The National tribune., 1891-12-31

I
old commander Col. Edward T. Cross, and the
original organiZat Of the regiment. the 9th
n. III. was one Of the best, IL not the very best
fighting regiments Of the Army of the Potomac
or any other army; At least that was their repu.
tation when they rejoined the brigade at the
time mentioned.
The composition Of the First Brigade was
very much changed from the time the 9th n.
III. left il AZ Gettysburg until il rcj0incd il at
/ Hanover Courthouse The 4Sth Pa, Col J. A.
/ Beaver, now Ex-Governor Of Pennsylvania,
4 then ia the First Brigade, had been transferred
10 the Fourth Brigade; the li0th Pa, Col
John Fraser, taken from the Third Brigade
aud assigned 10 the First Brigade the transfer
Of both regiments being made at the same time,
and think about the 2lth Of September, 1863.
] The Goth Mich. was assigned 70 the First Bri-
Rade at a later date and proved 20 be q number
one fighting regiment The 26th Mich. and
! li0th Pa. soon became very much attached TO
each other aud continued 10 be fast friends 10
the close Of the war, aud have kindly remem-
! bTanCes or each other yet The lS3d Pa. was
assigned TO the First Brigade Ia the Spring Of
/ 1864, before the beginning Of the Wilderness
campaign, and the % y. Y. II. A. Joined the
/ brigade about tho time Of spottsylvania Court
house fight, after the famous charge Of the Sec
ond Corps.
At the time Of the Cold Harbor fight the
makeup Of the First Brigade, First Division,
Second Corps was about as follows: 9Th n. H..
4 6lst ". Y. 8lst Pa, 180th Pa, Goth Mich ls3d
Pa. and ID n. Y. II. A.; all under the command
/ OF the gallant Col. Nelson A. Miles, and 10
whom be Is IN a measure indebted for the stars
! be wears on his shoulders to-day.
j remember the day aud the circumstances
Of the fight well, so FAR as my own regiment
/ tie l40th Pa. was concerned. ! do not re-
member the order in which the brigade was
formed that day. the formation being changed
every day when the march. ] remember a
| battalion Of the 2d n. y. II. A. were sent out a
strengthen our line and were put on the nigh;
81 our regiment. Our brigade was on that day.
June /, on the extreme left Of our division aud
corps, and, ] believe Of the army. We ad.
. yauccd fiOm ihc woods 10 the left Of the
/ crOssT01ds) across q Tayiue up 10 the brow O
the hill hriug. and Tie rebels falling back, IN.
III we came la luli view Of their line Of works
and fort in our immediate trout where We
halted aud remained in position tor quite
awhile, when Lieut. Halleubeck. 81 Col. Miles,
staff rode up and asked II we could 90 forward
aud carry the works iu our front Both Capt
Wilson, Of Go. q, and myself, then acting Ad
jutaut 81 tho regiment, who were asked the
question answered that We could III our lane
was a little stronger Tor we were then deplOyeC
as skiTmlshcrs We were then told 10 wait and
we would receive rciuiOrccments soon. Ate
waiting long time, aud as We then thought ~
unnecessarily long time. the battalion Of Ia,
ID N. y. III. A. was sent 10 Us. We explained
10 officers aud men what WAS 10 he done, ant
had everything 100 readiness TO move forward
but all the time We were kept waiting thl
Johnnles kept pouring into the fort w
moved forward across the open Geld in goo,
style until we came 10 the main road runninl
parallel 10 our line, when the most Of the met
Of the % n. " II. A. threw themselves into Ia
cut in the road and refused 20 20 any farther.
The lf0th moved on, crossed the open spac
between the road aud the fort in double-quicl
time and faster until we reached the fort, bu
p could 30 no farther We lay close up 10 th
works and were protected from the FIRE Of th
, enemy. We were in these close quarters 70
: some time, when Col Niles rode up AS FAR rs Ia
p road, took Ia the situation, and sent word {
J Capt Campbell commanding tie regiment {
y 1 fal back 10 the road. This we did WithOu
orders, Tor before Capt Campbell could commu
i nicalc with as tie left Of the regiment starte
d back and the balance followed, making the be-
c time fOl fast running then on record; not, how
p eyer without losing some Of our best an
e bTayest men lying between the two lines
IS We remained in position Cor some time, an
j. about dark were relieved and went to the rca
d 10 make coffee aud get 2 little needed rest Il
q we had been marching aud fighting all day an
3 a good part q the night before. On account
d our engagement on that day we were ~
d IN The very bloody fight ON the following ia,
IN winch our WuOic Corps lost so hoAF8
d among tbe number the gallant aud brave
a Boyd Mexican, Colonel Of the 5lsL Pa. tn
y was The last charge made az Cold Harbor
;. least on our part Of the line. The lines we
y very close together, aud the fighting was hAi
Re- and persistent all The time We remained theT
ID Every head shown above the breastw0Tks vs.
u a target Tor The enemy; this from both sid,
y The posting 81 pickles every evening was pr
re- ceded aud followed w heavy and continue
IlpFw HualH IA d fgh frrFu
"a, heartily. Many were killed and wounded
" going back and forward, the bullets siTiki
a. them on the opposite side Of the hill across q
10 rayine. This ID the battle which Gen Ora
a, SAID: il is the only battle ] ever fought eli
v j would MOI fight over again under the cireul
NJ stances. - NJ. RAY, Captain. l4Oth Pa. We
IA era Peuitcniiary, PiLisburg. Pa