Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-06-02
VOL. XXX. NO. 1901.
Letter from lhe 7th Wisconsin,.
HEADQUARTERS 7TH Wis. Vols,
Camp il the field, May 18th '63.

I
Of the officers and men of the old 7th. our
thinned ranks and officers posts vacant, tell
a sorrowful story of the past. On the
night OF the 28th Of April, at II o'clock
when all was quiet in camp, we received
notice that the old "lron Brigade" had
been assigned the duty Of repairing at
once to the river, crossing in boats and
storming the enemies works on the oppo-
site bank the order was given and every
man was up and ready for the work; we
marched in all haste to the point designa-
ted for the crossing, but for some reason
unknown to me the boats had not arrived
ready TO launch until the dawn Of day and
when the pioneers attempted to launch the
boats, it then being day light and the enc
my by their pickets or otherwise having
been apprised of our intentions, were
ready to receive US; the pioneers however
commenced the work which drew muir
derous fire from the enemies earth works
which caused the pioneers to fall back for
time, about o'clock our brigade made
a rush foi the river with full determine
ton to cross and charge their works at all
hazards; we rushed to the river banks,
launched the boats and crossed the river,
received a shower Of bullets from the enc
my and storm of enthusiasm went up
from the "Iron Brigade" We succeeded
in carrying the work with the loss Of eight
officers and men. killed and wounded in the
9TH Regt. among the killed were Capt.
Alexander Gordon Co. K, Lieut.. w. q.
Topping Co. G, (of Grant Co.. private
WIN. Ross, Co. +, (of Grant Coz among
the wounded were Lieut.. Ryan Co. A,
private Benjamin Hayden, Co. F, Slight
and others whose names | cannot now call
TO mind.
Capt Gordon was the last Of the origi-
nal Captains Of the Regt.; fine officer
true patriot and genial companion.
Nay the God of the widow and the father
less strengthen his family in this the hour
Of their deep afliction and sorrow.
Lieut.. VIM. 0. Topping was a promis-
ing young officer who was always at his
post for duty, ever ready to lay down his
life las he did) for bis country he had
thus won the love of all the officers and
men of the Regt., who now deeply mourn
his loss, Major Finnicum received a slight
wound from a shell but is still on duty.
On the I'd day Of May we received in
telligence that our right was sorely pressed
and orders ID recross the liver and mach
at once to US. ford, above Fredericksburg
to reinforce the right; we did so, Col W.
w. Robinson covering the crossing with
4 companies Of the 9TH without the loss of
a man; we crossed the river again and
marched into the h1e Of battle; while the
battle was raging It'll unparalleled fury
it SO happened that the enemy did not I'M
dertake to hreake flat portion 81 The line
barricaded by the "block hats las they
call us) oflhe "Iron Brigade" it eeeming
to be their determination to brake our cen
ter and we being a little to the right Of the
center were in constant expectancy of and
ready for an attack on our front; we re-
manned in this situation for two days and
nights, while the terrific strife was going
on Immediately in front of the left of our
brigade, the rebs made some Is charges
on our center and were repulsed each time
with terrible loss: our lines never gave way
but once and that was when the / til corps
broke, IAN almost irreparable calamity.
| see that some Of the papers say it was all
the fault of the sd cowardly dutch
men, now, l think it very unkind, up
generous and Intentionally TO indulge il
sucL personalities, for the same number OF
any nation of people on earth might have
done likewise under like circumstances;
and | must say that my own observation
has proven 10 my satisfaction that this
army cannot produce more devoted and
daring soldiers than the Germans, whom
have seen Tried in the fiery furnace for the
past 81 months of my service. You have
beard a great deal said about the "Irish
Brigade;" and no ddubt have thought the
story exaggerated; but Cover, | tell you the
true story of their fighting qualities cannot
be told; man must see it in action and
then he will know what kind of picture
10 make of them. / think | never saw
such devils to fight bloody fight as the
Irish of the famous "Irish Brigade" la
the battle above Fredericksburg the rebels
in charge killed every horse in one Of their
batteries; whereupon, hand-to-hand con-
flct was had for the guns, and gunners all
having been killed, thereby rendering the
guns Of no other seryice than as boon to
fight for; the rebs in overwhelming num-
bers rather got the better of the Irish ct
first, and took possession of the guns, some
of them having first been spiked; but in
The attempt to take them off the field, the
hatless, coatless, gunless and b, 1dy Irish
men resolved to rally and retake the guns
fin no other way by a regular smash-nose-
knock down, and 10 they went-and out
they came with every gun, each gun taxi
ing 40 man team to haul it through the
mud; they saved the guns but with heavy
loss; those Chat got out with the guns we're
the bloodiest, mudiest, nakedest, most saw
age looking men | ever witnessed; The
Irish Brigade against the world in q hand
to hand conflict
am told the enemy lost $4,000 ard
4 n bar