News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-01-07

ners of their once proud battalions and
regiments.
Orr's Rifles, of South Carolina, was a
"fraZzle" on that historic Sunday of April,
1865, and it acquired it's distinguishing tat
tiers by hard fighting. 1t lost more officers
and men killed and died OF battlefield
wounds than did any Union infantry regl-
ment in the war. 1t lost more men on the
field than any other Confederate regiment
so far as the official records show. and
doubtless had the CHASTITY honor of out
stripping all the reg iments In the war In
battlefield nortalities. 1t served in the
famous South Carolina brigade led by
Gems. Gregg and MCGOWAN, aDeorrrnsffrcf
that surpassed all othersrfn the Confeder-
ate service ifsIhe nnmber of it's killed and
wounded, and sOrr's Rifles stands at the
head of the five regiments In the brigade
in point of Casualties.
Orr's Rifles owed it's name as well as
it's organization to the Hon. j. l.. Orr, a
man who during a long public career be-
fore thewar opposed secession with all the
vigor he Scould command. When at last
South Carolina seeded he fell into line
and raised the Rifles and led them to
the field. He was elected to the Confeder-
ate senate, (however. and resigned his
colonelcy to other hands. After the war
he became Republican and was a dele
gate to the national convention that nomi-
mated Grant in 1868. THE regiment bore
the name of OrrS Rifles to the'end. w.
At the opening of the campaign on the
Virginia peninsula in 1862 the Rifles were
brigaded with four other South Carolina
regiments under Gen. Maxcy Gregg. The
first important fight of the brigade was at
Gaines Mill, June p, 1862, where in the
dense woods of New Cold Harbor it was
pitted against Gen. G.. K. Warren's plucky
little brigade, composed of the Fifth and
Tenth New York Zouaves 1t was a de-
fensive fight on our side, and the Confed-
crates had to advance to the attack against
infantry and artillery well posted. At the
point assailed by Gregg there was an open
field swept by Union cannon supported By
| the New York Zouaves, and finding the fire
too bitter for his men he ordered the Rifles
| to charge the guns alone The Zouaves re-
ceived the Rifles calamity and the Fifth
Duryee's) made countercharge, sending
the Carolinians back to the shelter
of the woods with the fearful loss of 81
| killed outright and 234 wounded. This
was over half the regiment, for it went in
with only 537 all told. The fight between
| the Zouaves and the Rifles was part of the
| time hand to hand
The next severe battle of the Rifles was
at Second Bull Run, Aug. 90, 1862, where
with Hills division, of Stonewall Jack
sons command, they lay behind the famous
railroad cut. Here the fighting was also
hand to hand, our men charging up to the
muzzles of the muskets of the enemy to
be received on their bayonets. The Rifles
lost 10 killed, including the colonel and
| lieutenant colonel and 81 wounded. They
went in with about $50 men.
In the Maryland campaign the Rifles
took hard knocks with he rest of the fiery
| HIPS division, but came off lucky in
losses They participated in the bloodless
victory at Harper's Ferry, Sept. IA, and
! were in the heat of battle III the corntield al
! Antietam OH the 18th.