The Republican journal., 1893-03-09
A Boys First Experience Under Fire.
THE 10TH MAINE REGIMENT IN ITS FIRST
BATTLE.

18th Maine Regiment left home Aug. II,
1862, and arrived at Falmouth, Va. Nov.
odd having been less than three months
the list Brigade, I'd division, I'd Corps, com
manded respectively by GEMS. German,
Howard and Couch The LIST brigade was
composed of the LIST Mimi. 18th Mass,
3+th n. y, and 10Th Maine The first
three regiments named were old regiments
and had seen lots of hard service, and we
knew that to follow them meant hard
road to travel. The little village of Fal-
mouth lays about one mile above the city
Of Fredericksburg. We remained at this
place until the 18th of December, watching
ble position. On the It'll of December
the thunder of cannon announced that
the long looked for battle had begun. We
made our coffee, struck tents. and fell into
line with the column and marched down
the river opposite the city of Frederiels-
burg to await the laying of pontoon
bridges for the army to cross the river ON.
We were within supporting distance OF the
50th y. Y. Engineers. who had charge of
laying the upper bridge for tile right wing
of the army to cross on. All went on well
until about half way across the river, when
he rebel sharpslooters opened deadly
fire from the opposite bank. 1t was i'm
possible for the men TO work when their
comrades We're falling all around them
and they left for a short time, but soon
returned to their work, and again the
Sharpshooters sent a rain Of bullets, more
destructive than the first, filling the river
with floating corpses and tingng its tur-
cid waters with the rltidy hue Of death.
Again the brave p0ntooners We're driven
! from their work. Burnside ordered the
the city and batter it down to drive out
| the foe. This order was promptly eXecut-
ed. Another attempt was then made to
finish the bridge and again the bullets be
gan to fly and the men to fall Burnside
saw that something desperate must be
swiftly done. He called tor volunteers 10
cross the river in pontoon boats and drive
The sharpshooters ont of their hiding
i places. 1shler regiments from the "a DiNiS-
/ ION 10Th and 3otl, Massachusetts and 7th
Michigan. promptly offered their services
and started ON their deadly mission They
spran@ into the boats and were soon in
the midst N 4 rain Of bullets each one
killing or wonndin@ one OF their SOM
lasltS Still they faltered not and in a
\ short time tile shalpshooters were driven
ont Of the city. with about a hundred CAP
tured. The bridge was then completed
without difficulty. just as the sun was
sinking behind the hills we fell into line
the 10th crossing tile river in advance
| Never shall | forget how ! felt as we
marched up the street leading to the city.
with the dead rebels lying on every hand.
We camped for the night neal the 59th
New York Or the Irish brigade which be
longed to the I'd corps They soon found
something TN take also fiddle, and the
/ way they cut it out was a caution. Alas,
ii was the last good time for many of
them, as | Shall explain farther on. Some
time in the middle of the night detail
was made from the 10th for picket duty.
and as usual had 10 90 When daylight
came we found ourselves in front of the
rebel works. soon the sharpshooters
opened fire at short range. How loved
an YAK fence post which found near MY
my best girl,
WE soon got eut OF that. as our Spring
fields would not reach the enemy and we
could 10 no good by remaining there we
found the 10Th supportin@a New DIRK bat
terry which was firing from street lead
ing out to the rebel works. Gen. Howard
sat on his horse watching the firing
When the shells from the rebel ranks
came tearing down the street, sending the
bricks in all directions, some of the boys
would dodge. The old Christian hero
noticing this sang out, Don't dodge,
boys, the danger is all over when you
hear the report In an instant down
came a shell, bursting near his horse and
for a moment the General changed his
mind and lodged down his head. Here was
our chance and the boys sang out, Don't
dodge General, the danger is all past when
you hear the report The General look
ed up through the smoke and smile
could be seen upon his face. In such
times of danger he could take joke as
well as give one.
Shortly after mid day, when the mists
had disappeared, a full division of the I'd
Corps was seen emerging from the town
into the open plain. This was Frenchs.
Close upon the heels of French came Han
cock and Howard. The LIST brigade of
Howard 5 Division formed in line Of battle,
the 10Th leading. We We're given the lead,
as some Of the old veterans said SO that
we would stay. as we were a new reg-
ment. They never had occasion to say
that again, for we stayed while the other
regiments got out the best they could.
Hardly had we formed when the rebels
opened cross fire with shells, and so near