The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-17
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
MALVERN HILL.
A PrIrats's RcoollcotiOus Of that Terrible BATH


EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: On the night
OF June %, IS62, the regiment which had the
honor 10 carry muSket in--the 23d Pa. Aber-
crombie's Brigade, ui COUGHS Division-was on
picket in White Oak Swamp. That night the
counicr,ign was "Auslcrlil2,' aud THINK IL
was the toughest one we had 20 wreste WITH
during the war, as the three OF US ON the picket
post where we were stationed could only come
rs near 10 il rs "Oysiursnllz" Notwiihstand-
ing il was 8 very important picket, II took al
tie will power we had TO keep awake, as we
were pretty we'll played ont for want of rest.
Sometime after midnight pulled out, and
aftera weary march through the tangled swamp
and woods came out about daylight 81 June 80
on a broad highway below Malvern hlii,
bivouacsing In tie woods. Ii was my luck TO
he detailed on guard. which consisted Oi "A sen
try on She colors and each flank OF the musket-
stacks. to keep the straggiers and wounded who
sought The shade along the edge of the woods
from the thick dus; OF the road, along which
WAS pouring prisoners, broken down artillery,
aud other debris OF the fight of the day before,
from disturbing our boys while they took a
short nap.
When an or division got in. we pushed up
the luug slopes Of Malvern, and Gen. Mcclellan
aud staff PASSED along the road leading 10 ihe
James. and such was the enthusiasm oi the boys
AT THAI time for Little Mac" that everybody
can was iu the air. Mingled with their l0udest
cheers. Il WAS a very hot, suitry day ana We
all recall that climb up the hIii. Gar urISaAe
lnassed sume distance in rear 81 the brick man
siu,. on the top of Malvern. where the Signal
officer, were operating their signals from ats
roof the Johuuies making Il quite lively Tor
MS shifting from the fire OF their batteries.
While mere we Witnessed the TepulSc ot the Con
fcdrratcs. who undertook 30 take some guns 10
our la.t and front. That night we stacked
arms a.. the field. As was StIl on guard, stood
my tuIn ON the celurs, sud when i got the
chauce 20 lIe dawn. you bet l took IN old Nor
uhrus fur all be was worth. At daylight July
] we were Oh ma line. and moving OF by the
right flank swung into line Of battle IN front
OF a strip 80 wvods. where we lay down. Inc
battle 81 Malvern liil had now opened, aud
the Jobunies at this time were sweeping Things
with their batteries all around The woods.
Shortly afterwards we pushed into the roai
beyomd The woods and hHEged ihe right bank
very close. Is the road was in fuil command Of
their guns Oar turn came 1t last TO 80 IN
support OF one Of our batteries aud as we crossed
Tie rail- fence through tire open Heids. The Jon-
federates gave Us their spherical cAse-shot by the
Cross: bur we reached our position, aud Rugged
the ground rs only old vets can an support %
battery betty engaged. / do not recall The
name Of oar hattcry-it was the 9Th Mass,
thiuk-bat she was q daisy Opposite 10 them
a short distance across a revine. was Conicd-
crate battery At the Tebs position were two
large havcecks. Our battery hovs were good
stud. and stood up 10 ;heir work although ter
ribiy annoyed by the rebel sharpsaOgters IL
was uinaud-tuCk Tor a while, but our 5th got
away with them. While we lay in support the
Johnnigs had an enGlaGing iTe on this position,
hut 1t va a little too wade 70 be effective, as
their shot and shell swept along our rear, throw
ing The dirt over our legs. il was while we
were supporting these guns that the first
charge was made. It came from our left. and
from the volume Of rel.S. wells it seemed Abouta
half mile ia length. cur pOstiO seeming TO be
on the right bend Of h0. seshoe circle. As
they came on with their yells our firing almost
ceased. except the artillery. aud we were won
deriug il the J8hunics were going 10 sweep tbe
fieid.-at least that WAS my thogght.-when uP
went the Yankee cheers aud NOlicys Of good
Union muskeiry, and ia little while TIE Con-
1ederatrE get back TO cover.
a onr battery had destroyed die rebel guns
81 their front. our regiment reported 10 Gen.
