Daily Republican., 1890-05-05

ere. Anc stricto5t ulscipitn5 WAS main
tained, and much Of the time was spent
In drilling and preparing tho inon for the
spring campaign. The regiment rem I'm
cd In camp uDtil May 9th, when II was
ordered to Norfolk, where It remained
until early In July, when It was removed
to Suffolk and remained until September.
Al that time II was assigned to the Third
Divison. Second Corp, and rendered ex.
cellcnt service at the baltic OF Antietam,
September Il, 1869. On September 10,
Lieutenant. James Lewis was wounded
by q piece Of shell, md was the frat
deienso Of the old flag. Tho regiment
was In the thickest of tho fight on the
II but acquitted itself nobly. Captain 4
Watson, Leonard axd Richards were
killed, and Captains Yardley, Woodali
and Shortlidge, and Lleutonants' Swig.
g.tt and Tanner badly wounded.
Some Idea eau bc formed OF tho fearful
rain Of shot and shell endured by this
regiment, when II Ia stated that the color
guards were shot down aud the colors so
torn and tattered that they were never
again carried in tight. 1t was . fear
full baptism OF flre and blood, an1
although neatly one.third Of the men
were killed or wounded, the remainder
did not ialter, but stood their ground
aud fought like heroes.
On December 13. 1862, tho regiment,
under command OF Major Thomas A.
Smytb, participated IN the battle OF Fred.
erickssurg, In which seventeen OF the
members were killed and large number
wounded. Bat little active service Was
performed during the winter, but from
May l to May 4, 1853, the reaiment was
engaged In ths ba' tie at Charlottesville,
and lost ntarly Af;y more men. The
next important battle In which II took
part was Gettysburg, where, under tho
gallant Colonel Smyth. who at the time
was In command OF the Second Brigade,
Third Division, Second Army Corps, 1t
did It's work we'll, aud tho vslor and
coolnoss of tho men under the most try
Ing circumstances was highly commend
ell. OF the officers, Captain J. Parke
PoStlcs and Lieutenant w. p. Sayille
were especially commended.
During the battle on Ju'y "a Captain
NJ. w. B. Eileg0od was killed, aud on the
81 Lieutenant W. +. Smith, who at the
time was 10 command of the regiment,
fell with his sword in ono hand and q
captured robel Gag In the other. Color
Sergeant John NJ. Dunn displayed the
5fPS'SS" ohoNoi 4 uHA AhlTiiHkulbucu utIfi-
self BY lending III, regiment across the
stone wall, colors IN hand, when couu.
tor charge was made. During thls charge,
which was made upon the strongest part
Of tho rtbel's line, the regiment never
ialtcred for single moment, aud cap
tured iour battle flags and u numbar 81
prisoners, while its own loss was twelve
| killed, forty-five wounded and eleven
PRISONERS. II participated In the battles
of Auburn Gnd Brist0e Station October
| IA, nt Locust Grove November 81, aud
| Mine Run November 80, 1868.
December Is, 1868. two hundred and
ten officers and men of the regiment re-
enlisted and were re-mustered for three
yeArs, being the first three years. regi-
ment In tho Army OF the Potomac to re
enlist. Each one was granted thirty
days furlough, and what was left OF the
original regiment reached this city Jann,
airy l. 1861. and were givep an enthusi-
astlc reception.
The regiment returned to the front
February Q aud Joined its brigade AT
Stony Mountain. Va. Early 10 the
spring Of 1864 It moved with the troops
which took part 10 the memorable seven
aays hight 10 the Wilderness and was
next engaged at Spotsylvania. On May
10 1t moved toward Petersburg, aud
afterwards took part In the following
battles: North Anna. Nav 23 10 III:
Cold Ilarbor, june to IL; at Peters
burg. June d until early iu July. The
regiment was then given short period
OF rest and WAS afterwards engaged in
the battles Of Deep Bottom, July "a and
August IA to 20; Keam's Station, August
20; Gravelly Run and Hatcher's RIM,
October n, and In each the Frat Della.
ware maintained It's reputation and
added laurels to the Diamond State. In
tho last battles Major William F. Smith,
In command OF tho regiment, was NOR.
tally wounded and died November II,
1864. In December the regiment went
INTO winter quarters, but In March,
lS'i5, WAS agaiu In the fleJ and took
part In the sirge OF Petersburg. which
resulted In it's capture April 3, 1865. On
April 1t acted 10 q skirm.sh line at the
battle OF High Bridge and consequently
was In the extreme advance.
1t was stationed on the bank of small
stream. when Goneral Thomas A. Smyth
rose up. aad after glanclng at the enemy
In the distance, said: "Firet Delaware,
follow me" and going = short distance
up the stream crossed 1t. The men,
ready to follow who EVER this hero would
load, plunged into the water and were
soon on the other side, one Of the fore
most being Color Sergeant John M.
Dunn. who waved the colors close to his
commander. After proceeding . short
distance halt was ordered, aud General
smyth WAS In the act OF surveying the
enemy with his field glass, when sud-
denly the glasses dropped from his hand
aud hc fell to the ground, mortaliy
wounded by cowardly rebel sharp
shooter. The murderous ball entered
his face, and alter lingering two days In
the greatest agony he gave up his life In
defsnse ol his adopted country. The body
was embalmed AID brought to his homo
In this city, from which 1t wss Inferred
In the Wilmington aud Brandy wine
Cemetery, the funcrsl being one OF the
largest that ever took place In this clty.
Each year the old soldiers show their
respect for this brave Commander by
decorating his grave with the choicest
ilowers.
Although the surrender at Appomat-
tox Court House virtually ended the war,
the services oi the First Delaware were
too valuable to be dispensed with, and it
was not until May that the orders came
for the march homeward. On May Is
the regiment went into campAt Munson's .
Hill. near Warrington, where 1t re-
mained neatly two months and was not
mustered out until July IL. 1895, and
reached this city two days later.
6uch Is . briei history of the bate
| Scared veterans that will meet for q
iraternal reunion In this city tomorrow,
but no pen can tell the heroism they
displayed, or the privat.ons, hardships
and dangers they endured during those
years when our country was passing