The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-06-14
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have 70 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE WILDERNESS.
The Turning Of the Eight Wing OF the Army.

The Turning OF the Eight Wing OF the Army.
FDYroR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: As ] have
never read any account Of the turning Of the
right wing of the Army Of the Iotomae May O.
1851 i'm the wilderness, wall try aud give you
q history OF what passed under my observation.
Orr regiment the 6th Nd belonged TO the
Second Brigade, Third Division, Sixth Corps,
and was engaged with the rest OF the brigade
in repnlsing a charge OF the rebels during the
forenoon Of the 9Th of May. About the mid
die of The day we were all moved toward the
right Of the army, our division being the right
OF the army except Gen, ShaleFs Brigade, oil
the First Division, which vas on the extreme
right with the flank refused. Our regiment
was assigned 10 this brigade for duty during
the late afternoon, near the center OF the brl-
gade and Just 10 the left OF the l22d n. j. All
the regiments TO our left had fair line OF works
thrown up IN their front. We bad not been
there long before the shovel aud pick were passed
10 those regiments on our right, and they had
finished their works, leaving our Immediate
front unprotected. As soon as We had got on
the line we deployed q heavy skirmlsh-line
and bad a very warm time ali the afternoon,
and had lost q number of killed and wounded.
As the evening approached sat down to make
out a detail irOm the regiment 10 relieve our
EkirmisheTs when the New York boys on our
left came TO me and said they would help TO
1Ortify the space IN front Of our regiment, and
had done all or the left Of a rayine that ran at
right angles across our line 10 the rear, and
were just in the act OF passing the tools over
the raVine to the boys on the right when All
of sudden the rebel yell broke upon our
ears. Col j. w. Horne, Of our regiment, had
severe bilious spell and was suffering from the
headache, and was lying between our works
aud the skirnish-iiue. lie was at once on hls
feet, and asked me what was up. But before
had time to reply the rebels began 10 break
4f- n frraTa isca
flank OF Shaer's Brigade. A short time before
this occurred Gen. Seymour, Gen. Shaier and
Col Smith, OF the 126fh Ohio, bad passed 10 the
right and when they reached the ravine before
Famed, had hitched their horses TO the limbs
overhead and when the rebels advanced they
were caught in the overlap OF their line and
Gems. Seymour and Shalcr were captured, Col.
Smith escaping and As he rode up III the rear
o. our line there was vOiey alter volley fired
after them. During this time they had also
advanced in our immediate front and had artil-
leTy Cd what had been our sklrmlsh-line lew
minutes before, aud as We were driven back BY
the flank movement, they advancing IN three
lines and firing rs they came on, the artillery
opened with grape and canister, but fortunately
our temporary work com PEELED them TO bre SO
high that the grape passed over our heads and
went tearing aud crashing through the leaves,
many barely clearing our heads. Maj. Prentice,
Lieut.. Hawkins and myself tried 10 rally our
skirmish-line. and could hold the men for q
while; but a voiley would kill some and wound
more, and the line would give way again
and fall back, and again would a stand be
made, but we could Rot stand before the three
advancing lines. Ab0nt this time THAI grand
old hero, Uncle John Sedgwick, appeared upon
the stage Of action, and was standing on log,
and one instant begging the men for Gods
sake 10 rally, and the next moment, as some
oemoEalized soldier came by, he would swear
that unless be stopped he would cut his id
head Of, and with drawn blade he would 60
through the motion. / tarfled with him q
moment aud tried TO assist him. but we found
il useless. ! then told him OF the capture Of
Seymour and ShaleT, and he concluded be had
better get back q little farther and rally them.
I then parted with him, and sOOn reached an
open field OF few acres, where our Colonel had
preceded me, and 8s soon as he saw me he
ordered me TO assist him in making a stand,
and not lar from rs stood Color-Sergeant with
q stand Of cOl0rs. j ran up 10 higI, and found
they were tie col0rs Of the I02d Pa, OF the
Second Division Of our corps, and as 1 grasped
the staff be asked me what j wanted. told him
j wanted his Coi0Ts 10 rally on. With deter
mined look and q flourish he drove the staff
into the ground, and said, +" By God I'll rally
Wfth you, and ne did, aud the line formed
upon those eOlors stayed the rebel advance
sud such line as that was never formed but
position regardless Of company and regiment,
and Lot only TePuised the rebel advance, but
made 4 forward movement aud occupied our
cid iine, aud could have held Il if SO ordered
Many Of them cid not get 10 their respective
commands before me next morning, rs we spenl
the night in expectation OF another assault
About an hour before tie movement began /
had heen 10 cur ielt short distaBee, aud saw
one Of our brigades, formed ii division front
lying on The line and when TIE shock caHe
took u gerg calmly. as l thought tie brigade
had seen would depiOy, and We would ethel
in this / was mistaken, as they had been re
moved, and We did not end Jben 10 form on.
Onelittie incident occurred 10 NE that caused
much merTiBent fer some time after. IL th;
1rst staff Of the rout some one had dropped ;
marked 10 Maj Prentice thai i would give il 4
k0uey, our Fife Major. soon IL jGUl ped out O
my vide tOp-bO0is. where / had stuck u, and
halted long enough 70 get il again. But it wen
the second lime, and leil just ~ trout OF ine
A ! stopped 10 gel i, aud bad NY hand almos
or u, bullet passed between my legs and ca
Of a small pine bush very close to The fife, an,
parted company with that hle then and there
and my old tlle Major never g0l has present
About that time Aaj. Prentice passed ne an,
saw the bush fall, and insisted on NY gettin
tie 1le; bat that bullet had made me lose ~
ear for music for the lime being, aud We has
tened 10 the rear. Only few days after thes
noble commander, UAce John, a. we loved {
call him. ID. Z. BREWER, Ad5't 9Th Nd
Second Brigade, Third Division, Sixth Corps.