The National tribune., 1890-01-30
As Seen BY the Iron Brigade.

As Seen by the Iron Brigade.
ComTade Edward p Brooks Adiutant 9th
Wis, Solari's Washington, ID. C., writes as fol-
lows:
In the last number Of your valuable paper
Stewards Cauuoueer,' speaking of the charge
OF old Battery b at Bethesda Church, says:
- do not ask anyone 10 believe this recital
on my own testimony. ] Will leave il 20 any
surviving veteran Of B2rtlett's or Ayres's Bri-
Rsdes Of Grifin's Division, or Of the Iron Bri-
gade, Of Cutters Division, Fifth Corps, all Of
whom were where they could see it,"
Our regiment the 9th Wis., was on the high
ground south Of Bethesda Church, in line with
Cutters Division. and connecting with Ayres's
Brigade, which formed the left Of Grittin's Di-
vision south Of the Mechanicsyile pike We
were on the highest ground there was on the
line held by the Fifth Corps, between Bethesda
snd Beulah Church. and we could see all the
movements Of Grfin's troops. Wesaw Rodes's
infantry develop from the edge Of the woods,
and then saw Grifin's Division deploy TO meet
them. As there was no demonstration at that
time against our part of the line our view was
not disturbed. We saw the Confederate bat
terry come out Of the woods, 20 in battery, and
open fire. Then We saw Stewards battery
emerge from the grove back of the church at a
gallOp. or rather 81 q dead ruB. We could
easily recognize il at our distance, which was
nearly mile, because we knew its guns and
horses 50 well, having served with it ever since
1861.
Our brigsde-the Iron Brigade-took an un-
usual interest In this battery, because il was
mainly recruited from our regiments. 3D. 9Th,
and 18th Wis, 18th Ind. and oath Mich. ! pre-
sumo that at that time ~ least three-fourths OF
the men IN the battery were detached yolun-
teers from the Iron Brigade
As they came out in sight on the pike, our
men all along the line raised the shout:
There goes Old Bloody B! There will be
business nowi" Gen. Bragg swung his hat and
led OF with three cheers, in which the whole
line joined. Our comrades in the battery could
not hear il. OF course. but / have sometimes
thought that the inspiration Of that cheer must
have fOated over 70 them in the air as they
tore along the pike.
We looked every moment to see them IN
Timber, but still they kept on. the enemy's fire
blazing IN front Of them and huge cloud Of
dust trailing behind them. 1t seemed as if
they must be destroyed before they could get
into position. Finally, after what seemed an
age but which was probably not more than two
minutes, they reach the foot Of the slope which
was short musket shot from the Confederate
battery, and there they halt, unlimber wheel
their pieces and limber-chests, and then we
could see them jump In TO load their guns
Each Of us who had feld-gl2sses could see some
Of them stsgger and fall. We fairly held our
breath. VIII they not be annihilated by that
fire before they can get 20 work 2" was the
question that rose up in the mind Of every man
In the Iron Brigade. But no; they opened fire.
And what fire that was. In three minutes
nothing could be seen Of the men and guns Of
etewarts battery. but their position was solid
n&ss Of red fame and blue smoke, mingled with
the fierce roar Of their brass guns, which made
Che earth culver under our feet three-quarters
Of 8 mile away. Then we could see the enemy'g
battery was weakening. Every man could see
shat. First one Of his guns ceased, and there
was another cheer along our line. Then
another gun was silenced. All the time the fire
Of Stewards battery increased, until il was
impossible 70 believe that muzzle-Ioading can
non could be worked 50 rapidly. Our men,
looking On and admiring and cheering, would
cay 70 ono another, g that's part Of the Iron
Brigade fighting down there!" "Thars Wis
cOuEin, Michigan aud II6ianai"
Finally, in one one-tenth the time 10 takes
me 70 write this, the last one Of the rebel guns
ceased fFing, and then, as the smoke lifted
lGzily, We could sec their guns wholly ahan-
doned. With the aid Of our glasses we could
Bec the ground around and among them coy
erred with those PROSTATE objects, which need
no further description 10 q man who has seen
q BATTLEFIELD. The smoke also lifted away from
6tewartg battery, and we could see that his
b0ys-our boys from the Iron Brigadc-were
stu ~ their guns and cOnquer0rs. Some OF
them were gone; but there were enough left.
Then al along the old brigade line resounded
"threc times three and tiger" for old Jack
Stewart and the Iron Brigade boys Of Bloody 4
know or knew many Of those boys person.
ally. Armstrong, Colby, Mclaughlin, Priest,
bauborn, Fillmore aud Gardner were from NV
regiment tie 9th Wis, also several others.
haFe always considered this affair the most
magnificent artillery Performance by q single
battery in the history Of the army anywhere
during the war The "Cannoncer" need NOT
b. afraid Of eXsggeratng il. / think II Is 2
grand Thing % have these instances Of the
humble heroisrn Of the rank and file brought
out ia this manner, and the names Of the men
spread upon tie pages Of history. ] have often
thought that the histories thus far published
made our civil war out 10 be too much Of
Generals and Colonies. You are doing q good
thing IN publishing this sketch. 1t gives the
boys chance "-the boys who did the hard
WOrk
i Is true, as stated by COmrade Brooks, thst
the battery WA at this time At least three
fOurths manned by Iron Brigade men. but
there we're IL or il New Yorkers, of whom
was the humblest Surrounded and over
Whelmed as we were by Badgers" "Woolyer
fines" HoosieTs" aud such ravensus beast
Of prey, j think we did toIerably well 10 Yer,
our little end up even !-AUTHOR.l