The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-07-18
THE WILDERN ESS.
The Turning of the Right Flank May 0, 1864.

Corps He certainly has stretched his memory,
or is altogether ignorant of the position the
Third Division held that day. / have not read
the article of Comrade Brewer, therefore am
not qualified to judge of his version of the
question in hand. j win say, however, that
when man who carried che musket claims to
know what were the positions held by the diff
ferent divisions, brighdess or regiments espe-
cialy those outside OF his own particular divis-
ion, brigade, or regiment in any engagement
particularly those fought in the Wilderness, that
of May 6 included must say he had better
facilities to gain knowledge than fell to the lot
Of most of tho rank and file.
The First Brigade, Third Division, Sixth
Corps, was made up of the following regiments:
The 10th VT, 1dth N. j., S7th Pa, l06th and
15lSt NJ Y. Now, rs the time between the
crossing of the Rapidan and the evening hI
question is so short, let me give our movements
up to and including May 6. We made the
crossing of the river at Germania Ford little
before dark May q, and went into camp short
distance from its banks. Immediately after
dark my regiment (the 15fst N. " was ordered
out on picket, and we established the line
along the banks of the stream somo distance
above the ford We remained ms pickets on
this line until about or 8 a. III. May 5. when
we were assembled and Joined the rest of our
brigade, which had taken up the line of march
in tho direction of Robnson's Tavern. Before
reaching there, however, we were deployed as
skirmishers, forming the line on the right in
heavy timber, and advancing about half u mile
from the road on which we had been marching.
Remaining on this line until about 2 or 3
o'clock p. m we we're relieved by troops be-
longing to Burnside's (Ninth) Corps, when we
again started in the direction OF Robinson's
Tavern. We arrived in its vicinity about
p. M, filing off to the right of the road nearly
opposite to it, taking position in rear Of troops
said 10 be the 10th N. Y, which we were told
had been badly cut up earlier in the day. aud
were now iutrenched behind earthworks par
TALLY encircing small hill, and facing south
in the direction of Fredericksburg. short
time before dark the Third Division took up
the line of march on the plank road running
between the Tavern and Fredericksburg, being
warmly shelled by section of rebel battery
stationed on a slight elevation in the road about
half mile in our front. We were marching
i'm column by fours, and watching the fash of
the guns, tho whole line would drop fat OH the
ground as one man, and as the shell passed
over would all rise, moving off like clock
work; few If any were injured by their she'll
Ing. As wo continued to advance they with
drew, tax ing their guns with them. The road
either side was lined with timber and thick
nnderbrush, rendering il almost impossible for
troops to advance in line of battle, otherwise
it probably would have been the proper caper"
to have nanked and captured the above section
of artillery.
We fled of to the right of the road near
where the enemy had been, hating in dense
growth of timber and underbrush mostly pine),
aud it being now dark we lay on our arms
until nearly daylight, when we again moved
forward some distance, approaching the edge
of timber about daylight, established our line
OF battle back from, while the skirmsh line
was just within the edge of, the woods. The
left OF the i5ist ". Y. rested on the Fredercks-
hu ha Int har 81, If hat
regiment the line turned nearly at right am
giles, the rest of the Third Division forming on
its right. We understood at the time that the
Second Division joined on the right of the
Third, while the First Division was back near
R0bnson's Tavern. strengthening and extend.
ing the earthworks mentioned above. IL was
while we were in this position the Third Divis-
ion was charged on by the enemy, fed in con-
fusion, lost two Generals and disappointed the
hopes OF the 9TH Ne. somrade. according to
his account Now, let Us SEQ II the facts in the
case will bear out hts assertion.
The open field in our front was about half
mile across it running up 10 heavy timber. in
which the rehs were IN force. We were not
allowed 70 expose ourselves 10 view nor fro a
gun. The enemy, however continually shellcd
our position throughout the day. aud many
boy rendered up bis life without returning a
shot. If there Is position That soldier
can be placed In that IL more terrible than an
other. IL Ia that where he Is compelled 20 remain
inactive while under heavy fire of musketry
or artillery. Until darkness set In such was
our situation, and we voted IL "a "hell on EARTH
shortly after dark there was heavy mnsketFy
firing right, and We were informed at
the time that the rebs were charging on the
Second Division. The roar OF musketry was
fearful. and We could tell by the direction in
which IL moved that the rebs were driving our
meu before them The Third Division was
hurriedly formed In two lines Of battle, facing
In the direction of the firing Tour rear, our
skirmish.line retaining their original front,
having after dark been advanced into the open
field up TO the edge OF the plank road.
There were no troops 10 our left unless IL
may be- d light picket<lne You will see by
he formation Of tho line that II was somewhat
IN the shape of the letter l.. with the First
Brigade. Third Division, forming tho foot of
| the letter. The charge of the enemy was made
on that part of the line running at right angles
with our front. and held by troops other than
| the Third Division. The division would not
| have been faced 10 their rear" stand waiting
| IN line of battle for mn expected attack from
| that direction IL we had been charged on from
| in front. This we did, fully expecting tho
enemy would swing around and endeayor 10
/ cut US oil after forcing back the troops they
| had charged on. As we stood In this position
i remember seeing Gen. Seymour twho COM
manded our brigade) sitting on his horse be-
| tween tho two lines, and he did not look very
much like captured General.
| The roar OF muaketry suddenly almost ceased,
| but only for a moment, as IL we're, commencing
again with increasing volume but working in
the opposite direction from which IL had been
| going. We learned afterward that n division
OF colored troops belonging TO Burnsides Corps
had been advanced to the support Of the Second
| Division, (which We're being driven back, J and
together they checked the enemy, forcing them
back over the same ground aud re-establishing
their line. The Third Division during all
that day was in the front line, were not
charged on that day, did not lose Gen. Seymour
nor Gen. Smaller, notwithstanding Comrade
Sypherss assertion TO the contrary After the
| Second Division had re- established their line.
the First Brigade, Third Division, assumed
| their original front, the l5lst N Y being sent
out to relieve tho pickets The rebs i'm the
woods on the opposite side of the field could be
plainly seen as they stood around the camp.
| hres, and we could hear them making out their
| detail for pickets. In every way they acted
Jubiiant whistling and singing snatches OF
song, no doubt feeling confident of their ulti.
mate success in the war. While we-uns were
not allowed To have fires, neither through the
day nor night, consequently we had not had a
drop of that most hesirable OF a soldiers ra.
tions--eo1ee; we were, therefore, not in very
happy mood. 81 vi
AT about IL o'clock midnight tho troops ON
our right commenced marching to the left
passing between those of MS on the picket line
and our line Of battle, taking the Fredericks
burg road in the Objection OF Robnson's Tav.
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