Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-09-04
iPiscAtaquis Obscrver.I
Charge OF the lst Heavy Artillery.

Shet8U VI tuo Aot AcOvy AIbul0Iy'
II has always been . disputed question
who ordered the charge OF the First Maine
Heavy Artillery on the 18th day OF June.
1864, when so many men from that regi.
ment lost their lives-there being left un-
hurt but 26s men out OF the 800 who went
into the tight. In the forthcoming History
OF the Regiment Of Col, +. +. Shaw, . let.
ter from Major General Robert McAilis,er
will appear. which fully explains the mat
ter. and nxes the responsibility OF the order
that sent so msny brave men to their
deaths. The letter WAS written to Mai
Low. aud We append copy:
ALLENrowN. Penn, Jan. II, 1871.
Major FsED &. Low
NJ Dear Sir :-Iu all my army expert
ence no scene Of courage and suffering 10
50 impressed on my mind a. that fatal
charge made by your regiment on the 18th
OF June, 1864. Tie history OF that charge.
as well rs the one preceding IL. Is very
familiar to me; | took part 10 the first
wss In command, temporarily. OF the
"a Brigade OF our Division, for . few days
The Commander OF that Brigade having
been wounded while advancing on the en-
emy on the evening of the 10Th. | Was or
dered by Gen. Birney to command IL. On
the morning OF the lsth we moved forward
on the cnemy's works-carried the frs,
line withou, much difficulty, A. the enemy
were about leaving this line for the strong
er one In rear of IL. Arriving In front Of
that We found IL manned by 4 strong force
OF artillery and infantry. After delaying
lille | was ordered TO advance on the
enemy's works. We went forward. They
poured on my Brigade terrific storm OF
shot, shell and musketry. and my men fell
like forest leaves under . hail storm.
Seeing the utter imposslbllity OF aivanc-
lng further We dropped down, planted our
standard along the line and kept up the frc.
! sen, back to Division Headquarters and
asked what was to do. Orders came to
retire from my position. In doing this |
lost heavily. On reporting 10 Gen. Mott
for orders vas ordered 10 place my Brig
ade ou the reserve ready for action.
asked. Where Ia my old Brigadei' Gen
Mou replied. just going In where you
came out" l exclaimed, God help them -
he asked "wbyY' answered "they canno,
advance on those worss-they cannot live
the enfiiade fire will cut them down"
JUST as | said this An aid IRON higher Head
quarters rode up and said 10 the General
Order the advance AZ once" I, WAS done.
The Brigade moved oH-your foe Rcgi-
ment handsomely 10 the front, You wen.
galiAntly. not to meet success. That WAS
lmpossible-you were foriors hope. In
fes mlnstes. out Of your regiment which
advanced so strong. 632 laid low On the
battlefield. Darkness soon oversprcad the
field, and ! Was very anxious ihAt my
wounded men who had fallen IN the furiou,
eharNe and lay between the eucmy's line
and ours should be brought Off As well a.
those belonging To your Brigade and regl-
meni. some n( whom had advanced farther
than mine. Expressing thi. anxiety. some
OF my command volunteered the hazardous
undertaking. and that 1t might be done as
quietly as possible, | sent bat = few. with
order. 10 move very quietly lest the enemy
should discover them. With these orders
they went. IL Was necessary to 20 very
close 10 the enemys line which they did.
The enemy detected them-opened firc.
and the opportunity was loss.
All that night We could distinctly hear
the grosns of the wounded aud their erie.
for help; bot no succor could be sent them
on account OF the constant lire. My Brig
adc worked the whole nigh, long trying TO
push our works forward so that We might
escue them. Iha, terrible night at las,
broke Into another day, (ihe I9rh,) the
battle continued with increased fury; the
sun poured down on the dying and wound
ed. and amid the ra,tling musketry and
rOkTlug cannon We heard the cries OF these
our comrades for water" ''wsierV'
Then the terrible day Was over aud night
again threw her dark mantle over the con-
tending forces. and the are slackened. |
pushed my Brigade forward aud built new
6rcastSorks. the line OF which run through
where your men lay the thckesi. and mos,
Of your dead and wounded as well as mine
we're brought on. That line VAS never
pil he'd further bu. remained as our ad-
yAnced outpost until the end OF that great
snd terrible struggle before Petersburg.
Whether history Will do justice or not,
permit the TO say that no language can be
too strong in Its praise OF your gallant Reg.
iurnt Ia that splendid, noble, heroic
chArge-where three-fourths OF your mum
Der iell-hghting for their country. This
then. my dear Major. Is why regarded
the 1t Msine Heavy Artillery As good
Reg giment.
am yours very truly,
ROBERT MCALIsTER,
Late Brevet Mai. Gen. L. ). A. Vols.