Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-03-28
A GETTYSBURG "REMINISCENCES.
The Gallantry Of a Michigan Regiment.
How the Captured Col. Morrow, with
Gen. Gordon's Assistance, Cared For
the Union Wounded in the First Days
Fight.

Utns U"IuVns Assistance, Nhfeu TOT
the Union Wounded in the First Days
Fight.
A Washington correspondent of The
81. Louis Globe Democrat sends that Jour-
nal the following interee.ing reminis-
cense of the battle of GET ysburg:
While conyersing with Col. Bachelor,
the historian of the battle of Gettys-
burg, few evenings ago, at one of the
leading hotels, he remarked: "This
jostling crowd little realize that these
two gentlemen in pleasant conversation
yonder" -pointing to Senator Gordon,
of Georgia, and Gen. Morrow, of the
United States Anywhere prominent
actors on opposite sides at the battle of
Gettysburg" And, as these gentlemen
continued their conversation and the
crowd came and went, we drew from
his never-ending fund of Gettysburg in
cident the following story:
"The officer conversing with Senator
Gordon is Gen. Morrow, now sitting on
the army equipment board in this city.
He was among the wounded union Off
GERS captured at Gettysburg when that
place fell into the hands of the confed-
crate troops. ON the evening of the first
days battle. Col. Morrow commanded
the Oath Michigan volunteers, which be-
longed to the famous Iron Brigade,
composed of Wisconsin, Michigan and
Indiana troops, and formed part of
the division that opened the battle, and
it was with this brigade that Gen. Rey-
rolds was killed. And it was also COL
Morrow's regiment which enveloped
the flank of Archer's brigade, compel-
ing the surrender of Gen. Archer with
large number OF his men. Col. Nor
rows regiment went into the engage
ment with 1876, officers and men. Its
casualties ON the first day were % Of
ficers killed or wounded, out of 29, and
20 non-commissioned officers and 40
privates killed, and Al non.commission-
ed officers and 1S2 privates wounded,
making grand total of 3l6 placed hors
de combat out of 400. The sanguinary
character of the engagement of these
troops will be better realized when it is
known that this regiment lost seven
color-bearers, in killed and wounded,
and all its color-guard, after which Col.
Morrow took the flag to rally the regi-
ment, and was himself wounded while
carrying it and obliged to leave the
field. He was struck on the top of the
head by minie-ball, producing seri.
Gus scalp wound, from which the blood
) flowed freely, completely covering his
face. While he was engaged in wash
ing it away the union forces fell back
through the town, followed by the
victorious foe, and Col. Morrow
. ~
the morning of the I'd, when the union
prisoners were about to be started for
Richmond, the confederate surgeon who
had examined his wound. humanely
suggested that it would endanger his
life to make such Il trip in the heat of
summer, which, being communicated
to Col. French, of the 10Th Virginia
cavalry, he sent Col. Morrow into the
) village, detailing guard to accompany
him to see that he was not molested,
and to the kindness of these officers he
believes he owes his life. A nights
rest, with good surgical care, so far re-
stored him that he was able to be out
the next day and mingle with the troops
from whose conversations he learned
the movements of the armies, ana how
the battle progressed. At the COM
mencement of the great cannonade on
the third day he went to the cupola of
) the courthouse, from which he saw the
grand advance of Longstreet's assault,
as it swept across the plains, saw the
lines tremble, recoil and break in con-
fusion under the whitening fire of the
union troops. 1t was after this that he
learned that the union wounded of the
first days battle had not been tended
to, and he determined to relieve them
if possible. Acting upon the sugges-
ton of the wife of Judge Wills, whose
guest he was. he allowed her to tie Il
green scarf the insignia of surgeon)
, about him. He then sailed out and
7 soon met Gen. Gordon and staff APP
! preaching him with the customary sa-
lutte, he said: General, am informed
that our wounded of the first days bat
tie lie uncared for on the field where
they fell, and | ask your assistance in
having them attended to.
"You astonish me, il cannot be-" an
swered the general, and, turning to Il
surgeon, he said, as this so, and if SO
why is it?'
!, The surgeon assured him that the
wounded OF both armies had been cared
for alike, but that they had not been
able to visit that extreme part of the
field Turning to Col. Morrow, Gen.
Gordon said: doctor, will give you
detail OF ambulances this evening to
bring in your wounded, They will be
in the centralsquare at Z o'clock" Col
Morrow was promptly on hand, and at
night-fall started with a train of twelve
ambulances, with confederate drivers
and stretcher-bearcrs, for that part of
the field where the battle opened. 1t
: was weird sight, that long train of
army hearses, as, by the fitful light of
: a half-couded moon, made more OBJ
t scure by the lanterns they bore, this
party treaded its way among the black
ened and swollen corpses which lay
where they had fallen two days before,
and the means and cries Of the wound
ed for assistance, and their supplica-
tons for water were heartrending
Others were delirious, and talked of
homes and friends, and wondered that