The National tribune., 1891-04-30

the ground which j believe 90 be the spot
where the first Of the series ot battles began.
The brigade to which my regiment belonged
was composed 81 ihc l40th and liGth ~ T., aud
the 9lst aud both Pa We t0rdtl the Rapidan
Rive al Garmauia Ford soon after daylight
ON the morning OF the 9Th OF May, moving rap
idly along the Plank road. About ? o'clock
we came 10 q halt Tor the night.
Thursday morning, the 9th, we were routed
MP Ht 3 o'clock, and moved out. Two c0mps-
mics. G and j, OF the l4f,h n. T., were de-
tgcHed. and marching cautiously mp the road a
short distance ln advance Of the main body,
we came 10 the edge OF a small clearing, ON tie
other side OF which was a rail fence, behind
which ln the dense timber, the rcboi forces
were posted.
The brigade was formed in line Of battle nt
once Tie two New York regiments on the right
aud the Pauusylyauiaus on The left Of the
Plank road, as shown IN the diagram. j kept
litlo diary during that campaign. and have
ID DE fore me UnN ID Tolcr 20 iI this con tTovcTsv.
After noting he disposition Of the brigade into
lime, ii says: Light picket firing through the
morning
About noon our brigade was ordered 10
charge. ] remember well 10 this dav the voice
OF our Colonel Jenkins, as II rang oCt clear and
strong. Forward double quick and away
we went more than bali way across the field
before q shot was fired by the JObunics, when
they met MS with a perfect hail Of fire from
under cover of the woods. Col. Jenkins aud
Leut-C0l. Cuuan both fell az the FIRST FIRE,
and We lost very heavily before rcgaining our
lines
Bu; my purpose in this little article is not 10
give details OF the battle but 70 Try 10 settle
the question rs 10 what regiments aud az what
point in the Union lines the fighting COM
mcnccd
viii quote from the Century Magazine Of
june l~s7, in the article by u M Law, cni-
tied From the Wilderness 20 Cold HarbOr."
He says that Ewell's Corps was moving along
the Orange turnpike on the morning of the
9th. when the Federal column was seen cross
ing b iIOu the direction OF GcrmaGia Ford,
and Eweil promptly formed line OF battle across
the road" And further that Gen. Warrcn's
Corps WIS passing az the time, halted and
turning 90 the right. made a vigorous attack
on Edward J0hns0n's Division, posted across
tie turnpike"
The above quotation is from Confederate au-
shortly. Nov FOR the facts on our side, as ] saw
them.
The attack mentioned above was made by
OFT brigade just about noon. A few minutes
before tie charge WAS ordered, group Of OIL
GERS Of whom Gen. Ayrcs, division COM
maudcr our brigade commander. and J think
Gems. Warren aud Griffin. stood just in the
cdre 81 the wood, on the right OF the turnpike,
few PAGES 10 rear OF our regiment Up 70
am positive Of with the exception. as ! have
taid, al am occasional shot on the picket line
brief description OF the field VIII explain
WHY have not said anything about any other
regiments. The clearing. as j remember h.
was not oyer 60 rods wide, but was considerably
longer The Plank road crossed ID pCrhaus
within 200 feet oi the west end. The Young
timber ttll formed Tie end Of the field was
evidently q second growth Of pine and hard
WOOD mixed, and was different from the woods
in Onr Icar and front, where the enemy WAS
posted, t being tbc CiuaI forest. More than
hail OF The rcgimuHta front OF the Two New
York regiments was bid from thC lAt Of The
lcit companies by the tangled mass 0f under
growth 70 for my part / do not know what
troops were on our right From our position
thC ground sluped very gently % The center Of
the hcll, and from there 90 Tic cncmys line
it rose lttle more abruptly. Al The foot Of
tie slope, and extending some distance 10 the
left appeared 20 be ditch or Washout into
WHICH many Of our boys jumped 10 escape
the terrible GEa 0f musEctry. Nearly opposite
tlC esd 81 this ditch narrow road 6fauchCd
oG from tic Plank road 10 the right being cut
through bank perhaps seven o. eight feet
deep leaving point 81 woods projecting into
the clearing. The two pieces ~ ariIIl ny shown
Sd tLr picture were brass gems run up for our
support but were abandoned, ] believe. before
hrinE anot. Scattered through Tie field were
more OF Jess stumus
The Shove is description of the field as
Tcco'lc0 2 ] ROn.d ike some az the bows OF
Che fgtn Il, ). b. say whether ID tai.ies with
their views, as they were in The front liuo Of
the charge lt BIAS puzzled me q good deal as
h bias many others o. know how some com.
rldes afa ua.e 10 tel s'l about Whist uIC rcmruts
were made and what orders wore given Ina such
q tangled maze
am uot laying claim 20 any h0rors in this
nafinr % opening tlc bfltlo ~ the WILDERNESS
bnt am decidedly Uf thc impression that trc
IlI. brigade Second Division, Filth Cofps
Va DO l.e iroaa as s0ou oE little sooner.
th.n 'EF otter infantry regiments u the line
-JhRr- C0IIEDCE, Co. G. l4gl \. B.. Rcd.
field, 81 ID