The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-20
La. 0. HOHARDiO "REMINISCENCES.
ICeafiauca from lsl paqe.l


Sugamit Valley itself there was plunging fire,
so that as soon as the Summit Peak was reached
the battle itself was gained. General Meade's
division secured this point of the mountain,
while Hatch was lighting his way forward,
little further to bis left, IN the forest Hatch
being very hard pressed, General Hooker sent
HIM CHRISTIANS brigade of Ricketts, division,
and finally brought up Hartsnff's men to
thicken the line and render the victory more
complete.
General Hatch was severely wounded dur
ing the engagement. Colonel Walter Phelps,
of the 22d New York, pays him delicate COM
pliment: The brigade (which the colonel
then commanded !, encouraged by his lGeaeral
Hatchs 81 valor and insPiriting orders, moved
forward with nnbroken front, and the engage
lnent became general through my entire line.
General Doubleday. who succeeded him, rep
resents Hatch as riding along the lines and en-
cOurasring the men when they were coming
abreast OF Troublesome fence. he says Of the
men uader this inspiration They went IN
with cheer. formed in deadly fire, and
drove the enemy from his position behind the
fence, after a sh0r; and desperate conflict, ana
took post some Yards beyond
After Doubleday took command the enemy
were still Irritating and rOublesome, so at
lasi he ordered cessation OF IRE. The Con-
federates, doubtless thinking there was a with
draw4l from their front, came on quickly,
when very soon Doubleday's men spring TO
their feet and delivered deadly vOlley." The
encmvs line was broken and driven of. Their
numerous dead were not many PAGES from
Doublo6ay's front
These combats carried on In the darkness
ana some others like them by Ricketts, diyis-
ion, closed the affair TO the left OF Meade.
GIBBONS ENGAGEMENT
Gibbons brigade had been detached by Gen.
eral Burnside, aud. finally, near night, sent up
the main naticazl road. Gibbon, another Of
those Southern officers who remained true TO
the National Government, had what Hooker
denoiainated an excellent brigade" IN some
accounts il is remarked that Gibbon was sup
parted by HartsuG but il appears not so at
this point Burnside gives Gibbon credit for
working his hri gade and battery up the steep
ascent of the mountain near the main thor
oaehiare. lie came to the crest aud " had a
brilliant engagement after nightfall-" Glib
b0n's instructions were 10 attack the enemy in
the gorge To exhibit the manner of this
operation ] VIII introduce the following detail ::
The 9TH Wisconsin worked on the right of the
pike and the 18th Indiana on the lett. COM
pany Of the 9th Wisconsin covered the right
column with skirmishers, and another COM
pany Of the I'd Wisconsin enveloped the left
column The regiments which furnished the
skirmishers followed on in double columns at
half distance. Stewards 4th artillery battery
kept up close To the leading regiments on the
turnpike. The enemy from the crest Of the
mountain, began 10 fire upon this brigade and
battery rs soon as they had started, and very
quickly thereafter the climbing skirmishers
mel with resistance. by prompt help from the
reg ulcuts following closely, TIE thin skIrmlsh-
line drove The cnemy's pickets pushed back
their skirmisbcrs and kept slowly and steadily
advancing from tree 10 tree, or rock TO rock,
or. as we say, from cover TO cover, TIL Gibbons
battery was near enough to be effective Then
Stewards guns got ready and opened most
effective dro upon the enemys guns which
had been troubling Gibbons men all the way.
The battery tins helping the first line was
stretched ont into as good form IS the rough,
steep. ragged slope would permit, and the men
claIubercd UP, driving the fce-two regiments
CT tlaIa-from woods and stone fences. Soon,
however this hostile center had re-eniorce-
ments-tlree additional regiments making five
IL all-against Gi5bon. Seeing this he sent
Colonel Br.Eg, with the 6th Wisconsin, 10 ex-
tend his right Then he swung the 18th lndi-
ana tia * was nearly parallel 10 the pike
pushed il enough ahead 80 that il took with
lis fire the enemy line IN tie hank, and drove
the t0nie11rates who we've near back up the
steep.
Bragg seems to have made his difficult move.
Inent 70 the extreme right finely. He says
ccatinned until the left Hing rested Il,
right "a the crest Of the iill tilke a pivot, eX
teaainc around the enemy in a sesni-circu ial
liHs. and thee m0Tea the right wing into tht
wood 50 rs 10 connect the line froal the OpeI
field 10 the top Of t6e hill" / suppose this
wood kirted the hill. The enelny's fire wa
bard 10 D. ar kBt BFagg's men kept moving
around and ahead till the tenacious foe had L
give way; but the Zoe retreated very SLOWLY
1l4d was very obstinate. Bragg's men had bu'
The rsica
was dark. and the enemy still before them il
force. lis was 5usf then. by G5bbon, directed
70 cease bis firing. He. ike Doubleday, tried
last experiment. The regiment kept very quiet
let the unseen Consederatcs move mp into clos
raIge then delivered one grand voley, aud fol
lowed II by three iusty cheers for Wisconsin.
Some Of fbcir dead were found in that front
too, but Bragg had no further trouble tia
night
The sharp hTiaG, however, on some 'front.'
continued unfil long after dark, but our troop
evidently had the field.
TEX ESEsY DRAWS orr.
About midnight L0agstreet and Hill rapid!
drew of thtir commands, leaving their deai
AM wounded 70 cur c2re.
Very early on the morning OF the 18th
Richardson's division. Of o1r corps. coming u
FROM aicslet9wn, passed Hooker's lines AM
pcsncd down the mountain slope, throuel
On our side IN This battle there had bee
brought into action eighteen bEisades, and Of
Ice enelnv's side fifteen. Certainly tie eneln
had the advantage Of position.
Our loss was 3l2 killed, ] 239 wounded an
p prisoners ] cannot find separate state
ElcIst oi the Confederate losses but they had a
Ifl.sng killed and wounded as We Bua we too
more than so prisoners.
Ihis victory gave as heart, and notwith
standing the loss Of Harpers Ferry really IA
Epl1.ted orr entire Army OF the Potomac, an
gave y confidence, IA view Of the arduOus weT
yet e BE- done.
Losing says tllat the place where Gencu
Reno 1ell Is marked by stone which NJ
Daniel Wise, whose son owned the land
caused 10 be erected Not far from the spg
was 4 chestnut tree that bore the sears
mary wounds made during the battle
When Reno was hit just at the close Of til
action, his assistant adjHtant- general, Capital
Nell, was near him. He assisted him to Ii
ground. Reno immediately lay down, pulle
bis cap Over bis eyes, and IN few moIien
had lallen asleep TO wake 10 more here
Hc-true. stro3g man as be was-is but
type OF the officers and men who lay aroaa
hiIn. Friends and foes, IN large numbers. la
there IN that beautiful mountain valley passC
into the untroHbled sleep Of death Whe
they awake, lnay i be in the likeness of Il
Man Of Peace and clad in the garments Of u
redeemed
From The mountain road, IN the early morn
ing Of September 18th, as we descended i'm pu
suit q Lee we could sec the little puffs fro
mary rifles. and the sudden clouds shooting 1
from The cannon. YET. TRANCE 70 say. could he.