The National tribune., 1895-11-28

GEN. KEYEs.
the camp Col. Neill formed a line in
the rear with Co. B and some 600 men
of various commands and withdrew his
regiment, placing it in the center Of this
column. and awaited the attack Of the
enemy. Shortly afterwards we were or
dered down the Nine Mile road to the
Williamsburg road, and, filing to the
left, opened fire on the enemy advancing
through the woods, checking them.
About this time Gen. Heintzelman
arrived with a portion Of bis troops.
Our line was then moved across the Nine
Mile road and advanced into the woods
cautiously to almost our camp.
Here an incident occurred that is very
vivid in the writer's recollection. Col.
Neill, whose horse was killed, came
along the line, and when he reached the
color company, Lieut.. Marchant, who
commanded the company and was after
ward killed in action at Cold Harhor,
asked that detail be made as color
guard. The Color-Sergeant and the
eight Corporals of the Guard had ali
been killed, and the Colonel asked who
were the little squad Of seven that sur
rounded the colors Marchant replied
that they were of his company
"Well," said Brickey,' "we need no
detail they have taken such good care
Of the colors that they are safe in their
keeping for the balance Of the day"
The color-company lost that day, not
including the color-guard, six killed and
16 wounded, and
TIE SEVEN SURVIVORS
had the honor, under the Colonel's or
ders, Of bringing the colors out OF the
fight. The writer is proud of the fact
Of having been one Of the seven.
Ii was now nearly dark, and, being
relieved by Heintzelman's Division, We
moved down the Nine Mile road to the
williamsburg road, and went into biv-
ouac at the position where Keamy's Di-
vision had been encamped. Cur regi-
ment had lost in killed and wounded
147 officers. and men-capturing 80 of
the enemy. That night and the next
morning Gen. Biney, who had been
our first Colonel, commanding one of
the brigades in Kearny's Division, ex-
tended the hospitalities Of his brigade
commissary. The next day the regi-
ment was detached, with Gen. Palmer's
Brigade, and was sent through the White
Oak Swamp to intercept the enemy
moving ON the road on our left flank.
While we were off Oh the left a severe
battle took place, extending over the
ground that the Third and Fourth Corps
had fought over the day before. This
time nearly the entire army had gone
across the Chickahominy, and before
night closed the enemy was driven off
the field and forced back into their in
trenchments around Richmond. That
was the opportunity for the army to have
taken Richmond, but fate decreed other
wise, and the old Army Of the Potomac
was compelled to settle down to
AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS
Nav 81 was 10 the enemy very dis
agreeable disappointment, while the next
day, june ], was a sad defeat Of their
army, 50 much so that the authorities in
their Capital were packed up ready to
leave had the army attacked the next
day.
The loss in the two days action was
Summers Corps, or right wing, 1923;
Heintzelman's and Keyes's Corps, or left
wing 4,5l4; a total of 5,737. The
rebel loss was 6,7S3.
We never could understand why Gen.
Keyes was not given credit for the master
ly resistance with which his corps met the
overwhelming attacks Of the enemy. 1t
bore the brunt Of the battle of May 81,
and was in il TO the close Of the day. Its
loss amounted TO more than one-fourth OF
ats actual combatants. Would that some
Of our general officers who survive would
write up the story Of the action by the
left wing Of the Army of the Potomac
on May 81, 50 that the historian may
learn of the valuable services of its
corps commanders, Gems keyes and
Heinizelman.