Orrin B. Carpenter and John Oldswager, Ninth New York Heavy Artillery, and Thomas Kilburn, One hundred and twenty-second Ohio, were killed while valiantly discharging their duties. Captain Wesley Devenney, One hundred and tenth Ohio, and others of the division, have since died of their


Page 229 Chapter LV. THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY CAMPAIGN.