The National tribune., 1892-02-11

- y fliai-E ~ AN' l.t'''-
sHhfg * nook Station Nov. =
~. s.s - f-,sz- sas 1~63 which he wrote
e1tfF5sV sagSf4-I from the field after tho
- ,-.ZAe.eA terrible days OF tins
- - "a battle and that OF
.se Salem Church, immc-
Giatey following as
ono prolonged conflict.
This vivid representation al The victory on lhe
wall wa puil shed with short account re-
lalng b. it) u Harpers HcdaH May -, looS'
the drawing having been made 10y "ouias
Mast. 10 disp avs the banner of the olh Me-
whose standard bearer Serg't Gray, was
stunned ly tie discharge oi a cannon wien
Serg't lll. eft Co. O. crasped and planted lhe
o0lBrs on the ,BrthwoIhs iu triumph.
now quote graphic and truthful letter
which rccr.ycd from II. 81. Bowles OF ihe ON
Nc, dated Chcrryhcld Me. Dee. 4, le0s ana
which ] am urc is sufficiently interesting 70
appear iu yuur columns II Is rs follows;
Ploasc accept my thanks for the llHstra-
tions sent M of The storuIug and capture OF
Maryee Hi,lus by the Light Division on MAY
3, 1863.
/" AS aazr unon them and think Of the past,
the imagination takes me back 10 mat morn
ing in carly Spring in The long ago Wheh
in tile Nush az young manhood j stepped out
with 80 others o. my regiment loih Ne TO
lead the fullorn hope against those Nights
which that Sabbath battle made historic ne
spires of historic Fredericksburg were gliuca
DO the splyuaur Of The SUMS brightness WINE
far uu tIc Rights the buzcn guns OF the lam
Gus Washington Artillery 5Aone ike FURNISHED
gold, aud tic tips OF the enemy hayouris' Just
visible above tho carthwarks, spaikied IKE
jewels Zoe The crown Of morning.
"Gazng upon This scene ono could haF'ly
realize ln4i an this silrntog WAS part OF war,
grim, wicked war and ha. suon HE buwlshed
guns would spout forth Gre Hud flame. spfeHG-
ing death u q destruction: that The giIiterihg
bayonets would So soon he furnished VITA M
man blood; thu the bright green grass
would soon be Redeemed hy the iitc current oil
broahers in strife; that the tail church spires
would So sDuu be hidden Is The sulphnroas
smoke 0i batl AZ!
"Teu oc,lck clme, and rs the time passed
the b6ys began % grow uneasy. lhls anxious
suspense uas worse than fearful activity.
"The Ii-H Brigade WAS 10 lc tho as7aU'1Hg
column. d was composed Of The 9th Me, 5'h
Wis, 3l,t and 50 y. e.. and 6lsi ia.
" d yc COMPANIES of the 1'H Ais were ln adj
vance. d,,.}uycl ss a double line % siirmishers,
and fo'luEn- ,ham iu line Of battle came Tie
9th Me- and BIT n. y. Next after this line
came Tic .rli Aing OF the jlh Wis. aud these
troops formed i'lc entering wedge Of the crush
ing force that rushed with utmost human impet-
Mostly agaius that famous Stone wall and over
its defense tU tic an DIST 0i the Usi onshed en-
envy, with Ui D audaoHHe5s ms 10 call out Their
inquiry Who arc your To which was an
swered Va AR Yankees, - -- you. do
y0u think we can fight nowg
" Tie accompanying Tea .meuis IN the charge
were on cur icl the Vermont Brigade and on
our right tie ala Mass. and Both n. D., under
command Ol Col. Johns, o! the .ti Mass, while
yet farther 10 oar right, near he Plank road,
were the Olst Pa. and -. \. Y, SPA Pa. aud
lst i. ].
"The line Of battle was formed by Col Iii
ram BurnhaIn Of the Gth BE-, assisted by Col
Allen OF he 5-h Wis., Col. Buuham bong az
this time placed la command Of the Light Di-
vision.
with ihc history Of the previous attack
upon those lights Of Marye 50 fresh in our
minds you can imagine our feelings as we lay
iR line Of battc waiting or tAe order 10 adj
vance!
