, 1891-01-17

longed to HsncoCk's corps the second. that
borne The hrunt Of the hard fighting
Of the previous six weeks in Grants WIZ
derness campaign, including the battles Of
the Wilderness, Spottsylyauin aud Cold
HArhur, and had lost in these conflicts
over 1900 killed and wounded out OF a to-
tai Of $500 Engaged. At Petersburg. on
the 10th and l5th OF June, the corps lost
heavily. and on the 18th was ordered 20
push forward where the Coutederates had.
as 1t transuirel, planted their last ditch &"
Tit point where the FIrsf Maine charged
was a salient butlt by Geu. ColquItt's
troops. part " BeAurrgard's defensive
force, and known as "Colquitt'- salient -
1t was a bare ridge called Haru's hIi.
aud was in 'front.' of the site Of the Hare
house, where the Union fort Stadman AZ
terwArd stood. Several attempts had nj
ready been made by troops OF the Second
corps to carry the salient, but nntvith-
standing the fact that repeated trials ard
failures had been noted at army head.
quarters, word came 20 Gen. Grrsbom
Mott 70 try again with his Third division
Mott protested TO his superior Gem
Birney, then commanding In Hancock
stead. that II was sheer murder a rene
tition Of the slaughter Of Cold Harbor.
Birney.
II knew, " said Mots, explaining his con
duct afterward, that IL WAS useless TO sx
pect suicide en- masse from my old troops
who had seen the wolf, had felt his teeth
and bore the scars. All could hope was
that a heavy artillery regiment the First
Mhino, innocent OF the danger il would in
cur, would lead OF with "A dash. carry the
works with a rush, aud then it was my
haty TO take care that oil steady rugi-
ments were on hand ready to ppo
press aud profit by any advantage won by
the gallant forloru hope from the green
woods Of tho Penobsoot." During the
Wilderness campaign the Second corps
bad been Reinforced by several regiments
Of heavy artillery acting as infantry. These
regiments had not seen much service in
the isld previously, and on account OF the
extra number enrolled were very large
organizations.
The First Maine, at the time Of h order,
lay some distance back from the scene Of
the charge, and tho men learned that they
were to 90 I pwhere other troops had failed.
Every man on extra duty was called on to
handle a musket. and the total roster, as l
It from Mai Fred C. Low. who was a
lieutenant in Company b. was 1872 men.
The regiment WIS formed in three bat
.tAlions OF four companies each, each bat
talon led by n major, and had what is
a battalion front-that ia, there
were lnFce lines OF Two ranks each, ono
line leading and the others following sue
cessively. each line composed OF a battalion,
First was In McAllister's brigade. and
other regiments OF the brigade were
formed behind 1t in the same order. On
either side Of McAliister's brigade was an
other brigade, formed in the same order, so
the force under Mott was three col
Of n brigade each. the First Maine be-
ing at the head OF the central column.
The key TO the Confederate line lay in
front Of the First Maine, about 600 yards
distant. The intervening space was an open
field, slightly rising toward the enemy.
The Confederate batteries on both sides of
Colquittls salient, and the infantry as well.
could rake the ground over which the
column was TO charge Gen. McAllister
was, At the time, temporarily commanding
another brigade, and on attempting an AS
Eault with his command over the very
ground where the First Maine wa 70 lead.
his men fell like forest leaves under a hail
storm" and he gave 1t up. When he
learned what was or foot with his own
brigade he said: God help themi They