The National tribune., 1884-12-18
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
WINCHESTER.
The 5th Maryland Joins Gen. Milroy's Command
at Winchester aud Has a Lively Time.


To THE EDITOR: The 9Th Md, to which
belonged had spent the Winter after the bat
tie of Antietam on the Maryland Hights and
In and around Harper's Ferry and Point Of
Rocks on the Potomac River, doing guard duty
while recovering from its terrible losses sus-
tained in that battle. About the beginning of
May we were ordered to join Gen. Milroy' s
command at Winchester, Va, where, after ar
irving on a very warm day, we went into camp
in clover field south of the town, near Mr..
Kearns MILL west of the Front Royal turn
pike.
On the morning of June 10 / rode over to
Mr.. kearn's house to procure some milk and
supplies for a few sick men of our regiment.
Miss Eearn, after supplying me, remarked
play yfully. u will soon have to bid You good
by; our rebel friends are coming back again."
asked her when she expected them, and she
replied, " In a few days" Of course, / took it
for banter upon her part, although she was q
singularly Intelligent and reserved young lady,
and a vein of earnestness appeared in her tone,
as though she meant it for warning. That
evening an officer rode up and directed that
after dark strike our tents and be ready to
move at moments notice This we did, and
next morning the same officer ordered US to
pitch them again. This was repeated on Thurs
day and Friday nights and on Saturday morn
ing the order came as usual to pitch our tents
and when about the half of them was up the
long roll beat, and few minutes later our regi-
ment was moving out of camp into battle.
We numbered but about 800 muskets on that
morning as moved off to support section
of Lieut.. Rando!ph's battery of the 5th U. S.
Art, that had taken position near Hollings-
worth's Mills on the Front Royal pike The
S7th Pa, about 500 strong, was ordered down
In front of our camp, into position behind a
stone fence, near Mr.. Kearn's mill, while the
18th Conn. formed the left of the brigade on
the east of the turnpike, all under command
of Col. Ely, of the 18th Conn.
A fne brigade, composed of the 9th Pa. and
some Ohio regiments, under command of Gen.
Elliot, stretched off to the right, across the
Strasburg pike forming our right wing.
This was about o'clock a. N. on Saturday,
June 13, and Gritfn's battery of Baltimore L.
A. that had come down from the neghbor-
hood of New Market TO join Early's Corps, was
hammering away at Randolph's section as We
went TO its support. But before reaching him
o imber-chest blew up and the men brought
back their guns, as it was plainly to be seen
the enemy had the advantage in the number
Of guns and position.
Griffin, now having the field to himself sent
his shot plunging into the 5th Md. and 18th
Conn, that had filed off to the left, in good
order, towards Winchester, to a new position.
At the same time the enemy's battery sent its
compliments to the S7th Pa, behind the stone
fence, killing little drummer boy and wound
ing some Others and sending the regiment in
double-quick time back to Winchester. Gen.
Elliot and his brave fellows were hotly engaged
of ON the right of the pike. These move
ments were not conducted without some loss,
rs our brigade was exposed to a severe fire for
some time without any chance to reply. Capt.
SalOme Marsh who commanded our regiment,
had his horses head shot away with shell,
and fell all spattered with the horses blood
and brains, but quickly regainng his feet or
dered the saddle stripped from the dead horse,
mounted another and rode forward Surg.
Holbrook, of the 18th Conn, and myself with
two ambulances, were going along the pike
when the battery fell back, and we gave them
the right of-way on the road. and then turned
leisurely around thinking our badge would
protect us; but shot from Griffin struck un-
der the hind wheel of one of the ambulances
and sent stretcher- bearer, who was standing
on the rear step, about Is feet into the air
that taught US better. From that to Winches-
ter the battery had nothing to boast of in point
Of speed over the Medical Corps.
The enemy now sent forward their infantry,
and we met foe that we could retaliate upon.
With variable success we fought them during
the day. At times we pushed them back and
then We were compelled to give way. Gordon
had charged Elliot on our right and forced |
him back to Winchester, and our brigade took
up position on the south of the town, in a
cemetery, which we held when night came
upon US. The I'd Md. of the enemy had fought |
In the immediate front of the 5th Nd of our
brother. Gen. Edward johnson withdrew his |
division back to the hills near Hollingsworth's
Mills and went into camp upon the ground |
vacated in the morning by the s7th Pa.
We pushed our pickets out and commenced |
getting something to eat, as we had been too |
busy during the day to attend to anything but |
the enemy. The day had been hot and sultry, |
and, TO make things worse, a severe thunder |
storm came up and the rain fell in torrents all |
night. l had seen several poor fellows fall |
from my regiment during the day and crawl |
into the bushes for shelter and DR.. Pierce of my
regiment, and myself, with some men and an |
ambulance, concluded to endeavor to find them |
and bring them in out of the storm. We had |
not proceeded far on the Front Royal pike |
when we met some cavalry, to whose challenge |
Of Who comes there?" / answered Medical |
Corps" and passed on. As we passed the last |
file fash of lightning revealed their gray |
uniforms, and we realized we were within the |
outer lines of the rebel army. Hastily turning |
to the left across the field of battle, we came |
upon the Berryville pike, and turning again to |
the left followed the pike until we fell upon the
infantry pickets of my own regiment, who, |
giving me the countersign of " New Orleans" |
we passed through the other lines and got safe |
back; without finding our wounded comrades, |
however.
At early dawn the rain ceased and the sun |
gcse clear and beautiful on that Sabbath morn
Ing; but the infantry soon commenced their |
trlng along the whole line with q repetition Of |
yesterdays results-the I'd Md. returning to |
the fight against the 5th Md on cur side. I |
had brother who was Major In the I'd Md, |
and, borrowing glass from friend, examined |
the rebel line as it came to the attack, and |
thought / recognized him leading the attack |
on sorrel horse, but as he appeared to be in
sommand thought 1t could not be him. He |
rode along the rebel line On this horse several |
fines, and our boys behind the gravestones |
were taking deliberate aim st him in firing. |
Presently the sorrel horse and rider went down, |
and a shout went up along our whole line, and |
We saw nothing more of the sorrel horse or |
Yider.
Our batteries In the fort east of the town |
worked all day, but the enemy's guns were |
dngularly silent. What could il mean? Dur |
Ing the afternoon we remained close to our |
shelter, the enemy began to press things |
somewhat. A little German boy, yet in his |
teens, named Charley Treager, of Co. z, from |
Baltimore, had been leaving the headstone be- |
bind which he had taken shelter to crawl be-
hind some boards that remained of the fence |
that he'd at one time inclosed the graveyard to |
set good shot at the enemy. He had been |
cautioned several times but did not heed. He |
was in the act of repeating his venture when q |
bullet struck him in the throat above the |
breastbone, killing him almost instantly. I |
had him taken back out of range Of bullets,
and pressing colored man into service, had |
Just finished burying him at the edge of the |
town under q large tree when DIR. Meeker,