The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-10-20
Casualties in the Ninth Maine Rer;ment


Casualties in the Ninth Maine Regiment.
HEADQUARTERS 9TH ME. Vols.
IrTHE TRENCHES AT NEW MARKEr Roam. Va
October 18th, 1854
To tho Editor Of the Press
Having noticed in recent number of your
excellent and widely circulated paper a very
incomplete and defective list of the killed,
wounded and missing of my command, In Its
charge upon Battery Gilmer, on the 29th ult.,
respectfully request you to publish for the in
formation of the public. the following correct
list:
KLLLED.-capt Robert J. Gray, Co. G, Commanding
Regiment Capt Billings Brastow, Co. l. Commanding
Regiment after death Of Gray. tts
MIssING-Capt. Josiah Beal, Co. X, commanding
Regt after death of Brastow.
WOUNDED I'd Lieut.. George s. Goliath, Co. G., flesh
wound in arm severe. I'd Lieut. Charles Il. Weeks act
ing Adjt. and R. Q. NJ, severely in foot.
KnLED.-Co Il. Priv. Thomas McLoud of Barring, Me-
WouNpEp-Priv. Nelson Foley, hand do, Samuel
Howe, left wrist; do John Whitman, slightly in leg
do, John A Greenlsw, severely, lin left shoulder.
MbIIssNG Priv. John II. Hall.
wouNDEp-Co G. sergt Benz j Hill, slightly. hin.
Corp. Allen Leayitt slightly, thigh. Priv. Phineas l..
Saunders severely thigh; do, Abah W. Trip, severely
hand; do, Jones NJ WARES, slightly, hand. -
KnLED.-Co. D. sergt. Solomon j Watson, Corp.
Llewelyn Frederic.
WoUNDED.-Corp. Zephram Pche, severely right side.
Corp. Wilson Bigeow, severely, wrist and thigh.
KILLEp.-Co. n. Corp. Greenleaf W Parker, Priv.
Gilman Pendexter, wounded severely, foot.
MISSING list Scrgt Wilson Towle, corp. Geo East
man, corp. Chas w Morrill,.
WoUNoED.-Co. r. Private, Thos j Hunniford slight
ly, shoulder.
MIsslNe.-Priv. Ezra H Perry
WoUsDED-Co g. Corp John Gushing, severely
leg and back priv. Calvin gish, do, do priv. Traitor
u Kicker, severely, shoulder.
MIssING.-Corp. Bertrand Delngham priv. Hiram
Twist; do. Jacob Lane
WoUNDED.-Co. H. LIST Sergt. Charles A. Thorn pson
in arm. Corp. Israel Foss severely, in shoulder.
MIssNG.-James A. Bates; priv. William Carter. 81
Kn1ED-Co. /. sergt John Dority of Passadumkeag
WOUNDED Corp. Frank Fond, severely in thigh
priv Thomas Be cher left side and prisoner Exchanged.
Corp Charles Davis, slightly in head. . "a
MIssINa.-sergt Thomas Kent.
WOUNDED Co. X Corp James H. Gerrish severed,
in foot; priv. Estes Strout, severely, in left sde
MIssING.-Priv. Alexander Hart.
Every commissioned officer, twenty non
/ commissioned officers out OF forty, and TWEEN
ty privates out of eighty, composing the
/ gallant little remnant of the 9th Maine, able t.
go into that bloody charge, were killed, wound
ed or missing.
uO Cuol kO W0o q hOHACco OACy 6uu Lu6 OlQ-
GERS and men well knew it, but bravely and
heroically struggled on amidst the most dead
ly and pitiless shower of shells, grape and can
istet and minnie balls the Regiment was evel
ordered to face, the fire for few moments ex
ceeding in heatthat of the bloody fields Of
Cold Harbor and Deep Bottom. ai
Capt. Gray of Company G.. (afterward,
promoted to Lieut.. Col. in his Regiment, fol-
gallant and distinguished services in the field
as brave and cool in danger, as good and eff
Gent an officer, and as true patriot as evel
drew his sword in defence of his country, WHIT
had commanded his Regiment almost contin
uously, since the 4th of June last, and hat
bravely led it at Strawberry Plains, Cold Har
Dor, Deep Bottom, Cemetery Hill, and in eve
ry fight in which it had participated during
the past summers campaign, and had passed
through all unscathed; Capt. Gray, who hat
always been friend to his men, and who wal
almost worshipped by them, fell dead from
the effects of shell which exploded at hi
feet, while CALAMITY leading his Regiment il
the early part of the charge. His loss is sin
cerely deplored by all who knew him.
Capt. Brastow, of Company I. another Draw
and efficient officer, who had seen equal ser
vice with Capt. Gray, and who won the gol
den opinions of all in the battle of Deep Bot
tom, in the latter part of which he had com
mand of his Regiment, upon Capt. Gray
death, CALAMITY stepped out in front of hi
Regiment and took command, but was almos
Immediately killed. Capt. Brastow's death i
a severe loss to his command, and was deepl.
felt by ALL
Capt. Beal, of Company K, the next Office
in rank, then assumed command of the Regi
ment, and led it bravely forward to within
few rods of the ditch of Battery Gilman ,whicl
being found impossible, the order was givel
by Col. Lewis Bell, commanding Brigade, VIII
had gallantly led it to the last, and, witt
strange to say, escaped unhurt, to retreat, an.
the little remnant of the 9th Maine left tn,
field under the command of I'd Lieut.. s. g.
Smith of Co. 81 who had been previously or
dered to the rear by Col. Bell, on account o
partial sunstroke, but who had sufficiently re
covered to arrive at the front as the Regimen
1 was crossing to the rear. Col. Bell praised the
9th Maine very highly, for its cool and gallan
conduct in the charge upon Battery Gilman
and said that at one time during the hottest o
the fire, the 9th Maine was the only Regimen
/ in his Brigade that retained its line unbroken
The Regiment occupied at the same time, the
worst position in the line, and its loss in thu
4 charge was almost one half that of the entire
Brigade of five Regiments.
am respectfully your ob't, ser.
~ s9a G. FRED. GRANGER,
Col. 9th Me. Vols.