Al last from the right, came tie bugle
call We ail knew u WEI. il WAS followed by
the stontOTiau voice Of the gallant Durham
ringing down tAe line. Col. Harris quicklyrc-
peated tie order 10 the 9th Sic. As by magic
every man 5Fraug 20 his feet. Arms aport-
Guide center Oublequick AarCn!' was tho
command Oh Col. Harris and The line swept
forward ia one solid mass. Immediately the
enemy open on Us with one Wild, GcaicnEg
crash a cyclone Of deaiIu action swept down
from tHc llghts. A tornado Of shot and sEc.l
Iaylura ald Lee's Hills poured tAc.rcToss-i:cs
upon u Bg air WAS iul o. flying missiles,
screaming aua bursting shells kissing grape.
shot, p.LptuE mimic basis, aArapuCl and solid
shot. al doing dreadful carnage. Maj Hay
Geek, 0i Gh Me-, fell al The very onset shot
Through Tic D art, aud our Captains and Lieu
tenants ie rapidly along Tie Whole line, al-
most u as short a time Is ID takes 10 tell IT,
cot t.e other columns 0H our right. Col,
Spear ai TIE 6lst Pa, fell. moftaiy wounded,
while leading bis men by Tie right flank across
the Caual. and - OF hIs regiment were M TIE
same instant placed hUrs du combat by the cx-
pl0s,on @. q schrapnel n the head Of his column
with suUh coulUsing effect that d fell back 81
the ltheI column.
Col. IoAus Of tho 9TH Mass. fell, morially
wounded, aud owing 90 tHC Iuughucss Of tht
ground The line became broken aud confused
ln our column, Capts., Gray. BaNcuPcr
Young Roach aud Buck sent down n death
but under Tie gallant Burulam our line ucyol
Tor Oue moment falteTcd but on GU guild,
center close up! a. great gaps were made 10
the living wAls.
"Oi lac old Captains many had fallen, and
c0mFlnlr- were commanded bv LcuteuauiBaut
serEeanis but the best of order prevailed, au,
with dee regularity 81 rollers upon the aca5h0r
TIC isuf- sNuI.t Uu.
There were in The 9th Ne. at this timt
many young recruits aud ueWly-cnlistod men
and iiiIs was their Grst baptism Of battle, bu
they stood up like veterans 0f a hundred con
hicis aud fought like heroes many of then
buyely Sighting ieli Company A was larcelr
recruited al these young fellows aud aitc
Capt Gly ieH the command Of the c0muaul
deg0iFca upon Lieut. sumner who here wol
las Captains commission. Young Ho.me
tnepheH " President Hamlu) felI dea,
with boz face 10 tho iOe
advancing, the hrst line Of the cnem,
reached, they threw down their arms aud sur
rendered, Onward, fighting as we met resist
ancef ard with fearful death rate, we eros
The road "a tlo foot OF the hill, and with ever
noffc drawn 10 utmost tension, with brai
Inaddehea tll men arc demons. the 9Th Wi
hnd 9th Me- now mingled AS one linz
mount ile cscurpmcut Of the stone wall an
into the jaws % yeritablc hell fighting 20
ln Use pa before us is long line ol nae
dressed Iu strange aud uuc0uth garb butter
nut aud gray, and semi ui0u cOlors miuclc
with tg regulation dress OF tie Conl.dcrai
army; mon fierce aud uurolcutiug, conscious
their strength tO resist as there.
"Ahl ye men Ui Maine and Wisconsin. win
work have ve hcrc2 ID Is the chivalrv Of m
South aH0 tAo yeomanry Of tile North met
balte's wild array. here is the courage Dor
Of freedom measuring strength with the DARN
reared ny siaycry's WOES lt il a strange AN
disciplined iumult; shouts curses, groan
hhneks aud ImFrccatious all mingled bab
al confusion. aud yet over all this the uner
ing hand OF order and harmony o. action hcl
sway. That mysterious and instructive law
heli-preseTvatl0n which Is invariably prusel
amongst veteran soldiers in times OF gre
peril, AUD winch lmpels them 90 observe evol
detail al discipline, here ruled srprpmp