Chapter II: Part 2

The total loss of the Philadelphia Brigade during the Civil War was 3,533, of which number 545 were killed, wounded and missing at Antietam, the remaining loss of nearly three thousand was sustained in the 45 engagements in which the Brigade took part, and yet with the evidence of this loss, furnished by the United States Government and easily accessible to all, and on file in the library of the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts, that Order appears to stand sponsor for a "Narrative" which falsely proclaimed to the world that the brave men of the Philadelphia Brigade "ran like rabbits" from Pickett's Division at Gettysburg.

What more need be said to convince this Military Order of the Loyal Legion that from the beginning to the end, the Philadelphia Brigade was just as loyal, just as brave, just as heroic, as they, our comrades, and with this statement of facts the Association of Survivors of the Philadelphia Brigade calls upon the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Commandery of Massachusetts, and the History Commission of Wisconsin, to retract the statement made in the volumes published by them during the year 1908, as to cowardice.

In meeting and repulsing the charge of Pickett's Division at the Bloody Angle of Gettysburg, the High Water Mark of the Civil War, the Philadelphia Brigade gained imperishable fame that will live in history as long as our country will exist as a nation, and that renown is so irrevocably fixed in the annals of the War that it can never be impaired while time itself shall last.

Since the foregoing reply was formulated, to the charge of cowardice made under the auspices of the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts, the Philadelphia Brigade Association has received a book of 185 pages, entitled "The Battle of Gettysburg, by Frank Aretas Haskell, Wisconsin History Commission, Reprint No. 1," an edition of 2,500 copies, printed under authority of the State of Wisconsin. In printing this book these words appear in the preface:

"The Wisconsin History Commission has, in accordance with its fixed
policy, reverted to the original edition, which is here presented
entire, exactly as first printed."

And this is what that "History Commission" records on pages 9 and 10 regarding the Eleventh Corps:

"Between three and four o'clock in the afternoon the enemy, now in
overwhelming force, resumed the battle with spirit. The portion of
the Eleventh Corps making but feeble opposition to the advancing
enemy, soon began to fall back. Back in disorganized masses they fled
into the town, hotly pursued, and in lanes, in barns, in yards and
cellars, throwing away their arms, they sought to hide like rabbits,
and were captured, unresisting, by hundreds."

The Loyal Legion of Massachusetts hadn't the courage to print that paragraph in their book.

These regiments formed the Eleventh Corps at Gettysburg: 17th Conn., 82d Ill., 33d Mass., 41st, 45th, 54th, 58th, 68th, 75th, 119th, 134th, 136th, 154th and 157th New York; 27th, 73d, 74th and 153d Penna.; 25th, 55th, 61st, 73d, 75th, 82d and 107th Ohio, and 26th Wisconsin. How do the Survivors of these Regiments regard the statement of the History Commission of Wisconsin, that "they sought to hide like rabbits?" and that the loss usually sustained by the Eleventh Corps was in prisoners?

And this is how the great State of Wisconsin, through its History Commission, maligns General Sickles and President Lincoln, who put upon General Sickles' shoulders the stars of a Major-General. (Pages 40 and 41.) The Loyal Legion of Massachusetts eliminated the slander against Gen. Sickles and President Lincoln.

"General Sickles commenced to advance his whole corps, from the
general line, straight to the front, with a view to occupy the second
ridge, along and near the road. What his purpose could have been is
past conjecture. It was not ordered by General Meade, as I heard him
say, and he disapproved as soon as it was made known to him. Generals
Hancock and Gibbon, as they saw the move in progress, criticised its
propriety sharply, as I know, and foretold quite accurately what
would be the result. I suppose the truth probably is that General
Sickles supposed he was doing for the best; but he was neither born
nor bred a soldier. But one can scarcely tell what may have been the
motives of such a man, a politician, and some other things, exclusive
of the BARTON KEY affair, a man after show and notoriety, and
newspaper fame, and the adulation of the mob, there is a grave
responsibility on those in whose hands are the lives of ten thousand
men; AND ON THOSE WHO PUT STARS ON MEN'S SHOULDERS, TOO! Bah! I
kindle when I see some things I have to see.

