The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-12

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MM ! 8 very young boys IN IN
gtsAt ~ Il battery WAS net acci
60, n L dental. When the bat
sHftss ~ 4 terry came to tie Arm,
$tSg:s i'# 81 ri of the Potomac fron
%1 M-lS EJ Utah in 1861, Their
were only about 50-ods
Regulars in its ranks. and as there was hardl.
any recruiting then for the Regular Army j
became necessary 10 Eli it upto fighting strength
by getting men detached out Of the Toiuntee'
commands with which it most closely as
sociated. The volunteer regiments from Which,
these men were drawn were the I'd, oth anc
9Th Wis. 18th Ind, and 9th Mich, forming
what WAS afterward known to fame as the
"Iron brigade" and the 20th. 23d. ana aotf
N Y. of the brigade commanded by Gen. Mar
sena Il. Patrick. afterwards Provost Marshal
General OF the Army. few volunteered from
other regiments of the First Corps later on, but
the above were the principal sources OF supply
during the first three years of the war. Al
first while Gen. Gibbon was in command OF
the battery, Ee picked the men himself one by
one, carefully ascertaining the character ana
anteceGen;s OF each. As rule he would select
them I'm the proportion OF about three or four
youngsters TO one grown man. and In every
case he impressed them with tbe idea that they
were TO serve in q battery that had won great
fame in previous wars, and that was destined
to be \ model organization ia The couhlct then
pending. Probably there never was q more
competent Judge than Gen. Gib5on in matters
of this kind. Ills judgment was unerrlng as to
what young man Should be 10 make first
class soldier. After he promoted / picked
out the remainder, and had scarcely ever TO re-
gret the choice ! made. Whenever / found
one OF them not up to the standard ] had him
sent back TO his regiment, and there were bat
few instances of this kind. ] always felt very
proud of the young volunteers i had, and
] do not consider it saying too much to state
that better, Drawer, and more intelligent
body of young men never wore the uniform OF
a soldier. They were ready 1t all times. no
matter what the duty was, and they did it
cheeriuly. The only cause of annoyance had
was that in action, with boyish reckiessness,
they would vie with each other in acts OF OAR
ing, aud | had often to check them for expos
ing themselves unnecessarily. They were the
brightest set of young men ever had under
my command, or ever saw in service-Ri life
and energy, with a vim and snap TO them that
made Things 60 pleasantly.
have looked carefully over the names men
TONED IL the article. and ia my mind il would
be very hard thing for any commander to
discriminate in mentioning names for espe-
ciaily meriiprious conduct for they all d:d
their duty well; but the following names are
green IN NY memory, for kuog that, though
only boys in age they were nlcn in valor, aad
the truest type of young Americans.
The following are the names remember as
deserving special mention: Scott Williams,
Charley Sprague, Billy Irving, Albert Hunt,
Frank Blair. Henry klinefelter, Tom Price,
John Knight Maitland Freeman. Dan Acker-
man, Billy uinman, George Barrett, Ike Van
dicar. Henri ChilGs. Arson Jillson, john Cook,
Buell., tie two Fuitons, Morris. johnson,
Biakeiey. Bccehan. John Dolphin, and Perry
Rowe. These were all kids" BY the way.
think Dolphin WAS one of the young boys; /
don't think he belonged TO the class of grown
men, where Baell placed him.
As IN instance of the high sense of duty OF
these yoGagsierz will cite one case where the
battery WAS ordered to take position at the
Cemetery. after the fight at the railroad cut
the first Gay Of Gettysburg; the rear axle of
one OF the caissoEs was broken by & roanGshot,
and Scott Williams remained with it. and took
out every reznd OF ammunition. destroying it.
50 il could D1t be used by the enemy. On my
way to the town, found him at his work of
destruction, although ali of our troops were
falling back. / remained with him until the
last round was destroyed. Scott. Though a
mere boy, was doing this of bis own motion,
while the eBemy was rapidly advancing upon
him. il was act worthy of a General.
conld meatiOn many such acts performed by
these youngsters, but il would be taking up too
much time. ls every man who served in the
First and Fifth Corps knows what splendid
service they rendered.
While these boys were very brave and high
spirited, they were not at ali hard TO keep in
hand and their discipline was not exceled by
any command OF actual Regulars: but il was
necessary to treat them with good deal Of
tact Excellent was the discipline OF the
battery throughout harsh and tyranncal
officer could have br en- il all up in q short
time / made x a poL.It 20 gain the friendship
Of the boys and impress upon their minds the
idea that were all comrades, after all, and
that the Inference IN rank was simply mill
tary necessity. The result was that every one
OF those boys and men WAS not only my sub
ordinate bit my devoted personal friend in
those days and every one who survives re-
mains so To this day. no matter where he may
be or what his lot in life j do not say this
boastnEiy, but think IL is a fact that every
one Of those boys who fought with me in such
battles as AHtiet2m. Gettysburg, Spottsylyania
etc, is Ey lifelong friend and no: one Of them
viii ever be heard TO say IN unpleasant word
about the Old Man." as they used 10 call me.
OF course in 30 years continuous service In
the Regular Army had many different CON-
mands, under varying circumstances; bat Bat
terry y naturally oyerShadows them ali il my
memory, ret oaly on account OF the stirring and
historic time IN which ] held IT, but on account
Of the high character. the lofty heroism and
the rare intelligence Of the men and boys who
composed lis rank and file They were truly
worthy SUCCESSORS of the old-time veterans who
had already made the battery famous IN the
battles OF lsl2and the Mexican war. The record
made al BGena Vista was reinforced with new
glory al AR.ietam and Gettysburg.
ia conclusion. would remark that IN his ac-
count OF ihe strength OF the battery al Gcttys-
burg Buell. leaves out Is men and one non com.
nissiOned officer who were with our extra
caissonS. However, / suppose he does that be-
cause the extra eaissons, of which there were SIX
were with she corps ammunition train at that
time, anc were lot used ia the first DAVIS bat
tie. When the battery was first recognized
under Gen. Gibbon it WIS equipped with l2
caissoBs, sltica Was The complete war estab-
lshinent" uDder the old regulations aud tie
SIX extra czissOis remained with and formed
part of The battery until some time after An
Iictam. LattcEly, however, they ordered
70 join the corps train, though their drivers
and the ron commissioned officers in charge o.
them were SUI carried On the battery roll as
present for duty" This continued TO be the
case until the reorganization of the artillery
when Grant took command, in 1864, though
eve. after That Battery q was always allowed
two extra caissOBs. / mention this fact SO that
any student Of history, ia estimating the actual
strength oi The battery available for battle, may
na0crstaBG that the drivers, etc, Oh the extra
csissOns-nsu3ily about Is Inen-are to be &c
Quoted from the number present for duty,