News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-01-14

| a field of corn, aud still farther back an
! orchard standing on rising ground. A
| concealed battery near the orchard piayed
| upon the Union troops with shell and grape.
| The Sunken Road was soon filled with Con
! federats infantry. Cross advanced his line
| calamity across the Sunkeu Road into the
corn. In short time he discovered Con-
federate force stealthly marching up on
the flank OF Richardson's line, aud chang
ing front under fire, he headed that off
his men racing with the Confederates for
knoll that commanded the field. The
Yankees won the race, but the Coniederates
gathered new strength and tried Ii again.
The Confederates were led by Gen. ID. II.
Hill. lie thought that bold stroke on
Richardson would hurl bis line back to the
Antietam. But Richardson's men partonl
of the nature of their corps leader, cold
Bull" Sumner, and had no thought of
fielding the Union center to Hill. Col.
Cross at length planted his line in the
Sunken Road, already packed with dead,
and with RTdor bordsrfng upon EararS
fairy melted his men IL their desperate
work. His wounded head was bound with
q handkerchief and blood streamed down
his face. Up and down the ranks he moved
telling the men to put on 'war paint" and
der end Of their torn cartridges the meu
streaked their faces and Joined in the say
Tge cry ugtl the whoop resoundeI above
Ihe din Of battle.
4 frenzy seized upon each man, and i'm
patient with their slow, muzzle loading
guns, they tore loaded ones from the grasp
Of the dead and wounded and fired them
with rapidity, at times sending the ram
rlers along with the bullets Tor double exc
cution. Aud they won. Hill lost the Bloody
Lane and Corndeid aud Orchard, and gave
up the contest. Col Cross aud the Fifth
New Hampshire were praised on all sides,
from McClellan's headquarters down, for
their gallantry Mt the Bloody Lane. and
after that day the command was known
throughout the army as the "Fighting
Fifth" The casualties were ITO killed and
wounded Many of the wounds were from
canister and shell, and the mortality was
light (l3 only in the regiment,
The Fifth marched forward again TO
Virginia with about 800 men, it's losses-liys
disease and battle having reduced It TO thai
figure from an original roll Of g78 It,
next fight was in front Of tho stone wall al
fredericksburg, where It went iu under
the lead of Hancock, Gen. richardson
successor The Fifth was in Hancock
front line, side 10y side with the Irish bri
gade IN that terrible charge. Shells. case
shot canister and bullets tore through the
ranks. Still the heroes swept on over
bitches aud fences, over hiliocS aud plain. !
the gaps in the ranks growing wider and |
wider and a struggling swath Of PROSTATE
men marking their course. On they went |
without voice to cheer them or man to |
support them until they stood up free OF |
every screen facing the wall tbut gboIt,,,1 4
Lees riilemen. Here they toQk their stand, |
and, us Hancock said, refusing to yield |
any ground, died where they stood.n
Cross was wounded, the major was killed \
and two captains who succeeded to the com. I
mand were killed. Out Of 10 officers were
killed and II wounded, and the score all told /
Of dead and wounded was 1885 out of 2O6 en-.
gagged. The death list reached 81. aud &C. |