The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-02
MARYE'S HIGHTS.
Another Accoun of the Planting of the Col
ors of the 9th Me. at the Stone Wall.

ors of the 9th Me. at the Stone Wall.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Extracts from
letter written by mo to Mr.. Fl. i. Mathews
of San Francisco Cal. appearing in your col
umns Feb. II, called forth attempt from
Comrade Holehouse, 7th Mass, to dispute the
facts related and to ridcule the narrators. His
reply is a blank cartridge as to the events OF
the memorable occasion Of the storming oil
Earye's lights on May 3. 1863.
We are alike proud Of tho heroic action OF
many regiments other than our own that took
brave part In that terrible conflict, and every
body knows that concerted action won the day,
and every regiment in that fight did noble
work.
Comrade Holehouse's claim In not disputed,
that In the space of few minutes the 7th
Mass. lost more than 100 men in killed and
wounded and captured two pieces OF artillery
and more than 100 prisoners"
The loss of the 9th Me-, according to the
Adjutant- Generals report, was 1913 officers and
men. According to actual count at the time by
myself the loss was 139. Maj. Haycock, Capts.
Gray, Ballenger, Young and Roach were killed
or mortally wounded, while our loss of Lieu
tenants was correspondingiy large.
The 5th Wis. lost d. officers and men killed
and 1913 wounded, and the loss by these two
regiments alone amounted to nearly one-third
Of all the loss of the Sixth Corps in that en-
the 9th Mo. and 5th Wis. must have done con-
siderable fighting, as well as did the 7th Mass.
Comrade Holehouse makes some very curl
Gus statements about supports and "skir-
mish- lines" getting them badly mixed Col
Burnhamsl" support" WAS an advance Of his line
of battle, at the proper time, aud bis column
promptly carried Marye's Hill at the point of
the bayonet when the columns of Coils. Spear
and Johns had advanced sufficiently to receive
the first fearful fire Of the Confederates in
their front. Col. Rnrnham's line did not pause
in the advance, but swept onward like the
wind until within the cnemy's lines, the vic.
tory was won, and our men had laid their
hands upon the guns of the Washington Artil-
lery; nor did they pause long there, but imme.
diately continued the chase upon the heels of
the retreating enemy.
Behind the famous stone wall were Barks-
dale's troops and on top of Marye's Hill were
the guns Of the Louisiana batteries six in num-
ber and the hills north and southwark were
crowned with batteries engaged in active SER
vice. Col. Spears column advanced on the
ight by the Plank road, Col. Johns's column
to the left of it, while our line. under Col.
Burnham, was formed directly in front of
Marye's Hill, and the positions were carried
Just as claimed in my former letter. Neither
Spears columns nor Johns's directly struck the
front of Maryes Nights; but, as Gen. sedg.
wick's report recites, they came in there from
the front and rear" while Burnham carried
the line to the left of the Plank road by direct
assault.
Comrade Holehouse says he failed to hear
the bugle's CALI, and it is fair to presume he
was not near enough! He also failed to note
more than the 100 prisoners captured by the
7th Mass" As there were a thousand prison
crs taken, who captured the other 900? Was
it Spears column or Burnham's2
Comrade Holehouses favorte authority
Col. Jackson-sustains me in my assertion that
Lieut.. Owen surrendered his sword and battery
to Col Allen, of 5th Wis, and over 500 prs-
oners surrendered to Col Burnham. Lieut..
Owen also turned over his horse and equip
lnents to Col Allen, requesting him to keep
them; privilege which was denied Col Allen
by the Provost Marshal, who took them away
from his Orderly.
Coll. Tom Allen, now living at Madison,
Wis, has worn ever since that battle o ring
which Lieut. Owen drew from his finger and
presented to him as souvenir, upon the inside
of which is engraved: presented to the 9Th
La. Battery, by the ladies of New Orleans"
The letter of Gen. John Newton to his Ex-
John A. Andrew, quoted by Comrade
Holehouse, makes no mention of the 7th
Mass's flag, nor even that the 18th stormed
Marye's flights, but "the flights of Freder.
icksburg," the general name covering range
Of hills three miles in extent Marye's Nights
proper, and the stone wall, form distinct
locality, and the planting of the flag of the 9th
Me- thereon by the first troops that scaled the
stone wall is narrated and illustrated in Har-
pers Weekly at the time, by correspondent
who was on the spot with Gen. Sedgwick's
staff, and it is also backed by such authority as
Col Allen, 5th Wis, and other officers Of that
regiment and Of the 3Ist n. Y. These three
regiments were commingled IS one line in the
scramble mp the hill, and the colors of the 9Th
Me- being the nearest were the first to wave
from the parapets mo-
Col. Durham, of 9Th Me-, won his promo
ion to Brigadier- General of volunteers for his
gallant work on this occasion.
Comrade Holehouse's efforts to be facetious
IT the expense of Mr., II. E. Mathews are in
poor taste. and beneath the dignity of true
soldier He (Mathewsl married the widow of
Capt Furlong. of 9th Me-, who fell while gall
antly leading his company in the assault at
Station, Noy. 7, 1863 and both
himself and Mrs Mathews ian honorary mem.
Der of the 9th Maine Veteran Association) de-
erve the soldiers best esteem for their devoted
abors of love and charity for the soldiers of
he G.A.R--H. III. BowLEs, Co. c, 9th Me-,
Jherryfeld, Ne. q, ses
Balls Bluff.