"It is understood in the Army that the President thanked the slayer
of Barton Key for SAVING THE DAY at Gettysburg. Does the country know
any better than the President that Meade, Hancock and Gibbon were
entitled to some little share of such credit?"

It is inconceivable that the great State of Wisconsin would in any way lend herself to the dissemination of what is not only untrustworthy, but absolutely scandalous, malevolent and false information, except it was done in ignorance of facts. It is still more inconceivable that the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts, soldiers themselves, would act as sponsors or in any way help, aid or assist in depriving fellow soldiers of the honors fairly and bravely won in a battle where their loss was 491 of a total of less than 1,500 men, except they had given no heed to the statements before publication.

We believe that the State of Wisconsin and the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts can do no less as American citizens and soldiers than to promptly disclaim all responsibility for the statements set forth in Lieut. Haskell's book. For however good Haskell's record as a soldier is, yet the fact must clearly appear to every intelligent mind that a man who would speak falsely of his superior officers and even go so far--at least in one case (Sickles)--as to bring to life out of the long dead past, a sad, sad epoch, which was no fault of his--displays in such writing a spirit unworthy of any American; and his self laudation of what he did--would cause anyone who was ever on a field of battle to use one of Haskell's expressions, "Bah."

A refusal to make this public disclaimer we feel would place both the State of Wisconsin and Loyal Legion of Massachusetts in a position which, to say it very mildly, would be the reverse of creditable, and put them in the attitude of sharing the ridicule and contempt which the narrative of Lieutenant Haskell deserves.

NOTES, CORRESPONDENCE AND REMARKS.

NOTE NO. 1.

This letter from General Alex. S. Webb is made a part of this paper:

NEW YORK MONUMENTS COMMISSION
BATTLE FIELDS OF GETTYSBURG AND
CHATANOOGA
RIVERDALE-ON-HUDSON
NEW YORK.

September 7, 1909.

My dear Frazier:

I could not find your address, but I had Dampman's, and wrote to him to try and obtain action on Haskell's book which is now circulated by the thousands to take from our Brigade and its Commander all the glory and reputation we acquired at the Bloody Angle of Gettysburg.

So make it certain that our answer to the Massachusetts Commandery be strong and clear. What Haskell wrote he wrote in ignorance. He paraded with the stragglers and prisoners behind a fighting Brigade and thought he was leading a Division.

Now, Frazier, let this denial of Haskell's claim be strong and yet courteous. He is dead. Gibbon is dead. Hancock dead. What a time to proclaim this falsehood.

Sincerely yours,
(Signed) ALEX. S. WEBB,
Brevet Maj. General, U. S. A.

NOTE NO. 2.

WHAT LINCOLN SAID.

It was Abraham Lincoln who said at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg:

"But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

And yet the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Commandery of Massachusetts, and the Wisconsin History Commission, in so far as they authorized, or are responsible for the publication of the Haskell "Narrative" of the Battle of Gettysburg, are surely, surely doing what they can to detract from what the living and the dead did there.

NOTE NO. 3.

FOR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.

A typewritten copy of this reply of the Philadelphia Brigade Association, before being placed in the hands of the printer, was sent to the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Commandery of Massachusetts; to the Wisconsin History Commission, and to the Governor of Wisconsin, asking if they had any explanation to make as to the statements contained in Haskell's "Narrative," advising them that we would gladly give it in our printed book.

As yet no reply has been received from the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts, and for this grave discourtesy we are at a loss to account, unless it be that after consideration the facts submitted did not warrant them in defending the position in which they were placed, and to acknowledge themselves in error would, to some extent, at least, stultify themselves.

