The National tribune., 1885-10-22

Duryea's zousves, clad in crimson breaches and
| winning the admiration OF the army.
Cen McClellan's report to the Secretary of
| War:
My Regulars were superb and count upon what
| are left to turn another battle in company with
| their gallant comrades of the volunteers IL G.,
| 9Th and 10th n. y.
Extract from Gen. Sykess report July q,
| 1862:
At p. m. directed Col. Warren to
| throw forward his skirmishers ard feel the enemy
| In The ravine. pesultory firing began, which soon
deepcned into q continuous roar, unvaryiDg and IN
i creasing until darkness in and the conflict ceased
nthisi interval, between land p the enemy had
brought his reserves, repenished his ammunition
and under of the forest heretofore mentioned,
| not one but many, each of which met and re-
pulsed with steady vaor that could not be sur
passed In tnesc attacks the oth ~ y uhaer L'sut
Col. Hiram Dnryea. and ID, 9Th, 18th and 18th u 3
| Inf were especially conspicuous. The 9Th n. Z.
were the peers of any troops on that hard-fought
field The 18th and 18th u. S. inf under Maj CIitz
| and Capt O'Connell advanced in the most perfect
order in line, herocally aiding Warren's Brigade
| 9th and 10Th n. ", drove the enemy from our
| left and center far into the woods beyond.
Report of Gen. G. K. Warren, July 4, 1862.
Very interesting, but too long to insert in full ::
| About 1890 a. m. these arrangements
were complete, and we waited the approach OF the
| enemy. Inc weather was very warm. S..,,,
| should now think it was nearly p. m Suddenly
| a regiment burst from the woods with loud yells,
| advancing at double quick upon The 9Th NY,
which had been drawn back To be out of the fire OF
our own artillery, rapidly reformed to meet them
on first position The enemy received portion
OF the fire Of the 10th N " as he came rapidly on,
| and when he neared the 5th n. y. we charged
| back turning his charge into a flight, killing and
wounding nearly all of those who fed This charge
| of the enemy had also been accompanied by w
orous attack on our position in the woods, and as
| advanced received heavy fire from the
enemy stationed in them. Our men, nothing
from it. The brigade 18th and 10th \. " was re-
formed las well as the confusion produced by this
charge would allow in its first position, and again
il successfully repulsed the advance of the enemy
| driving him back to the woods in front, up to
which point the colors of the 9Th n Y were twice
carried. During this part of the fight the artillery
on both sides was silent. The enemy continued to
| throw forward fresh troops The gallant Maj. Clitz
engaged them on the right. The 9Th Regular Int.
came to re-entorce me- and placed them in posi-
ton. Gen. Reynolds also came up now with his
brigade pa Reserves), and withdrew my shat
tered regiments.
After describing our after-movements on the
field, supporting batteries, ETC.:
| We We're much concerned to the
cause of the cheering which took place in our rear
| by the regiments of French's and Meagher's Bri-
| gades, fearing they were rebel force that had
| succeeded in getting in our rear From the begin
ming of the battle Till nigh: brought it to close we
were almost constantly under fire, of which fact
believe tte General Sykes was a witness.
Lieut-Col. Hiram Duryea's report, July 4,
1862:
! The enemy did not appear again for
| about an hour; the batteries meanwhile continued
| to play upon u.s. thinning our ranks perceptibly.
| Agreeably with your orders, again changed
position, forming line of battle in the road. Shortly
| after the enemy emerged in force from the woods
on our left, and We then resumed our former posi-
ton on the crest of the hill. OF the charge which
| the regiment then made, in which Col. Warren and
field officers (mounted) took part in leading, 1t Is
unnecessary for me to report. Suffice II that the
enemy were driven in confusion from the field, and
the fngatves We're snnhased by our Ie
| musketry from the woods the most deadly fire
being carried on by both sides, they several tpes
appearing on the field i'll force. They fought bravey
and contested the ground with great stubbornness.
Our line several times forced to yield, which 1t
did in good order, before greatly superior force
| but as often advanced and regained the ground at
| the point of the bayonet We occupied the ground
I'll! re-enforcements came to our support and held
IL; when we were relieved, and ordered to support
batteries of field artillery right, which did
until $50 delivering effective fire whenever
the enemy approached, and suffering considerably.
Night having set in and firing having ceased the bat
terles were Withdrawn, and we retired rom the field
We were in the engagement eight and a. half hours,
| the greater part of the time under very severe
| fire.
- Iwish to mention the gallant conduct of
| the following officers: Their GOODNESS was
particularly shown in preparing for the last CHARGE
| just previous to which-the regiment being very
much thinned-the ranks were closed and told of
| with great GOODNESS under a most terrific fire.
The writer desires to say here that there
| We're scores of skies left.
Among the non-commissioned officers,
whose meritorious acts came under the notice
of myself and officers" Col. Duryea mentions
| Color-Sergt Andrew B. Allison, who bore the
national flag, which was pierced by eight balls, one
| of which nearly severed the staff; Coior-Serg't
John II. Berrian, who bore the regimenta standard,
which was pierced by IL balls, one of which entered
! the staff We went into action about $50
| strong. You will observe that our loss amounts
to 30 per cent of the number that took into the
field. So During all these trying scenes the men
| under my command have maintained spirit of
cheerfulness ana determination, yielding none of
! their discipline or sodierly pride.
The following letter from Surg JOS S. Smith,
| U. S. A., speaks for itself. The letter is IN
dorsed, "Sent to me by Col. Warren, then Act
| ing Brigadler General, / being in command of
the regiment in the actions referred toll.
Duryea, Lieutenant Colonel, commanding 5th
n Y"
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE PoToMAc. /
| July %. 1862.
Coz G. K. WARREN: While within the Confed-
crate lines was much gratified at often hearing
the highest praise bestowed upon your gallant reg
through all grades, they ali conceded that they
never had seen the superiors of the red legs for
unnnchiDg courage and GOODNESS.
Yours, with respect, Jos. s. SMITH,
Asst Surgeon, U. S. A.
| The writer has received numerous letters
since the war from prominent Generals, who
were actors therein. All of them speak in the
highest manner of the services of the 9th N.
Y. during their full term of service. Under
date of Dec. 5, 1877, Gen. Mcclellan, says:
on so many fields certainly merit being handed
down, etc.
Maj.-Gen. ii. E. Davies, of the cavalry, says:
know Of no regiment that had better record
for courage, galautry, discipline, and faithful
ice throughout the war, etc.
Gen. George Sykes who commanded the d.
vision of Regulars and subsequently the Fifth
Corps at Gettysburg, ETC., writes from Fort
Brown, Tex, April l5 1873:
My opinion of the 9Th n Y never changed
doubt whether IT had an equal, certainly supe-
ror among all the regiments of the Army of the
Potomac. Its deathroll and list of casualties will
tell how and where il stood better than any words
of its commanders. / have always maintained it
TO be the best volunteer organization ever knew.
Gen. Sykes graduated at West Point Acad-
envy in 1912 Was in the Seminole and other
Indian wars, the war of Mexico and our late
war, and died in command of the Department
Of Texas in 1890 after continuous service in
the army of 40 years. He was stern dsci-
plinarian and one of the old school, man of
unfiinching bravery, GOODNESS, and courage
else he would not have been in the command
of all the U. S. Regulars o. the Army of the
Potomac. There are many other letters in my
possession, among them a number from Gen.
Warren, all to the game purport; but / have
taxed my comrades time too much already to
publish them here.-ALFRED DAVENPORT, 21S
West SSth street, n. Y. City.
The Eleventh Corps at Charlottesville.