Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-03-28

gunsl. under the command of an off.
Ger whose name 10 nsI recollected, a..
sisted by Lieut.. Charlie, Csntes was
ordered to defend the bridge, and
Walkers (Stoaewsll) brigade aud
North Carolina brigade were placed
on the right and left of the bridge in
the railroad cut to support the bat
terry. One Of the guas Of the section
was planted on the bridge on the side
next to the enemy, aud the other
little to the right OF it in the field
and somewhat in advance. The LETT
section Of the battery was placed TO
defend pass some sir or eight hum
dssd yesds - The right and tc inter.
cspt Milroy personally. Il may Be
stated hers that the complement Of
the guns was eight men each besides
the officers aud drivers.
About dawn Milt6y's advance ap.
pearsd IN front apparently unconsci-
Gus that johnson was in the path.
The frst intimatiou they had that the
Confederates were in their front was
q discharge of canister from the sec.
tion at :he bridge at point blank
range. The front regiments were
thus thrown into momsntary confu-
sion, but they rallied gamely. and de.
ploying into line they rushed with q
"hurrah" upon the guns. These were
served rapidly and with deadly effect
while desultory FIRE was kept mp by
the Confederate brigades in support.
Ii may be said right here that neisher
the "S.onewall" nor the North Caro-.
lima brigades supported the battery
as they should have done, nor with
that vim and elan which had won
them credit and honors on MANY hard
fought fields before. The infantry
was completely shielded by the deep
railroad cut. and in this instance they
seemed little loath to leave such a
safe bulwark, and to do what was re.
quired Of them. However, when
mel have fought all of an afternoon
and marched at breakneck pace all
night following. the gaudia certami.
mas, or lust Of battle. is apt to be of q
very cool quality.
Before the rapid and withering hail
OF canister from the guns the first
charge of the Federsls proved sbor-
tive. but the contingent Of the guns
was decimated by the musketry FIRE
and Lieut.. Contee seriously wounded.
Two more desperate charges were
made by the Federal regiments, and
each time the guns belched forth their
deadly spume of canister into the
bosoms Of the advancing line, until
at the last discharge. aided by the
hitherto sluggsrd. but finally thor
oughly awakened, infantry of the bri-
gsde in support, the enemy gave way
in utter confusion to be crushed as it
were between the up;e and neither
milestone, for the other two divisions
Of Ewells corps had been following
fast upon the heels of the retreating
army.
Now, on the final charge, such was
the severity Of the Federal FIRE there
were but two men out of the compile.
ment of twenty-four able to serve q
gun-the one on the bridge had all
of its complement Of men killed or
wounded except one corporal William
May) and private whose name is
no; recoliected. These two men fred
the last round at the discounted ene-
my. OF course the ability Of this
section Of battery to withstand for
so long the assaults of q gallant in
fantry column was greatly owing to
the fact that the infantry had no ar
tillery to hinder or paralyze the aim
of the gunners. for. as has been refer
red to above. Milroy had abandoned
every piece of artillery and every
wagon attached to bis army 10 order
to make bis escape good.
At the end OF the fight il was found
that every officer and man, except
two had been put hors de combat in
the brief space of an half hour or 90.
| don't recollect either reading or
hearing Of such a complete ''cut.aIi-
to-pieces" Of battery or regiment,
unless it be of that devoted Prussian
battery at the battle Of Grayelotte.
where three fourths Of the compile
ment Of men and officers were disa-
bled before they W re relieved. But
they accomplished the object which
they were ordered to do, and 90 did
these Maryland artiiierists at a far
greater loss of brave men in proper.
ton to tn: number engaged. During
the last ten rounds fred (enly two
men loading and firing the gun) Cor.
pofsl May was compelled to ''asrve the
vent; that - to say, 10 place bis
thumb upon the touch hole while the
sponge staff was being Withdrawn
f~,.wzT k..m -