The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-02-26
NAGLEE'S OLD BRIGADE.
It's Splendid Services in the Peninsular Campaign

II
To THE EDITOR There has been much said
and written of Naglee's Brigade, especially OF
the part it took in the first days fighting at
the battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines. i have
been a reader of your valuable paper for many
years. and / have not seen Naglee's Brigade
spoken Of in connection with any action, except
the one above spoken of; but in looking over
my old papers / find a copy of a General Order
issued by Naglee after he had been put in COM
mand of a division, which in a brief way sums
up the services of the brigade from the open
ing of the Peninsular campaign to the time OF
our entering the CarOlinas and think it will
prove interesting to many of your readers.-S.
w. TAYLOR, Co. A, SD Pa, Harveyville, Pa.
HEADQUARTERS NAGLEE1s DIVISION,
NEW BERNE, n. c., Jan. 8, 1863.
General Orders, No 8.
The several regiments of the late First Brigade,
commanded by Gen. Naglee, will inscribe upon
their banners the following names, indicating inn
portant events in the history of the war In which
they acted a conspicuous part, namel y:
Lees Mills April, 1s62-I0ith and SD Pa, 18th
Williamsburg, May 5, lS62-108th and 52d "a,
18th Me-, Seth and Tooth n. Y.
Chickahominy, May 10, 1s62-10ath and SD Pa,
1Ith Me-, Seth and Tooth n. Y.
Reconnaissance to Seven Pines, May "a, 25 and
26 1s62-lOith and SD Pa, lth Me-, 56th and Tooth
Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks. May 81, 1s62-IOith
and SD Pa, 1Ith Me-, Seth and Tooth n. Y.
Railroad and Bottoms Bridges, June "a and %,
1S62-l0ath and SD Pa. 18th Me-, 5dth and Tooth
White Oak Swamp Bridge, June 80. 1s62-Io4th
and SD Pa: llth Me-, 56th and Tooth n Y ,,,
Carters Hill, July 9, lS62-l0ith and SD Pa, 18th
Me-, seth and lOOth N. Y.
Matthews County, Nov. %, 1ss2-11th Me. and
SD Pa, and Independent N. Y. Battery.
Seth and lG0th n. Y.
Yorktown Va, Aug L to Dec 81 lss2, 10th
n. Y, and Independent n y. Battery.
The General lately commanding the Brigade
most happily takes this occasion to congratulate
the officers and soldiers with whom he has been SO
intimately associated.
Whilst memory lasts it will continually recnr to
the scenes OF deprivation and danger ana blood
and battle through which you have passed, and
you will remember your inexperIence and d1scon-
tent and then your discipline and happy utilization.
All will remember with regret the deadly effects of
the swanips before Yorktown. You were the first
in the advance upon Williamsburg, and when
ordered to support Gen. Hancock the enemy gave
up the contest
Or the 18th OF May ut Bottoms Bridge you
wsded waist deep in the swamps OF the Chicka-
hominy, you drove away the enemy, and were the
first to that On the 23d l7o of your
number made "A reconnaissance from Bottoms
Bridge to the James River, near Drury's Bluff, and
returned, bringing valuable information On the
2ith 18th and Goth, after other troops had failed
you made the gallant dasbng reconnaissance of
the Seven Pines. driving the superior force OF Gen
Stuart from Bottoms Bridge to within four and q
half miles of Richmond, the position nearest that
city occupied by our troops.
On the Dist of May, at Fair Oaks. or Seven Pines,
occupying the above advanced position, your brl-
gade made the most desperate bloody, obstinate
fight of the war, and while we mourn the loss OF
one half of comrades-ia-arms you have the
consolation of knowing that by their heroic sacri-
fee and your stubborn resistance you saved the
Army Of the Potomac from great disaster On the
eth 2sth and 2!th of June the rebel Gen. jackson
hurled his immense force suddenly upon our right
and passed that flank of the army and all turned
with extreme solicitude towards the rear at Bot
TOMS Bridge, which, if crossed. would result in
irretrieyable ruin; and it should be source, OF
great pride and satisfaction in the future to remem-
Der that all this intense anxiety was dspeed and
all breathcd with relief and felt secure when it
rapidly through the army that Naglees Brigade
had destroyed the bridges and stood night and day
for three days in the middle of Chickahominy sue
cessfnlly and continually resisting its passage.
Again. on the following day, you held post of
the greatest importance and danger, at the White
Oak Swamp: the most determined efforts of the
enemy to cross the bridge in pursuit of our army
were thwarted by our artillery, and you stood for
10 hours supporting it, quiet spectators OF the most
| terrific cannonadc, while other regiments We're
only kept in place by being ordered back when
they approached your line. Refreshing all night,
you stood ready in position on the following day
expecting to be ordered to take part in the battle
| at Malvern Hill. Retreating again all night, at
Carter's Hill, the I'd of July, you stood by the
artillery and wagon train and when all expected
| it would be destroyed, you brought it safely to
| Harrison's Landing
salt works in Matthews County, Va, and drove
the rangers from that and Gloucester, Middlesex,
and King and Queen Counties, captured large
herds intended for the rebel army, and destroyed
| all their barracks, stables, and stores.
| At Yorktown, from August to the end of Decem-
ber you have restored the works at that place and
Gloucester Point, and they are, by your labor
| dered strong and defensible
Thus is yours the honor of being first to cross
| and last to leave the Chckahominy; and while
you led the advance from this memorable place to
near Richmond. you were last in the retreatng
| column when, after seven days constant fighting
it reached place of security and rest at Harrisons
| Landing
Your descendants for generations will boast of
the gallant conduct of the regiments to which you
belong, and, when all laid in the dust. history
will still proclaim the glorious deeds performed by
| you.
| A new page in your history is about to be writ
| ten; let it be still more brilliant than that already
| known. Your past good conduct has the
warmest esteem and confidence of your late Bril-
gade Commander; he has no apprehension for the
/ future.
By command of
! Brig Gen HENRY NJ NAGLEE
| Commanding Division.