The National tribune., 1885-02-12
THE BUCKTAILS.
ONE Notes in the History of a Gallant Band.

!
| Some Notes in the History OF a Gallant Band.
| To THE EDITOR: The Pennsylvania Reserves
| were mustered into the United States service
some time in July, 1861, after the battle of Bull
| Ruu. From that time till June /, 1854, they
| had an honorable part in every battle of the
| Army of the Potomac except Charlottesville.
| They were not in that battle. Quite number
of recruits Joined the different regiments dur
| ing lc62-63. These recruits and the veterans
| were retained, of course, when the others were
mustered out. We do not know the exact
number of these. 1t is safe to say that they
numbered not less than 1880 in all. They
| were organized into two regimentS-tbe 190th
| and 19Ist Pa. w. K. Hartshorn was commits
| stoned Colonel of the former regiment and j.
| Il. Pattee Lieutenant Colonel of the same Col.
| Carroll commanded the 191st The two reg
ments formed the Third Brigade, Third Divis-
! ion, Fifth Corps. The veterans of the Buck
! tails were in the 190th, and later many, if not
all, of the regiment donned that curious Orna-
! ment. They were known the Bucktails;
| also, as the 1st Pa. Rifles With organization
still incomplete, the brigade was pushed for
ward to the front, and took a part in the terri
| bic fighting at Cold Harbor.
June Is the movement across the Peninsula
| to Petersburg began. During the afternoon of
| the 18th we marched towards Longs Bridge on
| the Chick ahominy. This we crossed about
| daylight OH the morning of the 18th, and
| halted on the other side for breakfast. We
| soon moved Off toward Richmond. The Third
| Division, with some cavalry, was thrown for
ward i'll this direction to deceive the enemy
| and to cover the flank of Grants army while
it was crossing the Peninsula and placing itself
| i'll front of Petersburg. The enemy was at last
encountered somewhere along White Oak
| Swamp. This was about noon, perhaps little
| later. The 190th at once moved forward to
where the cavalry was already holly engaged.
I D., Of tl,n Iar,ln .,t
joined in the fray, while the rest were held in
/ reserve close behind them in slight depres-
sion i'll the field The 19lst was deplOyed in
| similar manner farther to the left, out of our
sight. a battery occupied knoll between US.
| Behind US were woods, and beyond the open
! ground in front was another piece of woods
which sheltered the enemy. The firing was
heavy and continuous, and the enemy evil
! IDENTIFY present in force About p. M. Col.
! Pattee received orders to withdraw his regi-
ment. When this order reached him the 19Ist
had already retired. The battery, however,
still remained. Col. Pattee cOnjectured that
the enemy was about to advance, and judged it
more prudent to receive their charge i'll the
! field. He was not mistaken. Soon their line
| of battle emerged from the woods and rushed
| forward with their accustomed yell. Col. Pat
| tees horse was shot dead under him almost at
| the beginning of the attack. He rallied the
| skirmshers on the reserve and We met them
ranks with grape and canister. They wavered,
broke, and retreated to the shelter OF the
woods. We at once retired to the woods in our
rear, and held the ground till night.
In the evening heavy force of the enemy
was reported moving toward our left. For
this reason, in carrying out the original
| program, we marched i'll the same direction
soon after dark. The march continued until
morning, when we halted at some point not
! far from the James River.
June 10 we crossed the James River on trans
ports. Can any comrade tell at what point we
embarked, or where we landed? On the 18th
we took part in the assault on Petersburg.
Both regiments suffered severely. Col. Pattee
was shot through the chest while calamity
| leading his men against the enemy. Our posi-
| ton on the line was near where Fort Gaskill
was afterwards constructed, and nearly OppO-
site the fort which was mined and blown up in
July. We were exposed to an almost constant
artillery fire, and bullets from the rebel lines
| killed and wounded men in the riflepits The
| picket-pits were very close to those of the
enemy, and casualties were very frequent
| June 70 the brigade was withdrawn for
| days rest. Coils HartshOrn and Carroll now
returned and took command of their respective
| regiments. Then we moved to the front on.
the Jerusalem plank road, where Fort Sedg-
| wick was built. This tort was aptly named
I" Fort Hell by the soldiers. Our next posi-
ton was farther back on this road, and, finally,
much farther TO the left, deplOyed as picket
line. This the boys called the long picket"
The Second Corps had fought here June %
| with their usual valor, but not with their usual
success. Many OF the dead had been but slightly
! buried, and the rains had washed the soil from
the bodies. CHASTITY heads shriveled and dis
| torted limbs protrUdng from the'slalOw graves
| proclaimed with startling elOquence the in
| humanity of war.
Shortly after coming to Petersburg we were
armed with the Spencer rifle. We gave the
credit OF bringing this about to Gov. Curtin, of
| Pennsylvania.
Then came the battle of Weldon Railroad
Aug. IS and 10. We will not inquire who was
| responsible Tor the disaster which overlook the
| brigade in this battle. If any wish to ask or
| answer that question, the pages of The TRIB-
| UNE will no doubt be open TO them. Whatever
concerns these two regiments will interest all
the survivors of that gallant divislOn,-the
| Reservcs,-with whose honor we felt our own
identified. Suffice it TO say that on the 10Th,
after heavy loss, a majority OF the two resi-
mcnts were made prisoners, and with them the
two commanding officers. Your correspondent
intimates that practically the entire brigade
was blotted out, and hence none were left to
| fight at Appomattox. This is incorrect. Many
OF them escaped by taking desperate chances.
| Two days later, under Capt Birkman, of Co.
| 4, they gave good account of themselves on
the same field, iniiicting on the enemy bloody
repulse.
Those of the two regiments who escaped
capture Aug 10, together with eonvalescents
who Joined them later, numbered about 500.
These acted together as one regiment, though
retaining their distinctive Names until the
close of the war; fought in every battle, and
acquitted themselves as true soldiers and brave
men. This service is ignored, not by an
/ anonymous scribbler alone, but by men who
were able by circumstance of position to infict
a wound where it was least deserved. In the
| archives of our native State-so we are credbly
| infOrmed-we have no credit for service subse-
| quent to the battle at Weldon Railroad. Who
is to blame? CHI bOnOl Let those answer who
can. 1t is my task to tell the story of what
! we saw and did while our comrades were en-
during-not less bravely-the horrors of the
prisOn-pens of the South.-REv. r. Il. MCBRIDE,
MOrganville, Kan.
Young Enough.
To THE EDITOR: | lay no claim to being the
| Il