The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-01-26


line than he felt inquisitive about what the
Confederates could do or would do in the
country adjacent. Birney's was the left
division of Sickles' corps, and in front of
his outpost lay q strip Of woods that
screened the regions beyond from view in
the Union camps. A hundred of Berdan's
First regiment stole into the woods and
the steady crack of their rifles announced
that the marksmen had their game In
sight. Birney told Berdan to take another
100 men, with regiment Of infantry to
back them up, and scour the country
farther to the left. Starting from the
Peach Orchard the scouts went along the
road westward to the Warfield house and
disappeared over the ridge. Their steps
led into broad valley that hugs the steep
mountain side opposite Little Round Top,
and very soon the familiar interval shots
gave warning that the enemy had been
sighted In that quarter also. Willcox's
brigade, Of Anderson's division, the ad.
vance guard Of Lees column, that was
marching stealthily around to assault
Meade's left, had just reached that point.
Berdan's administers took to the trees and
rocks, each man having an oak trunk or
huge bowlder for q citadel, and poured
fire into Willcox's leading regiment that
surprised and staggered It. The Confeder-
ates were amtushed In q certain sense, for
they were not looking for anything Of the
kind at that time and place. Wilcox sent
q second regiment to aid the first and Der.
dan called In his helpers. After twenty
minutes Of this bushwhacking the Sharp
shooters beat a retreat, and then Sickles
knew and Meade knew that Lee was
edging along toward Round Top.
The bloody Peach Orchard battle opened
not long after Berdan's plucky scout
ended, and the First regiment took place
of honor in Sickles' front line. Tempting
targets they had, too, for awhile, when
Longstreet's deep and well closed ranks
advanced boldly to the attack.
The Second regiment has meanwhile
climbed up among the powders on Little
Round Top to turn their farsearching eyes
upon the exposed places south and west, or
still beyond and beyond Sickles' menaced
left. The enemy is seen sneaking up
behind the woodlands, ridges. farms and
stone cross fences, and the Sharpshooters
glide down the mountain. through Devils
Den, into the wooded loop bordering the
Wheat Field. This has become Sickles' left
by q sharp bend back from the Peach
Orchard. The Sharpshooters crawl out
among trees and bushes, well on to the
broad plains where Longstreet's veterans,
led by the fiery Hood, are crouching low
and creeping up to make their mad plunge
for Round Top. One Confederate battery
Is silenced and charging regiment breaks
three times in the face Of the bullseye
shots Of Berdan's riflemen. Then the
scouts retire Indian fashion, stopping for
pick shots only, and the whirlpool Of battle
seethes around the Wheat Field and DEVILS
Den to the base Of Little Round Top.
Sharpshooting Is ended for the day on that
ground, for the combatants are at arms
length and brute force takes the place Of
skili
At the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold
Harbor and Petersburg the regiments
fought together in their unique roles.
Their highest losses were ut the Wilder
meas and Spottsylvania In the First regi-
ment |, S93 men showed on the rolls and i5s
Of them were killed. The wounded num-
bered 393 and the casualties reached an
average Of 10 per cent. The death roll was
over 10 per cent. The Second showed Ills
names on the roll. OF these l25 were killed
and s37 wounded. The percentages were
the same as in the First. As place Of
safety the skirmish line Is not to be recon.
mended, but this sad boast can be made
for Berdan's men that they sold their lives
dearly, and perhaps sent more Confeder-
ates TO dust than any other regiments In
the army. The First regiment lost its killed
In twenty four separate battles; the Second
In twenty-one. Both were engaged on sew
eral other fields. GEORGE J.. kiIMER