The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-05

At Spotssylvanis you are again in the thick
est of the fight, and in the series OF engage
ments on this field your loss was serious. You
had five officers killed, three enlisted men
were killed, 20 wounded, and two missing;
total. 30.
At North Anna you had one officer and 10
enlisted men wounded. At Totopotomy you
bad three enlisted men killed; and at Cold
Harbor you had one officer wounded. one en-
listed man killed and four wounded; total
loss in these three engagements of 90
In the siege of Petersburg, which included
the assault on June 16. the engagement ut the
Weldon Road on the 23d, the severe fighting at
Strawberry Plains on Aug. IS. the engage
ments of Oct. 81 and %, Hatchers Run, Feb. 5,
1865, and the action of March %, you lost three
officers wounded and three missing. 10 enlisted
men killed, 30 wounded, aud 20 missing; total,
II.
On the 10Th of March you began the struggle
that was to end on the 9th OF April at Apo
mattox Courthouse in the surrender of the
army with which You had been battling for
nearly four years. The veteran troops of Lee
can no longer stand against your gallant as
saults, and their struggle at White Oak Road
on the 29th, Deatonsville Road. April 6, and
Farmville, April z, were among the last efforts
Of the enemy in the forlorn contest they were
making to escape beyond reach of your guns.
You lost in these actions nine enlisted men
wounded.
On the morning Of the 9Th you are again in
pursuit. After rapid march of 26 miles you
are halted about midnight, and receive the first
tidings of the negotiations that are taking
place for the surrender of Lees army.
AS you sink to rest the knowledge comes to
you that you have fred your last shot; that
the storm Of lead has ceased, and that the
angel of peace is lowering over you. Sweet
dreams of home and of the loved ones come
to you, and the bloody field, with the pale faces
and staring eyes of the countless dead, the gap
ing wounds Of the wounded. and all the wreck
of war. fades before the sweet vision.
At half-past o'clock, On the afternoon of the
next day, April g. the terms of capitulatiOn
were signed and the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia ceased to exist.
On the 23d of May the Army of the Potomac
passed in review before the President of the
United States The countless multitude that
thronged the streets and house-tops stood
speechless before the majesty Of your tattered
flags and war-worn ranks and heads uncovered
In silent honor to the gallant heroes who pass
before them
You were mustered out rear Washington on
June %. 1865, and during your term of service
you lost II officers killed or died OF wounds
and two died of disease; 1876 enlisted men were
killed or died Of wounds, so died of disease and
Is in rebel prisons; total, 229.
Twenty-Five officers were wounded and FIVE
and II missiDg-total, 1872; thus making your
total casualties amount to I'll. Col. Fox, in his
Regimental Losses, places your total enrolment
at ], $50 Your casualties were therefore more
than so per cert. Of your force.
Nearly % years have passed since the sur
render at Appomattox. Many of the comrades
who marched with you and fought with you
through these four years and returned to their
homes when peace had been proclaimed have
passed away IL il any wander nv com radeg
that the spirit Of fraternity dwells among you,
and that the remembrance of your years of
marches and battles has fostered that feeling,
and that it has drawn the survivors of your
dear old regiment into closer relations. and
that your meeting around this board is only
the outward indication of the close tie that
binds you? Let this spirit of fraternity and
comradeship draw you closer and closer, and as
good soldiers carry the banner of duty, truth
and honor through the rest of life's campaign,
so that when you come to lay down your arms
you can exclaim, Excelsior"