The National tribune., 1885-10-22
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
DURYEA'S CRED LEGS"
The Reputation Of the 5til n. Y. Ably Defended
and Established.


The Reputation Of the 5ti n. Y. Ably Defended
and Established.
To TIE EDITOR: In your issue of Oct. l
notice a communication from Edward Boyle,
Co. ID, 9th u. S. Inf, from which / make the
following extract. 1t is in relation to the bat
tie of Gaines's Mill:
sr had chance TO see a number OF them
18th carried strctchers TO the rear, and the
remarks were made that each wounded ZouGve
seemed TO require rs many 10 carry him of as
he were "a heavy man as Daniel Lambert stood
close TO Gen Warren when Capt Hendrlckson Old
Tommy ~ said 20 him: Colonel, where is your
reyiment?n The other replied by saying: don't
know where 81 \ of them are this minute" He was
then mounted on a splendid gray charger, and
dressed in Al cons, iCuuus UNIFORM ana although
the missiles were falling in showers III dangerous
proximity 10 him. he seemed as calm, composed
aud unru:I,ed as Macaulay's phlegnatc hero, VIII
liam of Orange
The remark attributed to Gen. Warren by
Comrade Boyle / consider q compliment and
not a slur On the Zouaves, his favorite regiment
the regiment that he and the able officers
under him had trained with so much care and
zeal for Il months in all tue details that per-
tain to the art of war. In fact, it had arrived
to such state of perfection that in discipline
and drill 1t had almost become machine. We
had been battling and under fire for long time
and had made two charges at least before the
9th Regulars were sent to support us.
will here quote from the correspondent OF
the New York Times: The Duryea Zouaves
were the first attacked" Every soldier who
was ever in an engagement knows full well
that there arc always some whose hearts fail
them and who will get out If they can by any
trick or device; hence, Comrade Boyles inuen-
does about the weight Of the wousded Zouaves
1t seems that he himself lugged off a wounded
comrade on his back. We all know that there
were some who wore the garb of soldiers, but
were so only in name they had mistaken their
calling.
Tie last charge of the 9Th was made under
the following circumstances: After the lst ). Z.
Rifles were so badly cut up and retired, the
other regiments of Gregg's (Confederatel Bri-
gade came up and formed partly in the edge OF
the woods and young pines to the right and
partly on the open ground. We had already
suffered severely, and our ranks were being
Trimmed from a deadly fire from these troops,
but still there were scores Of SireS LETT and it
was high time, after our long struggle against
odds that fresh regiment should take our
place as our enemies had been e-enforced.
At this juncture our line began to waver, see
ing which Serg't Berrian who carried the regi-
mental fiag, strobe boldly forward alone anum-
Der of PAGES in front of the regiment, and planted
the staff of his colors in the ground. He was
Immediately Joined by Serg't Allison, (who
carried the u. S. lag,) an English soldier of the
Crimean war, and who was subsequently killed
at second Bull Run. The officers called to them
to come back, fearing that the enemy might
make a rush from the woods and capture their
colors They were idle fears, for they could
Only have been taken over the bodies of scores
of SKIES who would have fought to the last to
preserve them.
When the men realized the bravery of this
act they gave terrible yell, and with one &C
cord sprang forward on a desperate charge,
which completely broke the line Of the enemy
in their front and sent them flying to the rear
demoralized and panicstricaen. Some even
threw away their arms. The impetuosity eff
this charge necessarily broke up our formation
somewhat and carried some of us into the
woods and young pines, where we saw the
ground thickly strewn with the dead and
wounded soHs of the South. This could have
been the only time that Gen. Warren made the
remark attributed to him by Comrade Boyle.
We were far to the front of the rest of our
troops the Regulars at this time being in our
rear To the right were the Cd. 18th and 14th
O. S. Inf / don't know where the 9th was,
but am certain they were doing their duty
wherever they might be, as did all the Regu-
lars. The bpgie sounded the recall, and when
the writer returned out of the young pines
and over the open ground he saw regiment
of the Pennsylvania Reserves approaching in
splendid line of battle. He also saw the colOrs
and the main body of his own regiment the
9th land there were many sxes), marching
leisurely and in good order to the rear TO rest.
At this time, the enemy having been defeate
and driven back, at least on our part Of the
line there was a short lull in the conflict. Sy-
piers History of the Pennsylvania Reserve
Corps, p. 227, says:
Gen Reynolds distributed The regiments of his
brigade along the line wherever the battle ragged
the fercest Col. Roberts, with the LIST regiment,
was sent to relieve Duryea's Zouaves, who were
fighting the enemy against terrible odds
open, sandy plain. The field was covered with the
dead and dying, their red uniforms and the pools
of blood on the sand adding 10 the ghastiness
of the scene. Col. Roberts formed his regiment n
few PAGES to the rear, protected by tie crest of
hill, etc.
The writer, on his return from the last
charge OF the 9Th, was obliged to pass through
their lines to join his regiment, which was
marching off as narrated above.
1t would occupy too much space here to tell
of our after-service with the Regulars until
night put an end to the conflict, but suffice it
to say that before we went into bivouac, not
half mile from the battlefield, we were formed
in line for roll-call and counted by our Adju-
tant and found to number - files, or LAG men
with arms in their hands, THAT is 20siXes, after
losing 10 killed and wounded t5G being killed
or died of wounds out of $50 engaged. Some
had been sent TO help the wounded and to guard
prisoners.
Following is some of the evidence-only
small part of that on record and in my posses
sion,-which think from its weight will wash
off all the mud thrown on Us by our facetious
comrade, Edward Boyle, Of the 9th Inf.
Letter from Augustus Meyers, eX-Sergeant,
q. S. Inf, to b. +. Finley, 5th n. Y, Past Com
mander of Sumner Post, New York city, and
President 5th \. 7. Veteran Association. Com
rade Meyers is now engaged in business in New
York, and has prospered:
NEW YORK Oct O. 1885
Twas q member OF Co ID. I'd u. S., al the
battle OF Gainess Mil The 9Th n Y was in action
some time before we were. While supporting
Weeds battery saw them engaging the enemy.
We were then formed on the right of the 5th fac
Ing the woods crossing ravine and small stream
10 get there While there ] noticed Gen. Warren
right up in the front line, a very conspicuous mark
for the enemy. We were afterwards relieved by
the Pa. Bucktais. ] again the 5th in action
about shutdown, some distance in Of their
former position. We were Glso next to them on the
following morning across the Chickahominy where
we remarked their depleted ranks, and compared
losses with theirs. No who knew Gen.
Warren would entertain the idea for moment that
be would allow his regiment to stTaGgle at any
time, particularly IL battle, and the statement Of
Edward Boyle in TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE is SO
erroneous and at variance with the facts in the case
10 be unworthy of further notice in contradiction
Among the Regular troops the 5th ". Y. WAS
looked upon as tic best drilled, disciplined and
most effective volunteer regiment in our army;
and ii was pride and pleasure TO US to have them
In our division, and our esteem for them increased
the longer we knew them.
a few years ago E. A. Perry formerly Ser
geant-Major Of the 18th U. s., who lost his right
arm in Grants CAMPAIGN against Richmond,