The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-05-06
From the Red River---29th Maine, Col.
Beal.

At the battle of Mansfield, the sth of April
the 10th regiment was placed in the front, to
stem the tide that was setting off the field,
consisting the retreating of the forces of
the 18th (Ransom's Corps), and the advance
Of the rebels. They were thus exposed in a
very dangerous position, and it needed firm
ness and judgement to manage their daties.
We are allowed to quote from the journal of
the Adjutant of the regiment:
aOur boys stood the fire like stone wall
had only one man TO send back, and he was
lying down. btfi fin III sfiHa ires aa rs
did. We had few wounded, and these were
carried off, and the men returned 10 their
ranks after leaving the wounded. But what
pleased me most, was the perfect steadiness
Of our line. There was no wayering, no dodg-
ing TO the rear, nothing at all out OF the way.
And behind our line were Gems. Banks, Frank
I'm, Emory and Dwight, and the stats of all
these Generals. All were looking at us, and
they could see nothing but brave men, doing
their whole duty fearlessly. / liked another
incident and il wrought my enthusiasm to
the highest pitch. When we first went into
line, Gen. Banks rode past our front in going
to the rear, and said, "Mea, all depends on
you-you can stop the rdscdts lrhere they are"
And in a few strong appeals he told US that
our reputation could be made or lost, as we
were determined. Our boys took off their
hats and cheered him Justify; but when few
of the old 10th Maine boys sang out-"Shen-
andoah," Winchester" "Cedar Mountain"
"Rappahannock"-he stopped his horse and
bowed to us as If he was our servant. | men
ton this because it is not to be expected that
when death is staring men in the face, and
the notorious enemy approaching, ready TO
seize US all, that men should be enthusiastic
and full OF good humor as ours were there.
The fight was ended and the moon had
gone down. Gen. Dwight ordered out Skin
mishers. Only our men found anything
Captain Jordan, of Portland, with a hundred
men, advanced cautiously into the woods. He
found the rebel dead and wounded very near
to our regiment and their sentinels posted
not over quarter of a mile TO the front. He
played sharp Yankee upon them in this wise:
He had crawled to the front so slyly that the
rebels did not know he was there. The rebel
pickets therefore allowed their men TO go out
= little distance TO their front. Some of these
forgot their way back and inquired the way
70 their regiment. The reply always was,-
"This way" So In the course of two or three
hours, they took q prisoners, including three
commissioned officers, one of whom was a
rebel alde-de- camp, posting his Brigade pick
cts. He took our sentinels for his own, and
Capt. j. with his usual politeness. showed
him the way to the Head Quarters though
not the Head Quarters he was looking for
This officer rode Col. Dick Taylor's horse, and
the next day one of the prisoners recognized
1t under our 1t Col. Emerson.
Many poor fellow was wounded. One in
Co. was going to the rear. | stopped him
and turned him back-as ifhe was a straggler
His piteous cry, "Oh Adjutant am really
wounded" touched my heart and | could
only repay him by helping him few steps to
the rear and there we dropped him and away
from the fire aud returned. Friday night We
had orders TO be off. Gen. Dwight had
meeting of regmental commanders, and said
"Col. Beal you may cover the retreat. | as
sign you this duty because you have done so
well, and can depend on the Goth as they
have shown themselves TO be capable. So as at
Winchester tVa,) we covered the retreat Of
Banks"
AT the suggestion Of Gen. Banks, Col. Beal
has put in his claim for rank to date from Oc-
tober 4, 1861, when he was commissioned as
Colonel in the 10th Maine. Gen. Dwight is to
be chief Of staff to Gen. Banks, and Col
Beal has been appointed to the command of
Dwights old Brigade, at whose request he is
appointed. Gen. ID. wrote ON the Coils appli-
cation, "Respectfully approved. Col. Beal
gave evidence in the actions of the Sth and
9th that he was an officer of experience and
capacity" Col. Beal takes Adj't Gould with
him as his Asst. Adj't General"
Col. Fessenden, also. of the Both, has been
placed in command OF another brigade in the
same division.