The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-28
ruEpUncELL BATTEHf.
In the Seven Days Battles Before Rich
,uoud.


The following clipping from one Of
the Richmond papers-we believe the Ex-
amIner-pubished July "A, lo'~' mas neen
sent rs by a friend. It Is thrilling now
10 read what our men did IN '"o'e ''aVe
days.
The conspicuous part played py This
battery in the recent batues ~, '''1h-
| mond. Its terrific losses III -, - anu
wounded, and the brilliant ga'ianuy us
played throughout by its officers anu men,
challenge from the press ihoie s''' a
passing notice. With little nope - nohS
justice to the subject or giNihs ~ our
readers a fair idea OF the ~ - ''ee
rendered our cause by this pa's. We
propose 20 sketch a brief aeco.ns - .'s
| experiences and achievements 'iv"t lAe
moment of IFS crossing 10 the north bank
of the Chicahominy until Us lase . "a vas
fired in the great battle Of Malvern I'M
On Wednesday. the zth 20 '",'
the Purcell battery. Captain Ni,ii',.. d.
Pcgram. attached TO Fields bris"ue, IN
eral Ambrose y. HITS division We" -.
camped at Storr's farm. on inc "a
the Central railroad and South - w
Chicahom.ny. The company ~. -.
five commissioned officers, elesv" IT,.
commissioned officers. and els"'' -
nriva,os The commissioned officers were
William J. Pegram, captain. NJ
Fitxhugh. first lieutenant; W. =, -.
second lieutenant: Joseph J. Mo S.,,
third lieutenant: NJ. Featherstone' .ho,,,,'
lieutenant. Captain Pesrah' ,,1s'i
scarcely twenty years OF age - b;s
the entire respect and coniden ,i,h+
men. The order issued WEDNESDAY -, -
=
first intimation the men receiver '"-'
battle was imminent. che
Between = and o'clock on
afternoon Of Thursday, the ~" 10
June, the battery, along win Lne ,so
tieth, Fifty-lfth, and Sixtieth NiIsl', 20,
lments, crossed Chicahominy III Meou'" 49,.
Bridge. The Fortieth Virginia resl.iie .',.
OF infantry were deployed rs SKI 80
while the battery advanced DOW" ~
Meadow Bridge road about NM
then, wheeling TO the right, pesdn " o."
cend a hill. About this time lIc
Of musketry began to be hedru j., ~,
woods. both to the right ana leit Oh ~
battery. ard was quickly followed ps ~
heavy thunder of cannon. BEFORE Ie@DiiII7
the crest Of the hill two men were WOUND
ed By r.ae balls On the top OF inns mn
they found what they called aCuaher gun
that is. a stove pipe mounted on Wheeis
The battery was then ordered iorVaru -
take a position in a field about three-quai-
tiers Of a mile from the enemy entFench-
ments. No sooner had they gotten INTO
position in this field than II was eFl1eh'
the battery had been drawn into an am
buscade and the enemy's cannon opened
on them from the entertainments i'ei-
g!an rifle balls whistled through the pat
terry and over the heads OF the men IN
myriads. The battery fired four rounds OF
a Yankee battery entrenched to the sOuth
OF Mechanicsyille. and were ordered 10
retire 10 the cover OF the woods, on the
left, which they did in good order amid 4
fearful storm of bullets and shells but,
TO say, none Of the men were
struck.
After remaining half an hour In this |
wood, the battery was ordered back into |
he 81 me field. IL then numbered under |
R terrific fire from Glriner's United |
.tates battery. stationed behind entrench-
aents two thousand yards IN front. No
'ooner had our battery fired a shot, than
be fire Of two other batteries, one on the
1T ard the other on the risht also
orcentrated upon II. The cnemy's fire
'as swift and terrific The carnage
mons our men was fearful, but manfully
nd cody they stood 10 their guns, and
ntil dark poured their deliberate fire
ITO the enemy's entertainments. Many
the wounded refused TO retire, and
TODD 10 their posts till the close Of the
ght When the order was given 10
ease firing the guns were almost red
OF. William Stilman was struck by a
inister shot and Instantly killed. in this
sht and Lieutenant Allen and forty
ihers were wounded. Lieutenant Fitz-
ugh was also wounded. but remained
18th the battery. Twelve horses were
He'd and others slightly wounded. The
artery slept that night on the field in #,
re position ii had occupied during the
ltte.
The next morning friday all the
lemy's entertainments at Mechanicsville
adj been carried by our infantry.
At % a. NJ Friday morning the Pur-
III battery moved forward I'm the track
the retreating enemy. and AT O'clock
lat evening. got under his fire while
waiting orders two hundred yards 10
e west or the Cold Harbor house
ere TWO men were struck. one by q
inie ball.
Al . o'clock F. NJ. the battery was
'aered TO take position in the garden at
'iu HaiDof between the barn and the
'use' ana 10 shell the woods TO the
'utheast. where large bodies Of the en-
ny $ infantry were drawn up None Of
II men were Killed here, though the bat
ly early became a mark FOR the enc
Us sharpshooters. Five of our horses
ere Killed. This made seventeen horses
e battery had lost I'm the two engage
ents. II is We'll TO state that Captain
asram used in this fight four splendid
apoleon guns, which had been taken
ON the enemy at Mechanicsville. and
hich he had obtained for his company.
ne battery remained on the field Of Cold
arbor until Sunday morning. when
ey recrOssed 10 the south bank Of the
licahominy by a Yankee pontoon bridge.
I'd slept Sunday night at Pney Chapel.
the Darbytown road.
At 10 O'Clock Monday morning ;he bat
~ moved down the DarDytown road IN
insult Of the enemy. At > o clock that
ening, as II drew up IN Mr.. Nathan | I,
Darby field. eleven miles b.
" RichTAnd, II came under the fire Of |
e enemy Here. the shell raining around
d above in a perfect storm II remained
til night without firing a gun. and ,
thout the loss OF man or horse. one +,
the enemy's shells Clipped a piece from b
g Of our caissons; had it struck few 1
hes lower and exploded the caisson, b
E loss Of life on our part must have
en- frightful.
II ; O'Clock on Tuesday, our forces
wing come up with the enemy. the
Ircell battery was ordered 10 engage a G
ttery OF the enemy half "A mile distant |;
ross n field. This proved, by all ODDS, | =
: tiercest fight our men had been engae- II
In. Two batteries opened on them at n
ce, and one OF them was so near that n
r men could see the Yankees loading ! !,
,lr pieces. In course of hair an bot,r ! I,