The Governor of Wisconsin, who is an ex-officio member of the Wisconsin History Commission, writes under date of February 24, 1910, scarcely referring at all to the matter under consideration, i. e., the conduct of the Philadelphia Brigade in the Battle of Gettysburg. He does, however, say that the purpose of the Commission is to publish such material as from considerations of rarity or general excellence it is deemed desirable to disseminate. Haskell's book certainly comes under one of these classes. We do not believe that among any writings of either Union men or Confederates in all the United States, such a rare book as Haskell's can be found. The Governor of Wisconsin says that Haskell in his story to his brother puts down in his letter "what he saw, or thought he saw."

It would seem that comment on this is useless. That history should be what the writer "saw, OR THOUGHT HE SAW," is at least novel.

Chas. E. Estabrook, a Comrade of the Grand Army, and its representative on the Wisconsin History Commission, and its chairman, under date of February 17, 1910, while writing a somewhat lengthy letter, neglects, also, to write of the matter under consideration, but says, among other things:

"The subject of the criticism of the Eleventh Corps, by Haskell, in
his account of Gettysburg, was considered by me, and I contemplated
writing notes, OR GIVING THE LATER, AND WHAT I THINK THE MORE
ACCURATE VIEW. I, however, concluded, in view of the rule which we
adopted, to have the other and later account of the Battle of
Gettysburg prepared by a Wisconsin man, from the Wisconsin point of
view, and some months ago asked a staff officer, who served in that
Corps, to write an account of the Eleventh Corps at Gettysburg, which
he consented to do. This will be published as soon as practicable
after the same is delivered to the Commission."

It would seem from this that Chairman Estabrook, Past Department Commander, of Wisconsin, Grand Army of the Republic, does not believe the statement made by Haskell in his "Narrative," and that it is necessary to have another book published to state truthfully what the Eleventh Corps did. It would seem that it is also needless to make any comment on the position taken by Comrade Estabrook, Chairman of the Wisconsin History Commission. It is to be hoped that this staff officer's book will be written from the stand-point of what he saw, and not from what he thought he saw.

THE HISTORY COMMISSION'S VIEW.

Reuben G. Thwaites, Secretary and Editor of the Wisconsin History Commission, speaking for the Commission, writes thus:

"OPINIONS, OR ERRORS OF FACT, on the part of the respective authors
represented, both in original narratives and in reprints issued by
the Commission HAVE NOT, NOR WILL THEY BE MODIFIED BY THE LATTER. For
all statements of whatever character, the author alone is
responsible.

"Could any plainer statement than the foregoing be phrased in the
English language, to indicate that this Commission certainly does
not endorse whatever criticisms may have contemporaneously been
offered by Lieutenant Haskell?"

As the question has been asked us we reply: As Haskell has been dead for more than 45 years, and the foul slanders were made public by the Wisconsin History Commission in November, 1908, defaming President Lincoln, Generals Sickles, Howard, Doubleday, Barlow, Schurz, Geary, Webb, Banes and other officers, and thousands of brave soldiers, it certainly does look to the Comrades of the Philadelphia Brigade as though the Wisconsin History fully endorsed everything that Haskell wrote. Just how the Corps, Brigade and Regimental Associations, Grand Army Posts, Loyal Legion Commanderies, public libraries, the newspaper press, and others to whom this "Reply" will be sent will regard the actions of the Wisconsin Commission and the Massachusetts Loyal Legion has yet to be determined.

Writing further, Secretary and Editor Thwaites says:

"If Haskell's account was worth reprinting at all (and we thought it
well worth doing), the only course open to us, as historians, was to
present it just as it was originally issued, and not in the
emasculated form adopted by the Dartmouth editor, and the
Massachusetts Loyal Legion; changes of such character in a
contemporary document are unwarranted, and utterly ruin it as
historical material."

As this seems to be a question of ethics between history makers, it is up to the Dartmouth editor, and the Massachusetts Loyal Legion to satisfy the Wisconsin Commission why the unwarranted emasculation was made of the Haskell "Narrative."

