The National tribune., 1884-09-25
DREWRYS BLUFF.
The Gallant 9th n. J.

To THE EDITOR: desire to make of record
one among the many little incidents OF the war
that goes to show the stuff the boys were made
Of At Drewry's Bluff, Va, on the morning OF
the 10th of May in dense fog, Beauregard
struck heavily at Buffers Right Wing, and
Heckman's Brigade, I'm which was the 9Th
New Jersey,) on the extreme right, was almost
lifted up and dashed in pieces, so terrible and
unexpected and in such overwhelming masses
was the rebel onset. Many were killed and
wounded and many, including the gallant Heck
man, captured, comparatively few escaping one
fate or the other. The night before, the 9th
Maine and 1l2th New York, of brakes Brigade,
were detached from Ames's Division and sent
up to Badly Smith, and went into bivouac just
in rear Of the main line. These two regiments
were instantly started at double quick
through the fog in the direction of our Right
Wing, and ran plumb into the charging and ex-
Ultant enemy, checking his further progress to
our right and rear. The 9th and 112th at once
took upa very strong position, partly in asunken
road, and three companies of the 9Th Maine
were deployed as skirmishers and sent well to
the 'front.' thus causing the Johnnies to keep
the shelter of the woods. Further to our right,
and perhaps 300 yards to our 'front.' was clump
of large pines of perhaps an acre in extent, and
the writer was directed to post therein 20 men
under trusty officers, with instructions 10 hold
it at all hazards and TO the last extremity.
a pluckicr boy never hved,) was selected to
" hold the fort,' and he held il. After seeing
him in position started to return TO the main
line but in doing so was forced to make
detour to the lett to avoid the sharpshooters,
who grew unpleasantly familiar as the log
rolled away. Passing through field of clover
OF exceedingly rank growth, / came upon
squad of 20 or more enlisted men of the 9Th New
Jersey. To my inquiry what they were doing
there, the spokesman for the party said they
had escaped capture when the brigade was sur
rounded, but that not an officer, commissioned
or non-commissioned, was with them, and they
were at a loss what to do, and asked orders.
suggested that more of the regiment had
probably escaped capture, and advised that
this party move 10 the rear and left until the
turnpike was reached, and then form q nucleus
upon which such of the regiment as had escaped
death or capture might rally. They were
evidently disineined to 90 10 the rear and
one of them seeing the 8" on my fatigue
cap, asked my regiment and where it was
posted. My reply was 18th Maine" They
held hurried and whispered conversation,
and / was becoming impatient at their not
moving more promptly. The spokesman again
saluted and said the boys believed the regi
ment was pretty near wiped out, and they
didn't think that many more, if any, of the
boys had got away, and as they had nowhere
else 10 CO. why couldn't they form with the
yin Name and take t1elr snare IN Ihe 1gnIlng
there, for it would still be with 18th" any
way. They got permission right away, and
while conducting them to the line they asked
I If they might report to the officer in charge Of
the skirmish line Knowing the line was
weak i said 60 ahead, and forward on a
double-quick across an open field under a
/ heavy and Increasing fire. to the skirmish line
/ they went, mixed right in with the men of
/ the 9th Ne, aud began popping away at the
rebels as cOOly as though they were duck
hunting. They fought there all the rest of the
day, and such as were alive came back when
! the retreat was ordered just at night, joining
meanwhile in charge by the skirmish line
| into the woods where the loss was heavy.
do not remember, if ! ever knew, the name of
one of these gallant fellows, but if any of them
are alive and this should fall under their eye
they viii remember the circumstances thus
| impenectly told. The 9th n. J. had deserv-
edly high reputation, aud it is not TO be won
| dered at, when it was composed of such men as
have written Of Poor soldiers under like
circumstances would have been utterly de-
moraiized; over-cautious ones would have con-
sidered it their duty to rally at the rear, and
| the further to the rear the better. Not so with
these brave fellows and honored them then
and at this late day pay this slight tribute that
good soldiers everywhere may bold N esteem
these patriotic but unknown New Jersey fight
| ers--J. f. SHEPARD, 1st Liels. and Adj't, 9th
Ne, Lawrence, Mass.