The Portland daily press., 1862-08-25

considerably sheltered from the rebel fire. At
half past o'clock, had so many men put
hors da combat by killed, wounded, and ex-
hausted by over work in firing that found IL
necessary to call on Gen. Green for volunteers
from his brigade TO assist in working my guns
The call was promptly responded TO, and eight
brave men came forward TO the work. At
about quarter to seven o'clock, l discovered
column Of the enemy's reserve artillery and
infantry coming down the mountain towards
our LEFT. When they were within about 1850
yards l commenced on them with shot, and
with so good effect that they were compelled
10 take TO the woods.
AT a little AFTER sundown, my ammunition
being nearly exhausted, / sent two more of
my guns 10 the rear. At this time the artille-
ry firing had ceased all along our lines, and
our infantry, overpowered by numbers, was
gradually falling back into wood in our rear.
The rebel sharpshooters were now getting
near me on my right. Their fire had been de-
cidedly unpleasant to contemplate for full half
an hour, but now 1t was coming to be too ser-
Gus to disregard, and the rebel infantry in
mass were advancing in front. / now sent to
General Green that must have support from
his brigade, or my guns would be lost. His
whole brigade sprang to their feel, and formed
in line of battle. At the same moment gave
orders to the gunners to discharge their last
round Of canister and timber up. The rebels
heard this last order and their guns were
scarcely moving before the ground was cover
ed with them, and they popping bullets at us
as thick as hail. 1t was now dark, which is
the only reason can give for their firing do
ing us so little harm, or rather for their not
having destroyed our diminished teams and
captured the two guns. / missed, however,
about this time, one sergeant and two men.
who fear were seriously if not mortally
wounded. The least accident at that time,
which would have caused a delay, would have
lost the guns. These two guns were kept i'm
active and continued firing at least twenty
minutes after every other piece of artillery had
withdrawn from action. There were five bat
teries in action at this battle, and from States
and commanded as follows, viz: Knapp's -
Battery, Romer's New York, Best's Regular
Battery, Robinson's 4th Maine, and the 9th
Maine, these are all the batteries that took
part in the battle of Cedar Mountain OF the
casualties in killed and wounded, the 9th Maine
Battery sustained larger loss than all the
other four batteries put together. This is a
fact, and a sense of duty and obligation TO the
brave men who stood by me for three and one
half hours in that desperate fight, and nobly
sustained the high repute of the sons of Maine
for herolsm and constancy Of purpose, has
compelled me to make this report; and not be-
cause they think that they have done more
than their duty, or that they desire especial
notice taken Of them for what they have done,
but to defeat the apparent purpose of some
unknown individual, who probably was never
under fire, from cultivating laurels from their
blood and bleeding wounds. Manhood and
undaunted courage cannot be filched from any
man or body of men; but the credit of heroic
actions may be transferred to the unworthy.
though doubt it. would gladly be excused
from putting my name before the public, but
circumstances having compelled il, do it un-
hesitatingly, and shall always be ready to meet
the issue. | am, dear sirs,
Very respectfully, your obt serv't,
F. McGILvERY,
Commanding 9th Maine Battery.