The herald., 1895-03-24

These four constituted an elite quartet
among Union regiments bearing that num-
Der, but Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wis
consin, Iowa and Kentucky were not far
behind. The Fifth from each of those
states made record on the field, placing
1t in the list of Three Hundred Fighting
regiments
But the Fifth Michigan was especially
distinguished. Itlost more men killed i'll
battle than any other regiment from Michi-
gan, and more than any other in the corps
where it served, the Third. Tho reputa-
tion of that corps may be shown by nam
ing it's leaders, Fighting joe Hooker
Phil Kearny and Sickles, besides the Bir-
neys and Berry. Under Kearny the regi-
ment received its baptism of fire. That
was at Williamsburg, on the peninsula
May 8, 1869. Hooker opened the fight by
an impetuous rush with his whole divi-
sion through the slashiDgs of a swampy
forest in front of Battery Magruder. A
heavy rain was falling at the time, but the
men found shelter behind stumps and logs
to await the coming Of re-enforcements,
which Kearny brought to the field. Rid,
ing up to Colonel Terry of the Fifth, Kear-
ny said, "Colonel, have work for you
to do"
"Well try, STRIP "You are the senior
colonel of this brisade?" "Yes, sir"
"Then yours will be the leading regiment.
Let the men unaNng their knapsacks and
pile them here"
Aftor throwing off their packs the men
moved forward at double quick. An aid
from tho front met them with the message
from tho general to Hurry up, or you'll
be too late" -
At that stage of the war every fledgeling
was afraid it would end before he could
get in shot. 1t required three charges
TO finish tho little task Kearny had set
for tho Michigan boys. The last one car
RED them into the enemy's rifle pits,
where The Herald correspondent declared
hn afterward counted SO dead Confeder-
ates, every one killed by Michigan bay
onets. The Fifth lost 1853 killed and
wounded. 1t entered the fight 500 strong.
Among the wounded was Lieutenant Colo
mel Beach, and the regiment seemed fated
to lose a field officer in almost every bat
Ito. Its loss in officers killed throughout
was close to the highest In the service, 16.
The highest in any regiment was 10.
In the next battle the regiment carried
800 muskets and lost 154 men in action.
That was under Kearny too, at Fair
Oaks, when he exclaimed to belated colo
ncl, dShiDS WhcAo bo ptiouio Aoou lid iIicIi
in, "Oh, anywhere, anywhere colonel.
You'll find lovely fighting along the whole
line"
The Michigan men found it way up at
the front. The Confederates had stormed
the camp of Fourth corps division and,
protected by captured breastworks, were
massing troops to advance. The Fifth
moved forward at double quick until with
in 30 feet of the enemy's rifles and received
the first fire without wavering, although
half it's numbers fell there. Rushing for
ward, bayonot in hand, before the enemy
could reload, the men held their own fire
until the marshes beyond the parapets
were alive with retreating Confederates.
Then they paid back the loss with fright
full interest. One of the Confederate regi
ments SHARED in the treacherous marsh
over which they retreated lost 400 killed
and wounded out of 600 rank and file.
At the beginning Of the ''seven days
battles" the Fifth Michigan mustered 216
men. Once more drawn into action as re-
serves at Glendale June 80, the regiment
charged through the woods, recaptured a
log breastwork and held it against several
counter attacks until darkness ended the
battle. Tho leader in the charge, Major
John ID. Fairbanks, was mortally wound
ed. In the ranks 60 fell. The next day at
Malvern Hill II more were shot Down.
That was the last battle on the peninsula,
and the Fifth marched away with 145 men
in line out of 500 present for duty on the
field of Williamsburg seven weeks before.
By good fortune the Fifth Michigan
fought no heavy battles after leaving the
peninsula until December 1t was at
Chantilly, where Kearny fell, but not at
Antietam. Marching to the field of Fred