Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-22

limit Of fighting Ind been reached and that
q bloodlcss campaign or perhaps one hard
tusslo would end IT, But during the month
succeeding the regiment fought seven en-
Npngrments, la one Of which Il lost moro men
killed than In any other o. the thirty-six
battles Of It's career. Thirty-six battlcsdur
ing three years OF nghtingl one battle for
each month OF the real work Of the war
one battle month where it, services were
moritorions and conspicuous
The First Maine was recruited In SIX
weeks time la the fall Of 1871, the whole
state being the mastering field. The OIL
GERS had their pick Of recruits, because IL
waA the first call for TROOPERS and the quota
allowed but one cavalry regiment, ~ they
took "none but sound, EblebOdiud men In
all respects, between the ages Of eighteen
and thirty-flye years VI correct moral and
temperate habits active. Intelligent, Wig
oruus and hardy, weighing not less than
le5 nor morp than Lea pounds"
The first man 10 enlist was Jonathan r.
Cilley, aud ho was also the first man
wounded. The surgeons pronounced his
wound fatal, but he lived TO be the last
commander of the regiment and led IL in
tho last eight battles on the list.
The troopers hcshed their maiden swords.
but only hguratively, Ia the hide and seek
campaign OF the Shenandoah valley In the
spring Of isss They early met with one
disaster that taught useful lesson. In
covering Banks retreat down the valley In
May, one battalion. galloping In columns OF
fours along a narrow pike, ran full tilt into
Confederate battery. The leaders refined
up surprise and the rear ranks rushed
on like water over milldnn, men and
horses becoming involved In u hopeless and
appalling wreck.
The ne1t experience Of the regiment was
at Cedar mountain. on the Rapidan, where
IL stood In line for some hours under fire
from artillery and passed the ordeal with
out finching. ~ the other battles Of their
hrst ycnr. Second Bull Hun. Antiotam and
Fredericksburg. the regiment was often
under fire with fatal results, and In the
Charlottesville campaign went with Gen.
Stonemnn on his famous ride around Lees
army, meeting with stirring adventures
and lively brush now and then by squad
runs, with the Confederate troopers In pur
suit. Hut all OF this was only practice for
the serious work ahead. and u was nm ideal
cavalry corps that Gen. Pleisonton led out
on June o, 1893. TO cross the Rappahnnnock
river In the face Of "Jcb" Stuart's gallant
squadrons and lind out what lee was doing
with his Idle army The First Maine wa'
IN Tue DIVISION OF heh, hifFH, anu huu iui
lis brigadier the lashing young Fitzpatrick
boy of twenty-five, No need Ia tell her,
how the men Of Ruford crossed the river
met aud drove back Stuart's best brigade
under Gems. Jones. Hampton and Lee. II
was the first genuine horseback fight d
the war
Grtggs division forded the river and
toized sturrts biyouae, Brandy Station
Headquarters aud all, and Stuart, aroused
to wrath, turned his whole power loos'
upon the daring brigade u Col Perez
Wyndham that had despoiled his camp
Gregg was In danger Of losing the fruits q
his charge when Fitzpatrick appeared, lead
in, his command for the first time undel
FIRE. Coming TO tho Held the brigade emrrg"t
from the wood On open ground and chargct
IN column Of squadronS a Confederate
battery, screened by shrubbery, wclcomc'
the nav arrival with shells, and a force q
Confederate cavalry dashed upon the lead
ing regiment. capturing its colonel nn'
hurllng is liac ba9k. The second regimen
Jared even worse. aud Fitzpatrick rode 4
tho Fint Maine, shouting, Men OF Maine
you must save the day."