The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-09-17

staying qualities that made up for lack Of
enthusiasm. At . gathering Of citizens
held In a church In TerrytOwn, Bradford
county, Pa, early in August, 1852, one Of
the speakers was q young lawyer OF
Towanda, Guy H. Watkins, man Of good
social position and bright prospects; mar.
ried, with hostages to fortune, and, sur
rounded with every temptation TO stay ct
home and make the most Of life.
At the close Of q sound war speech he
said that after careful deliberAtion hO had
decided that IL was bis duty 70 20 70 his
eountry's aid In the hour Of peril; that he
had often thought how, when the war
was over, he would be telling his children
the story Of the conflict and they would
say to him, "Were you therep He was
going to be able to say, "Yes, was there.
and tried to do my duty"
Throughout the quiet wales Of north
ern Pennsylvania q like spirit 10 that dis
played by Watkins was at work under
leaders by the dozens and scores-farm-
ers, merchants, teachers, students, preach
ers and others, not q few 20 young
that they modestly declined Offices In the
ranks, and even some were rejected BY the
government on the score Of youth. On
Aug. % War Governor Curtin accepted and
rendered to the United States service .
regiment composed Of ten companies raised
In Bradford and Susquelmnna counties
and designated the One Hundred and
FoTty-irst Pennsylvania infantry. Guy
H. Watkins, who had recruited one com
pany and been chosen its captain, was
elected lieutenent colonel Of the regiment.
The first duty Of the One Hundred and
Fifty-frst was TO 60 70 the defense Of
H-FNI
battling with Lee on Maryland soil In Sep
tember, 1852. When Lee was pushed back
southwark TO the Rappahannock the regi.
among tried and disciplined troops in
Kearny's old division Of Hooker's corps.
At the first battle Of fredericksburg II had
It's baptism Of fire, and coolly met the fu-
SilRde Of shot and shell poured upon
Meade's Pennsylvania reserves by Stone
wall JackSon's batteries Dec. IS. On Burn
sides second campaign, January, 1858, the
regiment was selected to cross the Rappa-
hammock alone and carry the heights on
Taylor's Hill at the point Of the bayonet,
the forlorn hope Of the movement. but .
severe storm put an end 70 the affair before
the crossing was made. But at ChAncsl-
lorsville, In May, 1858, the field Of many re-
markable struggles, the hour Of trial came.
On May Stonewall Jackson's corps,
by a flank march, struck the Union
right and crushed It, rolling 1t up
like a scroll. The Third corps, led BY
Gen. Daniel E Sickles, became q break
water for the tide Of ConfederAtes Fush.
ing with blind impetuosity in pursuit
Of the III starred men Of the EleV.
enth corps. The woundinR Of Stonswall
on the evening Of the ID caused tempo.
rary halt In the plans Of the ConfederAtss,
but on the morning Of the Cd. Sunday,
his corps, led by the cavalryman, Jeb
Stuart, and under the personal direction
Of Gen. Lee, renewed the fight and COM
PEELED the Union commander 10 order q
general retreat.
Sickles' corps, under imperative ordsFs,
abandoned position after position, and the
Confederates followed up with growing
enthusiasm. The brigade Of Gen. Charles
z. Graham, Of Birney's division, to which
the One Hundred and Forty-hFst belonged,
was rear guard Of the corps, - It had been
during all the retrograde movements, and
when IL became necessary ~ vacate certain
elevated positions known a. Fairview and
Hazel Grove and remove the artillery, with
the exulting Confederates pushing madly
In pursuit, Graham was ordered TO charge
10 the rear and check the enemy's advanos.