The Wisconsin History Commission concludes its letter of explanation and excuse to the Philadelphia Brigade Association in these words:

"In reprinting various other rare Wisconsin Civil War material, as we
intend to do, it may happen that the original authors thus selected
for treatment have criticised certain commands; it certainly would
not tend to smooth the path of the Commission if each such command
was thereupon to pass condemnatory resolutions. WE shall certainly
hope to be spared such treatment."

In reprinting the Haskell "Narrative" the Wisconsin History Commission invited the criticism it justly deserves, and must expect to receive; and in their reprints in the future, if it permits their authors to criticise other commands--as they intend to do--They cannot escape the condemnatory resolutions they hope to be spared.

The Man of Nazareth said: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete, withal it shall be measured to you again.

LETTER FROM MAJOR ROBERTS.

The following letter, under date of May 15, 1877, was written by Major Samuel Roberts, of the 72d Regiment, Pa. Vols., to a Comrade and friend:

"Webb's Brigade was composed of the 69th, 71st, 72d and 106th
Pennsylvania Regiments; the 106th Regiment had been sent to the right
to reinforce Gen. Howard, leaving the other three Regiments of the
Brigade to receive the shock of Pickett's advance.

"The Brigade was not entrenched, nor driven back and rallied by Webb.
The left wing of the 71st Regiment fell back a few yards; the 69th
maintained their position, as did the right wing of the 71st. The
72d, which held a position to the left, and a short distance to the
rear of the Brigade, moved by the right flank about one hundred
yards, and came to a front about sixty yards in front of Armistead's
Confederate Brigade. Armistead fell only a few yards in front of the
72d Regiment.

"With the exception of a slight change of position of the left wing
of the 71st Regiment, the Brigade not only held its position, but
advanced and captured several colors, and the prisoners taken
exceeded in number what was left of the Brigade, which lost nearly
fifty per cent. in killed and wounded--the killed and wounded of the
72d was over fifty per cent.

"Cushing's Battery, which was attached to the Brigade, was served
until men were not left sufficient to work the guns. Cushing obtained
volunteers from the Brigade, who served the guns until Cushing was
killed.

"Webb's Brigade, called the Philadelphia Brigade, was originally
commanded by Col. E. D. Baker, who was killed at Ball's Bluff. It was
the Second Brigade, Second Division, Second Corps, Army of the
Potomac, and forms the prominent feature in Rothermel's painting of
the Battle of Gettysburg."

NOTE NO. 5.

GETTYSBURG BATTLE FIELD DISPATCHES.

From official dispatches sent from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, to the War Department, during the progress of the third day's fighting, which were given out to the Associated Press about midnight, being held back until assured that the Union Army was victorious.

"Gettysburg, July 3d, 3 P. M.--A great attack is now being made on
our left center by a powerful column of Rebels. We can see them
advancing in hosts. Their lines are half a mile in length. They have
to march a mile before they can strike a line. All of our artillery
has now opened on them and we can see them falling by hundreds. In a
few minutes they will strike our line, and the fight will be at close
quarters."

"Gettysburg, July 3d, 4.30 P. M.--We have won a great victory. The
fight is over and the Rebel lines hurled back in wild disorder.
Longstreet's whole Corps seems to have been swept away, from our
fire. The field is covered with Rebel dead. Wild cheers ring out from
every part of our lines. Thousands of Rebel prisoners are being
brought in. Sheaves of battle flags and thousands of small arms are
being gathered in by our men. The rejoicing among our men is
indescribable."

"Gettysburg, July 3d, 5 P. M.--Our victory is more complete than we
could dare hope for. An immense column of the enemy, at least 20,000
strong, attacked our left center and were utterly destroyed by our
fire. The column consisted of Longstreet's Corps, and but few of them
are left. Nearly all were either killed, wounded, or are now
prisoners in our hands. I hear that Hancock, Gibbon and Webb are
severely wounded. The Philadelphia Brigade is almost destroyed. They
met the most violent rush of the enemy and lost terribly. Col.
O'Kane, of the 69th, is killed, and there is hardly a field officer
left in the Brigade."

