Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-27


bloody field like Inerciless whirlwind, till
the tumultuous shouts of the exultant army,
rolling down the ranks in billowing waves of
sound, proclaimed the battle won, and victory
once more perched on the triumphant stan
dirds of the Republic, and another immortal
laurel added to the proud chaplet of the
grand, the glorious old regiment! 1t was not
the reckless dash of unframed yalor, which
rushes blindly aimlessly on towards some
indefinite object; but the resistless onset of
disciplined manhood, reused to matchless en-
ergy and peerless daring, that swept the
bloody heights of Aldie which had so long baf-
fed our Infantry. 1t was not the impulsive
bravery the fiery, headlong rush, the impetu-
GUS shock of unpractlsed, untaught troops, but
the cool, calm earnestness, the inhexible will,
the steady hand and nerve, the stern purpose
the resolu;e tenacity of disciplined veterans,
that again and again hurled back with fear
full slaughter the shattered legons of the en-
envy at st. Mary's Church, as again and
again, in the confidence of numbers and the
desperate determination to conquer, he threw
his devoted columns in furious assaults upon
our serried ranks, only to be flung back,
crushed and torn and bleeding, as the tenn
pestuous winds goad on the maddened waves
to unceasing, futile onset, only to be shivered
and dashed into spray on the eternal crags Of
our rock bound shores
And that other sublime exploit, of death
less fame, on the sanguinary field of Brandy
Station, where the sabre in the hands of well
trained, disciplined troopers, proved an over
match for the carbine and the musket WELD
ed by overwhelming numbers of unpractised,
undisciplined men. Let me briefly advert to
that illustrious day and recall, for moment,
scenes which shall live forever in our memo
ries:
Suspecting dc sign on the part of his great
antagonist to move his army, under cover of
the Blue ridge, into MARYLAND and PeDHsyl-
vania and assume the ofeDsive on the soil of
the loyal North, General Hooker ordered
reconnaissance in force, by the cavalry corps
across the Rappahannock, on the 9th of
June, lS63-Buford's division to cross at
Beverly Ford on the right, and Gregg's at
kelleys Ford below. AT midnight of the Sth
the camp was quietly aroused, and the com
mand put in readiness to cross the river
little before daybreak. Shortly after dawn
we heard the booming of Buford's guns, and
their echoes nerved every heart with daunt-
less resolution to manfully do its part in the
coming conflict. Men frightened the girths of
their saddles, and carefully examined their
carbines and revolvers, and tried the edge of
their sabres, fully conscious of the response
bility that awaited them. General Gregg
effected the crossing with little opposition and
pressed rapidly forward, the "a brigade in
advance, steadily driving the enemy before
him. Soon we heard their guns, and shortly
after the sharp crack of carbines and rat
tie of musketry, and Fitzpatrick urged on his
little brigade, consisting of the Firs~ Maine,
Harris Light and 10th New York, num-
bering in all but 500 sabres. The enemy
occupied strong position on the crest Of
hill, whose sharp declvity rendered sue
cessful assault extremely difficult. Near the
center Of this crest, from right to left, were
Stuarts head quarters in a clustering grove of
trees, and here, Stuart commanding in person,
had posted six pieces of artillery, in such a
manner as to completely sweep the hill and
all its approaches. Again and again did the
Second Brigade CALAMITY charge this position
and its deadly guns. Again and again were
they hurled back by the terrible fire of artille-
ry, until, broken and torn and bleeding, they
were forced to retreat in confusion. Then
the enemy's cavalry swarmed over the hill by
regiments, till three whole brigades appeared,
and with headlong speed and murderous vol
leys they burst like tornado upon the rear
of our beaten and routed batalions. 1t was
at this critical juncture that the First Brigade
came up under Fitzpatrick, who, compre-
bending at glance the position of affairs
made his disposition accordingly. The Tenth
New York and Harriss Light dashed forward
to the rescue of their comrades, and to check
the enemy's pursuit; but after fighting like tig-
ers some twenty minutes, they were gradual
ly forced back, foot by foot and inch by inch
by the overwhelming numbers of the rebels.
Just at this moment the First Maine, which
had been acting as rear guard of the Divis-
ion, debouched from the woods and deploy ed
upon the field, forming its squadrons at the
gallop. Fitzpatrick, whose eager, impatient
gaze had constantly turned to the point from
which he expected succor, dashed back to the
head of our column, exclaimng, Colonel
Douty, what can YOU do with your regment!"
81 can drive the rebels to He'll, Sir!" shout
ed the gallant Douty, and Fitzpatrick gave the
order to charge. And such a charged How
shall describe it? Here was an immense
open plain, filled with fleeing federals and
pursuing rebels; horses galloping about
riderless men seeking escape on foot; the
field sprinkled with the dead and wounded ;
the crash of artiley; the screaming of shells ;
the shrieking of shrapnel; the heavy thud of
solid shot; the rattle of musketry; the ring
ing of steel, and the fierce shouts of infuria-
ted combatants. The rebels had mingled
with our own men and were cutting down the
fugitives without mercy, and general panic
and complete rout were imminent. In mo-
ment, however, as by a stroke of magic, all
is changed. The pursuers become the pur-
sued. On sweeps the resistless column, bear
ing all before it 1t leaps the ditch, crosses
the railroad, reaches the hill and now with
terrible battle cry of vengeance, it dashes
up the steep ascent. I; has reached the sum-
nit; it overleaps the guns; the affrighted
cannoniers throw down their hammers, or are
sabred at their pieces, and with cry of ter
ror the rebel lines break in every direction.
On come their merciless foes; sabres fash
an instant in the sunlight, and when they rise
again are red with traitors blood! On, on,
and we have passed the formidable barrier
which has all the morning baffied and defeat
ed the Second Brigade. On, on, with a
fiercer, and more terrible shock, and the
clashing of steel and rattle Of carbines,
tell of a second, more desperate, encounter.
But the traitor hordes cannot meet the ''long-
armed swordsmen of Maine" and again they
give way, and again the sabres rise and fall.
red and dripping with blood, as in charge
after charge, with avenging fury, we burst
like thunderbolt upon their doomed squad
rons, scattering them like chaf before the
whirlwind, till crushed and routed and panic
stricken and dismayed, they flee with a shrek
Of horror from the disastrous field!
opI