The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-27
cAsEYs DIVISION.
Still Another Account of Its Gallant Behavior at
Fair Oaks.

has been written and rewritten, but as yet full
justice has not been done to the men who,
under General Casey, stood at the extreme front
and held in check five times their number of
veteran Confederates, and at sacrifice of life
seldom, if ever, equaled in any of the battles
fought during the war General Towards
"reminiscences do full justice to Casey's divis-
ion. so far as he describes what came under my
own observation. His whole description of the
Peninsular campaign is the best and most
accurate general history ever yet written, and
when complete and put in book form should
be found in the library of every soldier, as
reliable and, therefore, valuable addition TO
the literature already published of the war of
the rebellion. But to the part taken by General
Casey's division in that battle. shall speak of
the I'd and Sd brigades in general way only,
but Of Naglee's brigade in particular. This
brigade was composed of 10th Pennsylvania,
Colonel w. III. II. Davis; 18th Maine, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel ii. Z. Plaisted isince governor of
Mane); 56th New York, Colonel G. III. Van
Wyck NOW Senator from Nevada SD Penn
sylyania Colonel ]. c. Dodge, and 10Gth New
York, Colopel J. M. Brown. On the oath 81
May General Mcclellan ordered General
Naglee 10 make a reconnaissance from the
"chimneys" near Bottoms Bridge by way of
Williamsburg road, and, if possible, to advance
to the Seven Pines, or the forks of the direct
road 10 Richmond, and the road turning to the
right into the road leading from NeWbridge to
Richmond, and to hold that point if practical
bic. In accordance with these orders Naglee's
brigade, with the addition Of two batteries OF
lst New York artillery and Greggs regiment
OF Pennsylvania cavalry, pushed forward not
without stubborn resistance, gaining little
from day 10 day. till on the 2Sth the advanced
line of General Casey's division was about one
mile beyond the Seven Pines on the Williams
burg road, our right extending TO the railroad
l. = -
the fifth and sixth mile-post from Richmond,
and from the left of the williamsburg turnpike
to the White Oak Swamp. Naglee's brigade on
the right, Vessels IN the center, Palnler's on
the left; and this was the position of the diyis-
ion theday OF the commencement of the battle
at least one-half mile nearer Richmond than
was ever again reached during the Peninsular
campaign. The fight opened on the Dist of
May, IL N. The first notice we had of the
advance OF the enemy was the explosion of
two shells in our camp-evidently their signal
to advance. The attack was sudden, but in no
sense was il a surprise, for the previous night
our pickets had heard cars running all night
on the Richmond end of the railroad and Lieu
tenant Washington, aid-de-camp on General
Johnstons staf, had been captured the day
before; these, together with other suspicious
circumstances, kept the officers and men of the
division, from General Casey down, constantly
on the alert. Again, while we were not all
:" graduates we felt that some one had blum
dered IN placing this small division of less than
5000 men in such critical position-like
finger thrust forward into the fire to test It's
power. The enemy moved forward down the
Williamsburg turnpike in solid columns our
pickets falling back in good order till within
about quarter OF mile from the first line of
rife-pits, where Spratt's battery of four pieces,
LIST New York artillery, were posted, supported
by the 10Th Pennsylvania volunteers, 18th
Maine lC0tn New York tof Naglee's brigade),
and the g2d New York lof Palmer's brigadel
SOME HARD FIGHTING.
Here some Of the hardest Sighting ever known
took. place; these regiments holding their
ground against overwhelming ODDS. General
Casey says IN his report it was :" the most ter
rife fire of lnRsEetry that he had ever wit
messed" General Naglee says: - The air at this
time being literally filed with iron and lead. y
1t was here that the bayonet charge was made
by the four regiments last mentioned led by
General Aaglee; SO close were the combatants
that Sergeant Potter, of the 10zth Pennsyl-
wanna, was struck on the head by dubbed
musket in the hands of Confederate and two
or three men of the 18th Maine were bayoneted
Receiving no re-cDf0rcements these regi-
ments. with Spratt's battery, were ordered to
retire to the first line of rife-pits. Here was
posted the balance of CzSey's I'd and Sd bril-
gaaes, and the battle was renewed with great
fury; the four batteries Of LIST New York artil-
leTy-viZ, Bates under command Of Lieut.
HART, Regals. Spratt's, and Fitch's}-per-
formed splendid service. Their fire was concen-
trated upon the advancing mass and at every
| discharge wide gaps were opened in the enemy s
ranks, and we believed we could have held them
at this place much longer had il not been for
the fact that the enemy had fanked US on the
left, and their sharpshooter5 were picking OF
our officers and men, and had succeeded in
killing three or four horses attached to every
team Of the batteries. Here fell many gal
liant s3ldier-among them, Col G. ID. Bailey.
LIST New York artillery, who was shot in the
head while attempting TO spike some of his guns
IN the redOubf Major Van Valkenberg and Ad-
Jutant Hart, of the same regiment; Colonel
/ Brown. OF Tooth New York; the major of I04th
Pennsylvania, and Colonel Davis, of the same
regiment, with many Others severely wound
1 cd Not tield-ofiicer was left Of Naglees bril-
4 gade stationed at this place. Dispnting every
inch Of ground, we retreated toward the second
1 line, kegan's battery still firing up the Will
! liainsburg turnpike at the advancing enemy.
his guns being hauled by prclongs. his horses
/ having all been killed. 1t was close spot for
/ Regain, the enemy at one time nearly sur
rounding him, but he succeeded liz saving his
! battery. Here was stationed General COUGHS
division, and, with the assistance OF General
/ KearBey with one Of his brigades, which had
! just arrived, an attempt was made to regain
the lost ground, but it proved failure, and the
troops by order of General Heintzelman, re-
treated to the third line
56TH NEW YORK AND SD PENNSYLVANIA.
Comrade Calhoun, in your issue of February
/ 2lst, asks what became of the Both New York and
52d Pennsylvania, Of General Aaglees brigade
General Howard has substantially answered
the question. These regiments, with detach-
nent OF the 18th Maine, were on the extreme
right OF Naglees brigade, near the railroad, al
4 the commencement of the battle where they
suffered heavy loss, their position having been
1 fianked. BY an order of General Naglee (deliv.
cred by the writer what was left Of the Seth
| New York and detachment of 18th Maine
joined the balance of the brigade near the sec.
/ oDd line, and fought with them through the
| remainder of the battle. When the order To
retreat was given TO Colonel Dodge, of the sgd
| Pennsylvania he begged TO be allowed 70 re.
main and fight it out on .hat the. as he did
| not wash 10 isl a5ack, leaving his dead upon the
ecid, and for some time after, he remained
with bus regiment fighting against fearful odds
until their retreat was cut of, and they escaped
| by passing through the wood To the left and
rear, where they rejoined their comrades of the
LIST brigade, and retreated with them TO thu
third line, the regiment being reduced TO a little
over loo men, Aaglee's brigade went int
action with eighty-four officers and go men
of this number thirty five officers and COS mer
/ were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, being
forty-two per cent. of officers and thirty two
| per cent. of enlisted men. Up TO this time. al
| though large re-sHforcements had arrived, Eis;
| enemy had not been repulsed, Notwithstanding
all lying reports to the contrary. So far as my
! memory serves me they We're first successfully