"Gettysburg, July 3d, 10 P. M.--Our victory grows more complete as we
get time to realize its magnitude. It looks as though nearly all of
Longstreet's Corps had been destroyed. The field in front of the
Second Corps, where the brunt of the attack fell, is covered with
Rebel dead. In front of the Philadelphia Brigade they lie in great
piles. Hundreds of Rebel officers are among the fallen. Gen.
Armistead, of Pickett's Division, fell within our lines. He was shot
through the body and is now dying. The Rebel Generals Garnet and
Kemper, fell in front of the 69th and 71st Pennsylvania Volunteers.
All the field officers of the former Regiment are killed. The
slaughter on both sides has indeed been frightful. Our men are busy
gathering in the wounded, many of whom must die during the night for
want of proper attention."

NOTE NO. 6.

LETTER FROM AN INTIMATE FRIEND OF LIEUTENANT HASKELL.

Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 19, 1910.

"I am in receipt of your favor and note what you say about the
extract from the book published by the Wisconsin History Commission
relative to the description of the Battle of Gettysburg, by Col.
Haskell. It confirms what I stated in my letter to the "Public
Ledger" in September last. My daughter, who resides in Milwaukee, has
sent me a copy of the book that you mention. I knew Col. Haskell
intimately and was confident from the intimation that I possessed
that had Col. Haskell lived to see the end of the Civil War he would
have modified his description of the battle, as compared to that
shown in the publication made by the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts.

Yours very truly,
W. YATES SELLECK."

Mr. Selleck was the military agent at Washington for the State of Wisconsin. The remains of Col. Haskell were forwarded to Mr. Selleck, at Washington, D. C., who sent them by express, on June 7, 1864, to Haskell's mother, at Portage City, Wisconsin. In Mr. Selleck's letter to the "Public Ledger" of Philadelphia, under date of September 21, 1909, he said: "I was intimately acquainted with Haskell and had several conversations with him after the Battle of Gettysburg in regard to that battle, and I have good reason for stating that had Haskell lived until the close of the War the criticisms contained in his diary would not have been made public."

NOTE NO. 7.

THE CONCLUDING NOTE.

What amusing history makers the Companions of the Loyal Legion of Massachusetts and the Comrades of the Wisconsin History Commission are. The State of Wisconsin enacted a law creating a History Commission, and straightway it begins printing very costly books, which they claim to be "histories of great battles of the Civil War," one of which "histories" the Governor of Wisconsin sententiously says: "Is what the author saw, OR THOUGHT HE SAW"; and because of its inaccuracy the chairman of that History Commission contemplated correcting by himself, "writing notes giving the more accurate view," but instead engaged a staff officer, who really saw what he thought he saw, to write a book correcting the inaccuracies that Chairman and Comrade Estabrook himself contemplated doing; and in the meantime the Secretary and Editor of the Commission "intends reprinting other rare Wisconsin Civil War material," regardless of the supremely ridiculous opinions or errors of facts of the authors, thereby continuing to hold the State of Wisconsin responsible for the ridicule and expense that attach to such so-called histories, one of which a distinguished officer of the Civil War pithily characterizes as "inaccurate, misleading, indecent, venomous, scandalous and vainglorious."

* * * * *

CAPT. EDWARD THOMPSON, 69th.
CAPT. JOHN D. ROGERS, 71st.
JOHN W. DAMPMAN, 71st.
THOS. H. EATON, 72d.
FRANK WEIBLE, 72d.
WM. H. NEILER, 106th.
JAMES THOMPSON, 106th.

Committee on Publication.

Transcriber's Notes:

The following misprints have been corrected:
"Haskell'" corrected to "Haskell's" (page 3)
"nitche" corrected to "niche" (page 26)
"criticims" corrected to "criticisms" (page 41)

Other than the corrections listed above, inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained from the original.