The National tribune., 1886-06-17
THE "DEVIL'S DEN"
A Maine Man Talks 10 Capt. Smith Over The NJ
tiOnal Tribune's Telephone.

A Maine Man Talks 10 Capt. Smith Over The Nh-
tiOnal Tribune's Telephone.
To THE EDITOR: In late issue Of your val
uable paper / saw communications from Com
rades HanfOrd, Tucker aud Bradley, late men,
bers Of the l2ith MY, giving brief description
of the part taken by said regiment az the Devils
Den on the extreme left Of the Union lines at
Gettysburg, July ?, 1853. Also the part taken
by Capt J. L. Smith, 4th ". Y. battery, the
l24th n. Y. claiming to be the entire support
of said battery, and barely mentioning the 4th
Me- being about there somewhere.
Now, this sketch was SO one sided or at least
seemed so to me, that l could imagine voice
from the tomb would rise up and demand that
justice be awarded where justice belonged But
as / never attempted 10 write newspaper aTti-
Gle waited for someone else 10 come TO the
rescue, until, in your issue o. March 4, Capt.
Smith comes to the front. claiming for his bat
terry aud the l2ith ". Y the honor Of compos-
ing the entire defense of the left Of the line at
the Devils Den, when forbearance ceased to
be virtue, and / make this feeble attempt in
defense OF as gallant regiment as ever marched
TO battle under such heroes as thoir Colonel
afterwards Major General Hiram G. Berry
Sedgwick, Birney, Kearny, Ward, Dc TrO-
BRAND, Hooker, and the gallant and lamented
Hancock. / don't wish to accuse any Of the
comrades Of claiming what belongs TO others
yesterday, and / have nothing but praise for
the manner in which both organizations con.
Quoted themselves at that hell upon earth, the
Devils Den, but must claim and try to main.
tain what rightfully belongs to the stanch old
4th Me-
Now. my brave Captain, want you to try
to recollect that Gen. Brney, our old brigade
commander, in person marched the 4th Ne
directly to the left and rear Of your battery, the
nf fbn fla hat
aud connecting with the left Of the I2ith y
Y. / heard the General tell our Colonel 10 hold
the position as long as he had one man left
This was about s o'clock n m. Our regiment
numbered present 230 men, but 80 were sent e
the left into the woods as pcllet-line and
were not engaged leaving 200 men actually
engaged. Very soon Hoods Division moved
against that portion Of the lines, and terrible
artillery duel took place. Capt. Smiths battery
got short of men, SO he was unable 10 work al
Of his guns 10 their full capacity, and several o
my company were sent to him to do what they
could 10 help him keep them at work.
When the shock Of that infantry charge
struck Us we were almost annihilated. We
held them in check in our immediate front be-
hind the stone wall at the foot Of the hill, but
they swept around our left aud up through the
gulch and took US ia left and rear and scattered
US Ike chat, capturing Capt Smiths guns and
pany with the I28th n. Y, entirely from that
portion of the field. with a small portion Of the
4th Ne, 56 being all that remained of the 20(
engaged. We lost 50 in killed and wounded
including our Colonel aud Major and seyera
other commissioned officers and s. taken pris
oners, including several more commissioned Off
GERS, some Of whom helped TO dig, and mad,
their escape through, the famous tunnel ont o.
Libby Prison. There was one Of Berdan's Sharp
shooters with our regiment, and he was a brave
man. Being a good maFksman, he fred fol
three Of rs 20 load, until he was badly Woundec
and went TO the rear. IL be should happen 4
sec this sketch, / should like to hear from him
] was among the weary, foOtsore squad thai
n rchcd from Gettysburg 70 StaGnt0n, bein.
fed but three times during II days, and at las
/ found ourselves on Belle Isle, where ] feastes
FOR some - days, going from IS5 pounds down
10 100; still, being more fortunate than MANI
Others, who are there yet covered IN sand
Now, hope 10 hear from Capt. Smith again
after he has refreshed his memory, and see how
near / have come 70 the mark. ID. TAsKER
/ Co. i, Ith Ne, East Jackson, Waldo Co., BE.