Couch whom we found sitting On has horse ia
rear Of q farmhouse t}FirIiug his little Tidlng-
WHIP which he al ways carried IN action, giving
his orders as cool aud uuc0Hrrrncd ~ If on re
view. At this time the air was filed with
deatideaiiug shot aud she'll. ia short while
we swung into line 81 iatlle. relieving the Gist
Pa. fOIc 81 tbc lighting regiments Of the sery-
zee 81 our brigade mo had been engaged IN
Tepulsiug ile first charge. Handy had ne got
into p5sllo when we saw them coming cut Of
tbe E0Sds in our front, iu s. nat appeared % he
three lines # latte half a mile long. Our
Colonel. r. BucEy y Jil0s. III. Acill, rode along
orr line cautiBnIUg the Hien not 70 fire uutii
they came close. IN the meantime batteries
ublimheriBg in orr rear mp the slope, were
pouring into the advancing columns shell. ease
end canister. Their first round low
that il made rs 20 down. or they UOuid have
wiped us sut Col Nrill riding into tie bat
terry. sy9a bad Their guns elevated 10 clear our
heads. is Das a terrible strain on the men 10
keep from firing IS Oh they came with their
yelis but re loved the old man Bucky." aud
always abeycd has orders. So he kept as well
Ia hand nail they dIl come close. and then
we opened Du them a most destructive FIRE and
kept il up until 60 rounds were expended pcr
man. IL must have blcu terrible execution on
the Johnnie. bbt they came on and stood up
ard took Il like the good soldiers we always
found them 10 be under FIRE.
il VAS cutie dark when we ceased firing for
we could sec the flashes from the rebel guns
when the artson closed we moved & short dis
lance 10 tie lcit aud stacked arms Ia front oil
our starlzs HrTe some shocks 81 straw and aiteI
The Colonel had Instructed as 80 keep our trapi
o. Joe down and get all the rest cOnid, We
made 2 dive Tor tlc straw aud soon we're of &,
the land ~ nod. Sometime during The Highi
We werc ordered into line and silently bryan e
move OF EcachIHg = road that appeared e
wind around the lIill. We began 10 realize tina
We werc agaln g0iHg % the rear and WheI
day ght came il found as ia column Of marCl
toward Iarfi=oii's Landing.
In tins actiaH Tor the first time we heard th,
Punigais and the way their big shells screcrher
over our heads ia the direction u tile JohunieE
must bage made them think, as ] heard pris
Oners tell afterwards. that the Yauks wen
firing blacksmith shops 81 them"
PIckctts charge a. Gettysburg WIS a mapnif
cent one, aud history 70 Tar records il as one 0
the graugcst Of tbc war. - far rs numbers, en-
CuraUcc and courags were concerned; lat the
came Oh bat once aud were fepHised and c0ul
not be rallied again. Ny recollection Of Nal
Wcrn b. thai 4he charge OF the C0nfederatcs wa
as grand ia numbers. endurance aud couFa
PegBsue5E. exceeding that n PIckeits ia tai
respect, that they rallied and were brought bac
on the charge again cboCi full Of Gght" iii
brunt Of the Gght was borne by the left cenie
81 our liucs Of which CDHch's division WIS
part and well did they hold their Dgu. aud
desire h. pay my tribute 70 that grand old ID
vision Commander. Nj teen. Darius y C0gcl
WHO commanded az that day. bic always bel
his esd up while we were under hia c0mman,
and wHiie he earned distinction on other hart
5ouEat leIds the part he took az Malvern III
jE 0ue 81 the brightest pages ia the history .
bis Old division aud tne troops composing
went through with the old Army Of the Pot,
mac lTas H. organization - App0matI0x. II
T. nov living AZ hDrwalk Conn. How we q
would l.Es 70 read article from him on ia