The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-28
THE STORY ABWoRD.
An Incident In the Wnr Service Of the sixty
ninth Rcgimcnt-MaIvcr Hills.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: The
battle of Malvern Hills, Va, was fought July 1,
1862. Toward the close Of the engagement the
Irish Brigade, OF which was then all officer,
was ordered into action, and, while sustaining a
heavy FIRE in front, was taken on the left flank
by the Tenth Louisiana Volunteers, which, UNI
der cover Of some barns, and favored by the In
creasing darkness, had moved down unobservcd,
and poured In a hot right and loft oblque IRE
on the Sixty-nnth aud Eighty eighth New York
Volunteers The position Of the complaints
was SO close, and the desperation on both sides
40 Intense, that a hand to hand fight. short.
sharp, and bloody, ensued. muskets were
dubbed, and bayoDete freely used On both sides.
During the melee Sergeant Richard Kelly, Com
pany A, sixty-nuth New York Volunteers, a
man Of large proportions and approved gallant
~, took two OF the enemy prisoners, ono OF
whom no retained, and obginRy handed over
the other TO o comrado for safe keeping. When
night put an end TO the fight, Kelly, after dis
arIniug his captive. handed HIN over TO the pro-
vost guard, but, being remerkhbly, modest
lowing letter was received In camp by the com
mandinz officer OF the regiment
10 Col Robert vugtat srig-s6,H We iS SS' u r.
rieTi-siRi Al he Oatle OF Maverl Hills, OF Turkey
rrisoler by your rsaneat. ma los, oy That 'sue
sword intrnscay valuable and made etll more 30 by
from ,cvera ecn,icmcn Of rank In your army that the
aP S aS SG a, We Stc u
eriag he piNed wcapon itle'eiofc peg OF you asa
esther retain It in your own safe Keeping OF Go 20
exc"nNscJ vii stss TO faciitas the recoverv tint
the thrown upon tue hoid Without It's &c lb
rat 'U ancient S uiSde lie Kss6 nsaaisetarc lie
nsne Of saunders p,.ns ,1pTg gp9n NC S w re
opcn.wcrecd hanchcs OF sohl silver, the lrst beat
1--WE e,aence Of bcns nacS radacci from IL original
thickness. vac taken TO your camp h' sorgi kcly,
an d older, taken prisoner when the war Oroke OUT
WIN the troops IA rcAi-. l mentioned the desire
r ia end tie loll me Nc would 90 80. Should & not
ncen found Prey oncr any reward you nay ludr1
iihary Of maiire tins request, thc complying with
a my my a Nc asS'a WIN vita itSqo oe qiI n i1 'o4
rct be c1n.id' red traublesome and win tnc hope
Uy a captive. Very .sA."c>'"'y lguy., ......
Lieutenant. colonc' = lih Louisiana RaliEent.
was ~ Col. Nucent's tent when this letter was
received. lie imnediatciy sent for Kelly aud
by the usages Of war the sword was his aud he
could ret In or give II up at pleasure. | shall
yer forget the ssrSEens Iepy a. oat
inches, he sAld. Colonel, 1 know that officer
very well l served under him in the recul rs
| am willing to return him his sword II you viii
write ana tell him that the next time he uses II
/ hope 1t VIII be m defence Of not aRainst ms
country. As to any reward-weil. just say that a
sol iicr Of the Irish Brigade dOesn't SCH his
81 lpaics." A letter Written in accordance witl
the spirit OF Kelly suggestion, and the sword,
were sent 10 neadq harters by Col. Nugent, and
thus duly acquowloiged
HFApQUARrERs Army oY THE poroMSc.l
Camp near liarrisune La Gug, AUy 3. lsGs !
SIR Your letter ut the 3lsi u.imu, 1esp,ctlnR
sword taken from Lieut. ok asgiuan, Ienth Lousi.
aus Volunteer, at The bJtue Of Malvern Hll, We uuy
received. The spaneuce unOn tue subject. -
thtr with the sword VIII be hanuCd to Brig.be L..
1homas The part Of the United statcs tor the
eNc-Angs VI prisoners, VINO is expected here ts nofu'
Ing
es9 som.s WIN be TeSaesea to see .nSt yosT letter
H.. w
tsllucll s WILLIAMS, AsAt. AGlt Gen
To Col Robert Nusent G9;n l.cgt \. Y. Volunteers.
We head soon after that Col. Wsg2aman had
been EXCHANGED und. 81 course. was put Ia pos
session Of hi, mucn pfizt q weapon. He Is now,
oT lately wac. ShSriG OF New Orleans, La. and
from all accounts loyal and useful citizen Of
the republic. Col. Nugcnt Ia somewhere Ia the
Southwest with his regiment. the Thirteenth
United states infantry In which he has been
captain for several year.; Kelly who sub C.
quently rose 90 the rank ot captain In the sixty
ninth, fell mortglly wounded on the battlefield
OF spnttsylvgnia, May ls. 1854. and died In har-
nes-, like the dauniless soldier thai he wds, be-
loved aud regretted by his comrades. J. +. Nc.