Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-07-25
Death of Ansel B. Kellam.

rThe following is al extract OF letter
from a member of Co. H., Mass. 29th
regiment, written to the editor OF the
Charleston Transcript, from which place
Young Kelam went forth to fall in de-
fence Of his country. lie was raised in
Irasburgh, and has here 4 large circle OF
relatives and friends who mourn his loss
with sincere grieE-ED.1
/" AT about 2 o'clock that afternoon,
Monday June 80, in a manner quite I'M
expected to US, the enemy commenced to
she'll us from the other side Of the swamp.
One of our batteries took position near
US to reply to its fire, and the 29th
regiment was ordered to advance and
support the battery, which it did under a
heavy fire. The first man hit was Col.
Pierce, who was struck in the right arm,
which has since been amputated. The
The second passed through the ranks OF
Company H., a six pound solid shot, it
killed Sergeant Kellam by striking him
from hip to hip, severing both legs, and
causing his bowels to gush out. He
Irever uttered a sound. The same shot
struck Private George w. Smith, in
the same way, but he lived perhaps an
hour and then died. We passed right
m, not a man finching, faced TO the
enemy, dressed the line, and were ordered
10 lie down. The ground few rods
ahead of US was a little higher than
where we lay, or we should have been
annhilated. For three hours we La
fat on our faces in that cornield exposed
70 an incessant fire of solid shot, steL
grape and canister, but at length or
batteries silenced their fire, but not until
hey had wounded Capt. Pray Of the L.
Boston company, Lieut.. Davis same
company, and several others, with some
killed We were Immediately marched
about two miles further on to place
where a fierce battle had been raging
TWO hours, and we were drawn up in
line Of Lattle as a reserve, and every
moment expected to be engaged, but
labout 8 70 O'clock at night the firing
ceased. We lay down to sleep with arms
in hand, but some time in the course of
the night were called up and marched
until daylight, and arrived on beautiful
high land, about ha'f a mile from James
River. Had not been there four hours
te'ore they threw sh,l right among US.
Our batteries soon silcnced their guns,
but in the afternoon they took new
position, the result of which was a ire
mendeous battle. AT about dark our
regiment was marched on to the field Of
battle under hot fire, but all were brave
anl steady. We supported battery
bat did not fire our pieces. Seventeen
m of our regiment we're bit, but none
of Company II. The enemy in the end
skedaddled." We lay on the ground
all night, amid the gro-ns Of the wound
Cd awoke an hour before daylight and
marched down the river bank during
a heavy rain for five hours, arriving here
wet, hungry, tired and with not over 20
men Of the company present, the rest
being either sick or struggling behind,
Our arrival here was on Wednesday
noon; it is now Saturday nigh., and
.ome six or seven Of our men are yet
missing, and whether they are taken
prisoners or in come hes .Jital | DO not
know. In the fight where Kellam was
6iled, | had but 80 men, and in the last
one only 20 men in the first | had the
. assistance of 1t. Saylcs and Sergeant
Long, as officers, in the last, only Sergt.
Long, who is to be orderly. The Bay
State Guard has been tried by fire and
has proved itself of true metal. We
! are encamped ia the woods about a mile
and half from the river, and | am sit
ting on the leaves of the forest, writing
on my knees upon paper which ! have
brought in my haver, ack through long
and weary marches, fighting, rain and
mud. We have had ,wo days rest aud
, begin to feel like men again Last night
we received the first mail we have had
' for sixty days.
q Poor Kellam! As | turn to speak Of him
q my eyes ill with tears for none knew
3 him but to love him, and had Of course
+; a most intimate knowledge of him, and
. / tell you here, that he was most use.
tul, reliable and truthful Christian man
and he was respected by every man in
, the company and by all in the other com
I panics OF the regiment who knew him.
His loss to me, to the company, and tC
all his friends, both in military and ciyi
life. is irreparahle. As the men became
aware Of his death they said, We hav,
lost our best man" As they marched ~
under the enemy's fire in the next battle
after he fell, they inspired one another
0 by the words, remember Kellam,' anC
a God knows that not a man faltered, for
. they remembered what sacrifices, endin!
with his life, he made for the cause they
served. Our loss is undoubtedly hi
gain, and We resignedly submit to tn,
q stroke hard thnnph il be Cnmnanv |