The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-08
FIGHTING THEN OVER
Khal Oar Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns


CLAEKS N. D. BATTERY.
They Fought NJ the Peach Orchard n Gc:tysburs.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: ] have often
wondered II all the mon who served ian ClarlJs
Battery D. lsj n. J. l.. A.. Third Corps are too
modest l0 have their names appear lu print
know lna many OF them are living, and could
say much more 10 the point than ] can. How
ever car 900 longer keep silent after reading
the Articles published lately regarding that
memorable battle OF Gettysburg, all of them OF
such tenor that my friends ask, where was
Battery ~ ] propose, wltB your permission
20 State 'nsi where we were ON that occasion.
We want mo laurels belonging 10 Others, but
feeling Justly proud OF our record, from the be-
ginning ID the end OF the war, viii try and cor
rect snIus uf the statements OF your CORE
spoBaculs. Iomrade Moran, 40 his article re-
gardluU .ao baJtle at the Peach Orchard, gives
list UI batteries engaged there, but Clark s n.
j. Battery Il completely ignored. Capt Hart
Trpllu- lu am and says th8l RandUlph5 Bat
terry WAS Uo, there. and that his own anu tic
9th Mas, Battery held the Peach Orchard and
repulsyu Zoe enemy. Then comes W, III. Quay,
OF ihc O-ll Pa, and gets quite mixed iu his AS
sgnnenl- of batteries. ] .hlnl, most OF the old
Third Comps men wall remember that the two
volunteer batteries ofthe corps were Rand0lpl's
Rhode ls lHd and Ciark's I'D New Jersey, the
third uur hginE Ihumpsons Regular Battery.
Randolph Battery was on the angle o! The
Orchard next 10 the Emm.tSburg Pike, Ciarks
on tic g#gic IN lime with the pike and Round
Top. j SH0ul like TO give my rcCollcctious Of
how Wo got there for they are quite fresh In
my memory. Ii was late on the evening OF the
lst OF luIl that We reached the vicinity of the
Mheatei and campcd remaining quiet all the
morning OK The 2d. About ] O'Clock we moved
up toward The Peach Orchard and were within
about 200 yards of ID when Gen. Sicllles gave
orders iU throw few shot into piece OF woods
20 the lcil OF what j thank is known as the
Rose farm. We fired three rounds from each
gun, aud getting no response drew up close TO
the peach Trees. A few minutes after a battery
OF brass came over the same ground, aud they
were glCgtcd with a hot fire Of shell coming
from the woods we had fired into. They gal
Hoped 90 aud came beside us, when Capt, Clark
gave ihc command, right reverse" We had
hardly s.Iuightened out after the movement
when The order was given, action right" and
Immediately round went the guns, down went
the uall-, we taking position under CALLING
IRE; Tor well remember that ComIade CASTLE
ton WAS killed before the completion of move
ment, Uiic C0mrade Posts head was severed
from ll- iUgy three minutes after.
Up o. This time there was no line Of battle,
and as UC took our position and commenced the
action OF that day the other batteries and regi-
meuts eIl into line on our left. Those who
have visited the ground or even looked GO
map OF The battle-ground, Will understand that
TIC AiNt vas something ll Tie shape Ul tll IL
regular I-ht angle Well, we fought on That
spot for 1--we hours. My gun WAS the right gun
oil the battery, and was about $50 feet from the
peach trees. Owing 10 the manner in which
the action commenced we had nJ ithcr time nor
opportunity 10 tell who supported as al that
time. The 6.th PA. has beautiful granite
monument there giving an account OF the part
~ took 10 the battle, and tue list Of its killed
and wounded, aud says that their losses were
sustained while supporting Clark Battery. j
am surprised al ConIade Quay, and hope be
will confess his mistake.
Our oNu monument occupies the spot where
we fought aud says we were IN action from
O'Clock illl 2, July 2 lsC3 Tho battery oxpend-
lnE LOO rounds Of ammunition during that
time, Smiths Battery BIAS been mentioned in
connection with Raudolps, aud ] vii say that
IN the midst OF the batlle a staff officer rode
mp aud communicated with Capt CLARK, who
turned 10 ule aud told me 10 direct nay irc 10
the LEFT, as smiths Battery was ia a tight place
ln what BAG called DEVILS PunchbDwl. ] pre-
sumo d was among the powders around Devils
Den.
j took hold Of tie handsplze 10 assist IN d.
FeriiHE tIe piece when shell, fired from the
battery we had been engaged with, passed be-
tween The cheek aud wheel, grazing the axle
plunged into the ground iH a forward direction,
and exploded under our feet Number 3, Nm.
hAeN, uHa myself went up, how tar j don't
know, bat when ] came 10 my senses which
could not Save been many seconds, j was about
- feet from the scene OF the explosion and coy
cred win blood and dart. hasty examua-
tiOn assured me that ] was not injured. The
shell as "a came being diverted by the hand
spike, tore All the flesh IRON the hip OF poor
Riley. ana when we came down be was beneath
me- 81 course the first question was, Are
you hurt much, BIlly2' lie was q bIape boy
and would have his joke even then, with The
bullets blowing the ground aIl about us for
with an cXecration he said Billy was always
very thin ! never thought they could touch
me without taking limb and now they have
taken NALL The meat did have and away hc
went on one foot aud two hands as best he
could. And De recovered too.
We'll was back az the gun the next minute,
aud found three more OF my detachment al sa-
blod by the same shut, but with the aid Of
The drivers $50 were soon at work again, forget
ting hi about Smith and intent on getting
square with those IN our front, which we did.
Shortly Tie Confederate lines advanced Ii
was a beautiful sight he lines formed and
came around the Rose farmhouse. while the
whole line Of artillery were pitching into them
hTai shot then case aud canister and sill they
came on h.linE up the gaps IN the front lines
by anHIigus from the rear The last three
shot Erred were ono cartridge 10 three cases
o. canister and aimed al the knees each time
and could rec them 20 down like grass before
tie seville. Al that moment the rebels p0ured
Through iHg Orchard from the Emmit. burg
road, iiiGs coming partly 90 Qua flank aud We
had 90 Ic.rc. having had !G men killed and
wounded aud losing al HORSES Old soldiers
know ,Aai J. they arc in The fighting part OF
the army they VIII know but l.ttlc Of the
whole battle being only able TO tell what took
place iH t..a.T immediate vicinity.
Now comrades, don't try 10 read ms out Of
the IuTa Corps again for wc were IN ID rom
~ iuc.tiOn, under Hciutzsman, Kuauy
Hooker french and SCEcs aud after jts dis
rupuun fought vaiiaHtly iu the Second CorDs
under Hancock through The Wilderness and
spotHy Faula campaign 10 Petersburg. and %
The emo. participating lu 90 battles OF dc war
hope tHr three comrades who put other bat
tcric- r oHr place VIII accept this correction
Oi thrir mistake. and that some cJmradc Of my
battery viii cUrroburltc my tale Whether
they DO uI not. know have not gone outside
the tutH.- Ellis H. TlAIN, Sergeant Clark s
zssttery D. lst r. J J.. A., Third Corps, pa W.
Etb rl New York
BARNETT BATTERY.