The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-02

states and sacrificed over % per cent. of her
military population as it stood in 1851. Had
the combat been left to these two common
wealths the Keystone would have annihl-
lated the Palmetto and come out of the con-
test with an army large enough to intim-
idate the umpire, if so disposed.
South Carolina furnished the regiment
that lost the highest number killed in bat
tie during the war, Orr's First South Caro-
lima Rifles, which piled up death roll OF
1884, She also furnished one for second
place on the southern side, the First South
Carolina volunteers, which scored eSl.
The first place on the Union side was
taken by the Fifth New Hampshire. with
score of 295, and the second place fell to
Pennsylvania regiment, the Eighty-third,
which had list of 1882 Here begins an
other duel between Keystone and Pal
metto. The Eighty-third rolled up score
of 971 killed and wounded, the deaths, as
+ before stated, reaching 2S2. The First
South Carolina had $50 killed and
wounded, the deaths scoring 2S1.
The Eighty-third Pennsylvania came
into being as reorganization of a regl-
ment composed of volunteer and militia
companies that responded to President
LincoIn's first call and served three
months. The colonel at the head of both
regiments, John w. McLane, had served
as volunteer officer in the Mexican war,
and distinguished himself as a master in
organization and drill. The First South
Carolina had similar history for it was
formed out of the disbanded First South
Carolina of the provisional army, called
into being by the convention when the
state seeded in December, 1880. That
regiment was made up of old militia COM
panies and volunteers enlisted to serve the
state six months.
This provisional regiment and the one
formed out of it were created and led by
the same colonel, Maxcy Gregg, who had
been volunteer officerin the Mexican war
and had acquitted himself as an able dis
cjplinarian and master of drill. And it
happened that at the very time to month
and almost to day, when Col. Gregg was
getting his Palmetto men out of old har-
ness into new and touching them up with
his Mexican war "reminiscences, Col. Nc
Lane was doing the very same thing with
his keystone boys. The Eighty third was
ready for orders in the fall of 1861, and the
First South Carolina also. Each went to
their respective stations for assignment to
place in the line, and both began their
fighting careers on the same day and on the
same field, within long range rifle shot OF
each other. The Pennsylvanians num-
bered about $50 men, the Carolinians but a
trifle less They were not directly opposed
upon that field, Gaines Mill, June 81, 1862.
nor upon any other, except at North Anna,
Va, May 81, 1864, but were engaged for the
whole three years in the opposing armies
of northern Virginia and the Potomac,
often on the same battle ground. No fanci-
full comparison could heighten the parallel.
The regiments started fairly equal, and
both were in the thickest of the fight with
varying numbers engaged and varying
losses in different battles against metal
tempered by the same heat. They emerged
with net result almost equal. Oh, no,
twas not duel; but twas Every like it.
The South Carolinians struck hard lines
in that first fight at Gaines Mill. They
were brigaded with four other regiments
from the same state, and Col. Gregg be-
came leader of the whole column. Bust
ness opened by an order to charge upon
Capt. Edwards regular batteries, support
ed by Gen. Warren's regular infantry. AS
often happens, the poor fellows were COM
PEELED to stand idly and look death in the
face long time before the word came tc
$50" The Firstwas in the front line and
made its way slowly under fire from the
battery through tangled thieket. AS
soon as it was clear of the thicket and
about to spring across an open field War
ren's brigade charged upon it. and
with one deadly volley, like blast from