The National tribune., 1885-09-24
GETTYSBURG.
The Experience of a Private Of the 1sfth n. \. In
the Battle.

tHC bdttps
To TIE EDITOR: In late issue of THE n A
TIoNAL TRIBUNE you invite minute descrlp-
ton OF an active private soldiers experience
on the battlefield of Gettysburg. l will try
TO give you part of mine. L was second
Sergeant of Co. 3, 12ith n. Y, and together
with the rest of our regiment and diners reacheo
the vicinity of Gettysburg at $50 p NJ, July
], 1863 We lay down in an open held, Win
orders to sleep on our arms, and not take Oh ah
article of clothing or any OF our accoutermehts.
This was hard sauce after such march as we
had had but, soldier like, we had to take it
out in grumbling. Early in the morning Oh
the I'd we got our breakfast, and were tnen
formed in line of battle behind stone wall
an excellent position, we thought No' long
after the order " Forward, march J" was given,
and after crossing one or two heidS we caiie "
the famous Wheatfcld, and by the way, IL was
one of the finest ever saw-the wheat preasG
high and ready to cut,-but we marched
through and over it in line of battle, and on
locking back not a stalk could be found, Tor 1t
was all trodden out of sight. When nearly
through the Wheatfeld the order was given,
"By the LETT flank, march !! and when " Halt J"
was sounded, /, being the extreme left man IN
the regiment, found myself on the rocks al
Devils Den. A battery of brass guns, COM
manded by Capt. Smith, was soon In our midst
On this spot we lounged for some time, taking
it easS. Our Signal Corps was little TO the
left and rear of US, on Little Round Top. Pres-
emily a shell came sbrieking, and bursting near
US we needed no order or invitation to get be-
hind the rocks, but did SO at once. Then lol-
lowed the usual cannonading until the III
fantry of the Confederates got so close as to
pick off all our gunncrs. Then shone out the
bravery of Capt. Smith. When he had not
men enough left TO man the guns, he would
come to US and ask and beg of us to help MIN
fire them. Then he would run back to the
guns, do what he could, and then back to US,
and, with tears in his eyes. would say: FOR
Gods sake, men, don't let them take my guns
away from mel" (Twenty-two years ago, yet
can see his looks and hear his voice YETI U, how
i would like to see him and thank him for
what he then did, and if this meets his eye
would like to have him write to me. But he
did not lose his guns, yet what became OF them
l never knew for at this time We were ordered
| to charge, and charge we did, driving the enc
my back to the foot of the hill. We made four
charges that afternoon and held our ground
until out of ammunition.
little incident happened after our last
charge. As l was kneeling behind rock and
loading my gun a Lieut.. Denniston, of the next
company, had picked up gun, and, there be-
ing rock to my left hand, he jumped over my
arms and caught his toe in my ramrOd, bending
it so / could not use it. ! scolded him for it,
but on looking around ! picked up another
and was in the act of firing his gun when he
was struck by bullet in the leg. With a
cry, ave got it," "Fve got it," he started for
the rear, but before getting far another one
struck him. so he had to be carried off the field.
While / was behind the rock l was struck four
times, but not seriously. My attention was all
the time on an open space, apparently like a
pair of bars In the stonewall at the foot of the
hill, behind which the enemy had taken cover.
Into this space l did the most of my firing, as
it was all the time crowded full of men. After
using up ali my ammunition l went back to
and over the brow of the HILL and there saw
we were about to be relieved by other troops.
What then was left of US passed through the
ranks of the fresh troops, and we made our way
| to the rear. Our regiment, which was raised
in Orange County, n. Y, and was by its Colonel
| (Ellis) called the Orange Blossoms, with the
| aid of citizens of the County, have erected q
| nice monument on the ground where we fought.
| This was all the fighting We were in at this
| battle, as we were so badly cut up as to be
hardly a show of regiment.
i saw in the paper some time since that our
twin regiment, the Seth n. Y, who was on
our right, were going to erect monument on
| the ground, and l hope they will. / think
when the battle commenced on the second day
/ was the last man ON the extreme left Of the
army. / know that at one time the enemy had
passed our left flank and were enfilading us
| but il was only for minute or two. Our regi-
ment holds Reunion each year, the next one
to be in Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y, Sept.
o. wish we could see good number of the
| 9th n. Y. with us.-J. HARVEY HANFoRD,
| Second Scrg't Co. B, 12ith N. Y, Unionville,
Orange Co., n. Y.