The National tribune., 1893-03-02
THE BLOODY Goth MASS.
A Comrade Believes in Nicknames Earned
Battlefields.

A Comrade Believes in Nicknames Earned
BattIefields.
= ADMIRE the defense of Comrade r. II.
g. Mnty of the nieknames of regiments.
l. brigades and men. / doubt if there is
anything that pleases dear old Gen. Rose
Grams so much as to hear the boys call him Old
Rosy" No individual or body of men or women
nickname themselves. since nickname is given
as mark of respect or derision, as the naming
of the American soldiers by the Britishers
Yankee Doodles, and they got all the Yankee
Doodle they wanted before they got through.
They resemble the fellow who went to
church to scot and came away to pray; just so
they and ali the world have respected and
feared the Yankee Doodle ever since.
A regiment, as a general thing. has right to
be proud of its nickname. The following is
the way the 10th Mass. came by the name of
the Bloody Twentieth"
During the sevan days fight it seems that
the very unpleasant duty fell to the lot of
brave old Gen. Sumner and the Second Corps
to cover the retreat from Fair Oaks and
Gaines's Mills 10 Harrison's Landing. Oh !!
excuse me, it was not retreat but change
of base OF from seven miles from Richmond to
about % miles; the General in command. Gen.
Geo. B. Mcclellan said SO, and he must have
known.
Excuse my depressing. You know the failing
old soldiers learned at the front to go over the
same old ground many times before accom-
plisbiug what they started out to do.
Well. / started 10 tell how the Goth Mass. got
the nickname of Bloody Twentieth" and the
name Jack of Clubs" 10 Adj't Milton. as fine
aud brave a little gentleman as ever nulied on
a pair of top.boots or formed regiment.
1t occurred at Poolesville. Nd, in tho Fall of
1861. where the regiment lay that Fall and
Winter. When at dress parade he formed the
regiment and turned it over to the Colonel, he
f.o1 Il, dam hi Co.
geant III the company to which / belonged
and who was something nearer than hun
dredth cousin, named him Jack of Clubs, aud
be was prouder of it than OF bis own NAME
which was that of one OF the oldest and grand
est families of the old Bay State"
Now for the Bloody Twentieth" At the
close of the battle of Savage Station the
goth had been in reserve in the afternoon,
though not entirely out of reach of compli-
meuts from our neighbors across the way.
lot OF the boys we're squatted on the
ground around rubber blanket playing a
social little game of bluf-oh excuse mel
mean reading their good books given them
by the " Christian Commission" that they
always carried in their left hand breast peck ct
to stop the wicked bullets of the bad rebels
Well, while they were very busy at their devo.
tons around the rubber blanket and there was
goodly pot at stake-I mean quite a large con-
tribution IN the box, rebel compliment in tie
shape of a shell dropped in their midst, spoil
ing their deyoiions and sent some to the Com
mander who gives no furlough except to Spirit
uaisis.
Well. the nickname Of Bloody Twentieth"
Picture to yourself an open space Of about 10
acres surrounded by woods, with a railroad
track running north and south. On the east
side the ground slopes up TO the woods in the
rear; on the west side is level space where
the tents for the hospital stood, and furthe.
north was small frame building that used to
be Savage Station depot.
About > or o'clock in the afternoon the Goth
was lying around loose on this high ground
east of the railroad. The order was given to
| fall in. We get into line and are waiting
orders. In front and between US and the rail-
road. is the Irish Brigade, which has Just
| come out of action from the woods to their left
and front. To the right Of them is a field bat.
terry which keeps dropping compliments over
the railroad into the woods beyond. Just then
| the order is given: Make ready, Goth -
| Double quick Charge bayonets," The
| Irish Brigade fall back and open ranks for
US to pass through, the cannoneers jumping up
on their caDnons and caissoDs aud with the
| Irish Brigade waving their caps and shout
ing " Go in, you bloody Goth; give them hell I"
That is how the regiment came by that
name, and all other commands got their nick
names under similar circumstances. They all
have right TO feel proud of the same, and he is
poor man and soldier who won't defend it,
There, told you that If you only gave ME
time enough would say my say L. j.,
| high private in the rear rank on the ex-
| IRENE left, 4th n. j., and Bloody Goth Mass,
1 Buffalo n Y