The National tribune., 1894-04-05
CONSTANT FIGHTING.
Something of the Terrible Struggles Along
the Chickahomny in '62.

|
| the Chickahominy i'm '62.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: As former
member of the old Attn Mich, will endeavoI
to give short account of the services il
performed round about Gaines's Mill and
| Mecbanicsville in June, 1862.
| think we had been camped near Gaines's
Mill about month, doing picket duty and
the like, and had in the meantime been to
| the entertainment given us by Gen.
! Branch's command, sometimes called the
Hanover Courthouse picnic Gen. F. j.
| Porter, Gen. Branch, and some others made
the addresses of the day. The boys thought
lots of it. We had large funeral the next
day.
The brigade was at that time composed OF
the following regiments: 14th N. Y, Col.
McQuade; 4th Mich, Col. Woodbury.; 9th
Mass, Col Cass; cd Pa, Col Black.
Brig. Gen. Charles Griffin assumed COM
mand of the brigade on the Goth day of June,
! 1862, at about o'clock p. M. The same
| day we left camp in a hurry, and moved in
the direction of Mechanicsville. We arrived
at the latter place little before 6 p. m.
There was then game of ball going on be-
| tween the Pennsylvania Reserve boys and
some of the rebs from near Richmond. Gen.
]. F. Reynolds was the Captain of the Penn
| sylvania team. One of the Southern coach
ers was, / think, named Hill, and another
Longstreet.
We Immediately formed line-of- battle I'M
der heavy artillery fire in rear of the center
of the line then engaged. Soon after the 4th
Mich. moved forward and relieved one of the
Pennsylvania regiments, and the 18th n. Y.
advanced to relieve and support, think, the
Kane Rifles, which were farther to our right.
Tho oil dfh Mich cooroalu in rnSi-
ton when it was attacked by one big regi-
ment or two medium-sized ones Here the
fight was fierce for time. We were firing
into a piece of woods; the enemy were in
the woods. To our rear was a small clear
ing, in which we had first halted upon our
arrival.
think the regiment fired only about 90
rounds per man when the enemy's fire
ceased. We had repulsed them in hand
some manner. 1t was now getting dark in
the woods, time for the whip-pOwill to
commence his song. The casualties in this
little engagement were, / think, three or
four killed. % wounded, and four missing
in the 4th Mich.
Soon after firing had stopped orders were
given for some men from each company (4th
Mich.) to be detailed as pickets and TO move
straight to our front, think 40 TO 80 yards
only. 1t was as / have before said as to the
ground. Those unfortunate men moved to
the front only few rods when they came to
rail fence. Did not see it until they came
to it and attempted TO get over it, when the
enemy on the other side deliberately bayo-
neted many of them. But this only lasted
a few minutes our men getting little fur
ther back those that could do so. This was
the time we lost our men-fOur, / think,
killed, and Is of the % wounded received
their wounds at this time near the rail
fence. Those who were hurt were replaced
by other men, who moved a little to our
front in the bush. We were now told to
make no noise; to lie down and get what
rest we could. Guns were loaded and bay
onets fixed. Each man lay down, sat, or
kneeled, as he chose.
We remained in this position until little
after daylight next morning, the 9th, when
we moved back to our old camp near Gaines
Mill. l think we reached the old camp near
about a. M, made little fires, and soon as
possible boiled cup of coffee, and remem-
Der before the coffee could be drunk orders
were given to fall in. We moved out of our
old camp for the last time. We crossed over
little stream near the old mill and moved
back a mile or more, and were assigned to
position on Watts's Farm, near New Cold
Harbor. There we formed line-of-battle
To our front were heavy woods and under
brush, a little open field in our rear. A few
rods in our front was little shallow stream
which ran southerly between rather steep
banks of about equal hight. This little
stream empties into the Chickahominy.
The Third and First Brigades of our old
division were in position on our left this
day June 81. With the few axes that could
be gotten by US, and the time at command,
a few trees were cut down along a small por-
tion of our front for protection. We never
saw our knapsacks after that day; lost all
our clothing except what we had on.
1t was a little after noon-time, think,
when the enemy came up TO us through the
woods from the direction of Gaines's Mill.
The gallant 9th Mass. engaged them first,
l believe, and in the woods had hard fight
with them for nearly an hour before our
regiment was attacked. The 9Th fought as
they always did, like tigers. They had a
good arm for close fighting; one ball, and,
/ think, three buckshot
The enemy would come forward through
the timber and brush and attack us with all
their might; fight like gallant soldiers;
come up and fire, then show the bayonet
The boys on our side would stand fast and
receive their terrible fire, and await the
bayon charge. The enemy would retire.
reform lines, come at us again. This was
repeated three or four times between ~
o'clock noon and p. m. The 4th Mich.
in this fight was on the left wing OF the old
brigade, and / think the 14ih N Y. Joined
on our right. l think all did the best they
could. We were outnumbered. After these
fierce attacks the enemy's battle-line would
retire. but sharp fire was kept up by Skin
mishers and artillery until the next attack
came on.
The casualties, I think, were close on to
800 in the old brigade this day. Ny Cap
tain-Depue, of Ann ArbJr-was killed this
day. l think we were oil glad when night
came, though little rest was obta.n ned by us;
little to eat or to drink except dirty water
of the Chickahominy River.-RTCHARD w.
tufts, Sergeant, Troop H, 4th U. S. Cav,
Soldiers Home, Washington, d. G.
A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE.
Fighting Under Prentiss in Missouri in 1851.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the