The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-06-03

little white church, came down Win HE
company and reported two regiments OF the
enemy coming up back of the church. MAJ.
Lawrence had been disabled previous 10 TINS
engagement, and was not with the regiment,
and Isient.-Col Stink was disabled just as
we started in Adiutant Johnston was the
only officer had t0 assist me at that time.
ordered a retreat, but could not get man
20 move.
THEY WERE ALL BLAZING AWAY,
and i discovered that every officer OF the
125th had q muslzet firing with the men. i
ordered the Adiutant down the line to direct
the men TO fall back, or they would be all
captured, hut the brave boy soon fell mortally
wounded. BY this time that rebel yell, so
well known TO us afterward, sounded above
the din OF battle On they came in SOLID
columns like an avalanche that threatened 70
sweep all before it. yet the regiment wOnld
not move / yelled at the top OF my voice,
and very likely said something else, but the
men kept firing away into The surging mass
in their front until the Confederate column
came so close as TO shout for us to surrender.
Then the l25ih broke on p run TO the rear.
By this time one OF the Confederate regl-
ynents that came up back Of the church had
passed half its length in rear Of our regl-
ment. marching in column of tours, and the
right of orr regiment was running toward
Ricletts's battery. that we had been support
inc before we were ordered into the woods.
i passed through the Confederate regiment
right at lis colors. j raised my hand TO seize
The flag. but something told me had better
not, and j dropped my hand and Jostled
through the ranks. They spoke not WORD.
asked Gen. lmboden, since the war, how that
happened. and he told me that they thought
we were COnfederates charging on that Dat-
tery. So many of their men wore blue coats,
and the rest Of their column was night on
our heels. they took il for granted that we
were Coniederates. If had taken their
cOlOTs il is. more than likely we would all
have been captured. We went through un-
molested however, and called to our men TO
run between the sections of the guns.
Just rs we were passing between the guns
saw the gunners ram two charges of canis-
Ter into each gun and fire into the gray
column. They cut swaths through the
ranks, but did not appear TO check them IN
the least On they came, and the battery
had to Timber up and we all went back at
lively gait about twO-thirds of the way
across the field. Here the battery wheeled
into position and opened fire on the Conled-
crate column, which was by this time
BROUGHT TO A HALT
by Gen. German striking ii on its flank with
his brigade and another brigade that had
come across the fields very rapidly and
struck il in front and flank on Germans
left With the assistance Of Rickettss bat
terry they drove them back into the oak
grove.
The i25th Pa had by this time formed on
It's col0rs. which Capt. W. w. Wallace was
waving. He had carried the cOlOrs out OF
the oak grove after its bearer had been
killed and all the color-guard killed or
wounded. just at that time an officer came
gall0ping up to me. lie was bareheaded,
and said ia an excited tone Of voice.
"Col0nel for Gods sake come and save my
battery. The enemy is charging on il and i
have no support. My horses are all shot
down and / cannot get my guns away"
He pointed in the direction Of his battery,
down across the corniield, near some stacks
of grain OF hay. j saw the situation at a
glance and gave the command Attention
Column forward -DOuble-quick-M March
in very short time we reached the battery
under Storm of bullets, but not moment
too soon. The rebels appeared to be just
reaching for the guns. We poured terrible
fire into them with telling effect, and the
few artilleTymen that were left with the
battery redoubled their energy. IL they ever
did any fast firing il was at that time. We
soon drove the enemy back with great
slaughter. Now IL this was Battery A, LIST
R. j., that Comrade s. w. Aldrich of Hiawa-
tina, Kan. spoke Of in a recent issue Of TIE
NATIOgAL TRIBUNE, be wiz see that il was
the l2Jlh Pa. that saved that battery at
Aniieiam Sept. IL, 1862.
just after we drove the enemy back was
tapped on the shoulder. On looking around
saw a man with a slouch hat on and a cape
over his shoulders. lie said:
Colonel, that is right You arrived here
tust in ame. What regiment in thisfp
told him, and he then asked what regi-
ment that was back at the woods IN our rear.
and told him the 124th Pa. Col. Hawley.
who was severely wounded He ordered me
10 90 and bring that regiment up and form a
second line, nnd 20 hold this position al all
hazards j did not know who he was that
was addressing me, and ] told him what
command j belonged 10 and irOra whom ]
received orders. lie said:
"Iel y0ur commanding officer that Gen
Franklin ordered you to do this, and il will
De all rightD
Then, Of course, saluted him and obeyed
the order. We did hold that position until
darkness put a stop to the fight My mer
sank 70 the ground and lay there all night
80 close 70 ihe enemy that we could hear
them talking. The officers and men were
nearly worn out from the fighting Of the day
We were brought into action early in tht
morning. and had not been relieved ono,
during the whole day.
j had seen some brave regiments stand ~
IN the battles in Mexico, and saw mann
Others during the war of the rebellion afte
Antietam, but never saw any 70 surpass
THOSE YOUNG MEN on THE I25TH PA.
in that oak grove near the little whit
church. From the time that we were or
dered 10 support Ricketts, battery, did no
Zee any 0f the commanders OF our corps tina
day, bot Col. Knipe and Gen. Crawford knew
where We were.
Aboui 8 O'Clock that night Cen. Crawfor.
sent an Orderly after me 70 report 10 him il
person. The Orderly piloted me across th
fields aud down 10 a farmhouse. where
found Gen. Crawford lying under a TIRE,
wounded he took me by the hand am
said:
Colonel, ] am glad 10 see you. ] kno,
what yOur regiment did to-day. You wer
farther into the cnemys lines than any Oihc
regiment In The Army Of the Potomac
asked him why we were sent in ia
woods without any support He replie
that he had understood that our troops WEI
ln the woods. and he sent our regiment
support them. lie had learned since fhi
the l25th Pa, was there alone, doing all TIA
fQhfiug 10 Esfd.