The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-10-12

Cross brigade went in with the Irish
brigade, soon to be followed by their COM
panion brigades under Gen. Zook and Col.
Brooke. What harvest Death reaped on
that wheatfield is an old story. The Fifth
bore its share as usual and Cross was NOR
tally wounded in front of its uplifted ban
ner while melting his boys, as he had ever
done in the heat of battle. The next day
the regiment was under fire from Lees
batteries during Pickett's charge and came
out of the fight with a death roll of "a, the
total killed and wounded numbering so.
This left but 81 men and officers, not more
than one full company, to march back
with the victors to Virginia.
But the organization was too glorious to
be given up, and the remnant was sent
home to the old state to fill up the gaps
and renew its shattered banners 1t re-
ported back to the army and resumed its
place in the BRIGADE on June /, 1864, on the
field of Cold IIaruor On the 81 it trotted
out at daybreak, 5.i strong, with arms at
shoulder Shift" and dashed forward half
mile in the famous grand assault. bound
ing over the parapet OF a Confederate bat
terry without firing n shot This was Bar
lows celebrated charge, unequaled for
anu unpdTdiItlcu Ill tilt SlalHnttr
suffered by the assailants
The Fifth passed through the battery
and rushed for the euemy's second line.
but was met on the way by strong opposi
ton from the front and both TANKS. No
support coming To its aid, retreat was nee
essary, and it fell back TO the battery, dis
putting every foot of ground in hand to
hand struggle The Confederates that had
been captured in the outward rush repudi-
ated their paroles, and catching up weapons
from the fallen New Hampshire boys
opened fire upon their late conquerors.
Al the battery the conflict was fierce in
deed, The artillerists throwing themselves
in front of the retreating men and laying
hold to capture them by main force. But
the gallant fellows of the Fifth rallied to
one another's aid and beat down their fees
one by one. \ captain of the Fifth was
one of the last to abandon the battery, and
his parting blow was q sword cut that
split Confederate artilleryman from the
shoulder down, leaving him dead and
nearly decapitated beside his gun. Terri
BILE work, this, and the Bloody Lane, with
its savage war whoop and the stone wall
and the wheatlield, but such is war, if one
goes ia to win. Ii this charge POP fell,
of which 50 We're KILLED.
The regiment went on into the Peters
burg campaign under Gen. Nelson Miles
as brigade dnd division leader. In the
Petersburg assaults it lost 10 killed and
its second colonel, c. Z. Hapgood, wound
ed. Coz. w. A. Crafts, who had passed
through every grade from sergeant up,
next took command. In the trenches it
losS IA killed and in various battles l6. In
the AppomattoX campaign it lost killed
at Sailors Greek, and at Farmville, April
I, was overmatched in desperate charge
losing 20 killed, GO wounded and 81 cap
tured out of companies engaged. Capt
Kicker, the bloody SworIsman OF Cold
Harbor, was in command and was wound
ed three times before he surrendered his
colors. He was soon recsptured and the
flag was restored 10 its brave hearted de-
tenders at AppomattoX two days later.
So it was that the Fighting Fifth"
rolled up its avful list Of 295 killed in bat
tie GEORGE l.. kILMEE.