Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-23
The Fifth Regiment at Gaines
Mill!
rBv Capt. Thomas ] Burke OF Company L, 81
Virginia Infantry, G. s. a..

Every old soldier knows the peculiar feel
ings which animate or depress him when go
ing into battle. There is so much difference
between skirmish and real battle that all
men who have seen much actual service, al
most by intuition know it. We make every
preparation possible for the worst, and try to
be in position which will leave the best i'm
preston with our friends. Whether it is edu-
cation OF conscience, we do not know; but the
soldier, however wicked, will, when confront
ing the enemy, throw away every |
card, and every canteen of whiskey will be
emptied. We have seen cards scattered for |
mile as thick as leaves in Valambrosa, and
this was always evidence that the enemy
was near, and conflict was close at hand.
Men Injured to all the hardships of camp life
seek all means of recreation that is possible
and cards would accumulate, but our army
had been marching and fighting all spring.
There was KernstoWn, and Mcdowell, and
Front Royal, and Mddletown, and Winches-
ter, and Cross Keys. and Port Republic, all
real battles besides innumerable lesser con-
Hicts in which some of US were engaged, and
but little time had been allowed lis for the
enjoyments of tile camp.
We belonged to the 'Stonewall Brigade" OF
Jackson's Foot Cavalry as it was generally
called, and had tramped and fought all over
Shenandoah Valley, before the move was
made that took us out of the Valley of Vir-
ginia, and to the front oflMcClellands army
ON the banks of the Chickahominy.
A description Of that famous march from
near Port Republic to Richmond would, we
are sure, be quite interesting but we cannot
give it in brief article such as this is.
| 1t was on the 9th day of June, 1862, when
we entered the battle of Gaines Mill. The
Second and Fifth Virginia regiments of the
Stonewall Brigade, were ordered to support
several batteries placed in position to our
front. This is the most trying duty that in
fantry is ever called upon to perform. - They
are passive and are required to guard artille-
ry against capture, while firing upon cppos
ing llnes we can see the smoke of the enemies
guns, hear the report and the whistling. and
bursting of the shells, and know not how
soon a ball or she'll will come blowing
through the lines, carrying death and destruc-
ton in its path. But this did not last long;
we were early moved from this position, when
the news came to us that the Federal soldiers
were driving our people back Whether the
news was correct at that particular time
cannot tell; at any rate we were at once Or
dered forward at rapid pace, through swamp
and bog. and thick underground, while shot
and shell were raining down among us; but
we soon gained the open field beyond, where
we find the dead and wounded lying thick
along the edge of the WOOD having been car
ried to the rear during the early part of the
engagement.
The field had been fought over the whole
afternoon with varying success, and tine dead
and the wounded who had not been removed
were lying over that field as thick as sheaves
of wheat in harvest time The Federal and
Confederate dead were intermingled each
officer and soldier was there lying upon COM
mon level, no one knew into which army he
would finally be left; all felt that they were
in the EXTREMIST peril, and knew not at what
moment shot, Oh shell. or ball would finish
their sufferings. All, helpless as they were,
we're willing to share their canteen, or their
haversack with their neighbor, and while ly-
ing side by side on that field of blood there
was no resentment felt, but messages were
delivered by the soldiers in blue to the sol
diers in gray and by the soldiers in gray to
the soldiers in blue, to be conveyed in some
way to friends at home after the battle was
|
diving were heard all over the field Horses
were galloping riderless, endorsed riders
were passing from one part of the field to the
other trying to deliver their orders. We see
all this and wonder when our time will come
There seemed but little hope that we would
be able to cross that field where SO many had
been shot down before we entered it. But
there was none who heSitated or who cOwed
each took his life in his hand, knowing thai
disaster was death, and victory was the only
safety. A retreat would have been annihila
ton and there seemed to be with all a deter
minatiOn to win.
When we entered the field, the enemy was
occupying position on the crest OF the hill
beyond, where his batteries OF artillery and
line of infantry were formed. The charge OF
the Stonewall Brigade was over that open
field, and in the face of shot and canister from
artillery and terrific fire from infantry,
In the charge we had occasion to pass ovel
the 3Sth Georgia Infantry; all its officers were
either killed OF wounded, and it seemed death
to advance or retreat; when we reached them
they Joined us in the charge, without ammu
milton but with bayonets fixed.
We were advancing rapidly toward the
enemys lines, but not shot was fired by tht
. advancing column. The alignment was almost
l. perfect, and were it not for the incessant roal
81 of artillery and the whistling of the bullets
it would seem that the Brigade was OF
dress parade But the time soon came Whe1
the order was given to fire, and then along thu
federal line of battle, such storm of ball
r was sent that nothing living could withstand
}. and at last the enemy was routed, and thu
ssStonewall Brigade victorious on so many
battle-6elds had won another victory, and wa
in possession of the MCGEE hill and the en-
. emys guns were in the hands OF our people.
1t is hard for one who is in the midst OF {
fight to describe all the man9uvres on :
battle field.
~ The field officers can look somewhat closet.
after the movement Of the regiment, the brl
: oade officers can observe the movement OF TIN
| brigade, and the general officers not supposed
j, TO be in the midst of the conflict, can see some
what after the movements of the division O.
the army corps, and after fashion look afte
the battle line But company officer sees III
further than his immediate command, ant
does we'll to keep his own company in prope
shape during an engagement with the enemy
What have described 1 was witness to
= except the last The final result did not see
After passing over more than two-thirds O.
the field l fell; thinking that spent ball hat
struck me. quickly regained my feet ant
= hurried forward; after going few yards
! fell again; trying to raise myself the secont
time [ was unable to do so, then / realized
that was really wounded and could not g
.. any further.
1t was late in the afternoon, and the balls
were whistling past in an awful way. / re
4l,,4 ,do,a ro1ald h