The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Oar Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
The s1ss New rorA at Fair Oaks.
he Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:


General Howard is now as sensible IN time
Of peace and while writing his recollectlons of
the war. as he was brave and efficient in the
field twenty-five years ago. He does not
assume that his memory serves him with per-
feet accuracy and that what he records is free
from error, and he generously invites any
who were with him to suggest the needed
appointments to make his history conform as
closely as is possible to the facts.
The general says that after he was wounded
at Fair Oaks he was assisted to the rear by
Captain Mcintyre of the 61st New York vol
nnteers. In this be is mistaken, and, as any
one in the LIST brigade Of Richardson's division
would have considered it high privilege TO
have given aid 10 General Howard, some man
who did give this aid may be glad 10 have the
general know Of it and not remain ignorant
Of the truth.
William II. Mcintyre was at the time first
lieutenant, commanding company G. 6lst New
York volunteers At the same time ] was
acting orderly sergeant of the company. We
were the left company of the regiment. ! vel
remember ali that the general has written con-
corning our march the evening before TO the
field of battle; Of awaiting, the next morning,
in almost brea1hless anxiety the renewal OF
the conflict: Of seeing a section Of Pettit's
battery down by the woods, and presently
opening fire; then quickly following the in
fantry firing which was the grandest ever
heard There was but little artillery noise
mixed in. and the muszetry rolled and crashed
as II only c0nld when thousands Of pieces were
discharged AZ nearly the same time. Very
soon after the battle opened Towards brigade
was started forward on the dOHble-quick.
TX CLOSE QUARTERS.
Leaving the open field. we entered a piece Of
woods and soon struck the railroad. i cannot
state the position of any other regiment in the
brigade, but know that the 6lst New York
was deployed along the railroad track. While
Il,
track q number Of rebel bullets came singing
through our ranks. Some one-perhaps
number-took tie initiative by getting down
fiat on the track. and in moment every man
was AZ Gloss 20 the ground as he conlG get. ex-
cept the colonel, who was IN advance Of the
regiment as WAS his custom3. learning what
he could Of Ile situation. As soon as Colonel
Barlow's attention was called 10 the fact that
his men were taking care OF themselves, he
turned TO Them, and, ia no draWing-room
language, ordered every man to his feet and
we all g0t." About this time, the line was
ordered forward, and We advanced into the
woods and swamp. keeping as good a line as
we could; but il was impossible to prevent
breaking Hp. As we advanced the bullets
came thicker and faster, killing and wounding
q numbeE OF our men We sO0n reached line
of our men who had been engaged, but were
now h1gging the ground. We passed over
them and advanced some distance, when we
perfect the line. ! wei remember how Lieu
tenant Mcintyre, at the head Of his company,
was endeayoring TO dress it TO the right into
good line. and how ], as acting orderly, stood
Immediately behind him, when we were struck
by terrific volley from the enemy, whom We
could not see Oh account OF the underhrnsh
growth. 4 bullet Of this r0hey hit Mcintyre
and penetrated TO his heart. He sank down
before me and said: Il am killed /
STOPPED over him and said Lieutenant, do
you think yea are m0rtally w0unded2" BE
replied: Yes; tel them l am killed." A
corporal On the left Of the next company was
shot through the head and fell over on to Nc
1Btyre ana from back OF these bodies loaded
and fired my muskct Til tie enemy left our
front.
Ny knowledge Of these facts makes me
sure that General Howard should credit some
other person with aiding him at that time. In
this battle my second lieutenant, William
Cc1ltis, was wounded IN the thigh but was
able TO get OF the field, and may have helped
General Howard CBAE- 4. FULLER.
. Lent. Co. c. 6lst \. L. Vols
SHERBVR1E, n T.
General Howard, to whom the above among
other letters relating TO the events described
1n mis- monographs was submitted, writes as
follows: have always attributed the aid
which ] received 10 Lieutenant Mcintyre.
called him captain by mistake. The lieutenant
did not leave his company at all / was close
10 the regiment, and It did not take three
minutes to lift me from my wounded horse.
Tie reason did not give the record OF the
9th New Hampshire and Long Island regiments
at Fair Oaks was because / did not have il in
any detail The same was true Of two or three
other regiments which aid brilliant service
have since been furnished with many facts
concerning them, and 50, before republication,
VIII endezvor 20 rectify any injustice. But
think comrades viii understand that in these
monographs can only use regiment mere and
there as q sample. II ! can deal with the divis-
50ns and briGades fairly. quite sure that
other comrades Of the service viii supply all
Deficiencies "-ED