The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-03-07

A ASAoAA6
w regiments in ev-
cry sense of the term. So was the Fifth
Michigan. These four constituted an
elite quartet among Union regiments
bearing that number, but Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Wisconsin, Iowa and Ken.
lucky were not far behind. The Fifth
from each Of those states made a record
on the field, placing 1t in the list OF
Three Hundred Fighting regiments.
But the Fifth Michigan was especial.
~ distinguished. It lost more men killed
in battle than any other regiment from
Michigan, and more than any other in
the corps where it served, the Third.
The reputation Of that corps may be
shown by naming its leaders, fright
ing joe Hooker, Phil Kearny and Sic
kles, besides the Birneys and Berry.
Under Kearny the regiment received
it's baptism Of fire. That was at Will
iamsburg, on the peninsula May s.,
1862. Hooker opened the fight by an
impetuous rush with his whole division
through the slashings of swampy for
est III 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-en-
forcements, which Kearny brought to
the field. Riding UP to Colonel Terry of
the Fifth, Kearny said, Colonel, !
have work for you to do
"We'll try, sir!" "You are the senior
colonel Of this brigade?'' eyes, sir"
''Then yours will be the leading regi-
ment. Let the men unsling their KNAPP
sacks and pile them here''
After throwing off their packs the
men moved forward at double quick.
An aid from the front met them with
the message from the general to ''Hurry
up, or you'll be too late.
At that stage Of the war every fledge.
ling was afraid it would end before he
could get in shot. 1t required three
charges to finish the little task Kearny
had set for the Michigan boys. The last
one carried them into the enemy's rifle
pits, where The Herald correspondent
declared he afterward counted 63 dead
Confederates, every one killed by Mich.
gan bayonets. The Fifth lost 1853 killed
and wounded. It entered the fight 500
strong. Among the wounded was Lieu
tenant Colonel Beach, and the regiment
seemed fated to lose field officer in al
most every battle. It's loss in officers
killed throughout was close to the high.
est in the service, Is. The highest in
any regiment was 10.
In the next battle the regiment car
ried 800 muskets and lost 1874 men in
action. That was under Kearny, too, al
Fair Oaks, when be exclaimed to be-
lated colonel, asking where he should
lead his men in: ooh, anywhere, any
where, colonel. You'll find lovely fight
ing along the whole line.''
The Michigan men found it way ur
at the front. The Confederates had
stormed the camp Of a Fourth corps di
vision and, protected by captured breast.
works, were massing troops to advance.
The Fifth moved forward at double
quick until within 80 feet of the enc.
my's rifles and received the first fire
without wavering, although half its
numbers fell there. Rushing forward,
bayonet in hand, before the enemy could
reload, the men held their own fire un-
til the marshes beyond the parapets were
alive with retreating Confederates.
Then they paid back the loss with fright
full interest. One of the Confederate
regiments 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 t'seven days
battles" the Fifth Michigan mustered
216 men. Once more drawn into action
as reserves at Glendale June 80, the regi
ment charged through the woods, re-.
captured 9 log breastwork and held il
against several counter attacks until
darkness ended the battle, The leader
in the charge, Major John D. Fairbanks,
was mortally wounded. In the ranks &C
fell. The next day at Malvern Hill !
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 be.
fore.
By good fortune the Fifth Michigan
fought no heavy battles after leaving
the peninsula until December. It was
at Chantilly, where Kearny fell, but
not at Antietam. Marching to the fielG
Of Fredericksburg in Birney's division
of the Third corps, which was not in
the column Of assault, it had repeti
ton of it's old experiences. It fought al
reserve. Birney's division formed in
rear Of Meade's division Of the First
CORPS Meade, with brilliant daring,
charged the heights at Hamilton
Crossing and plunged into the center oil
Stonewall Jackson's corps. His troops
were outnumbered and subjected tc
heavy artillery fire. They retreated il
some confusion through Birney's ranks,
followed by the Confederates, who rush
ed upon Birney's guns as violently az
Meade's soldiers had done upon Jack
sons. Birney quickly gave the order tc
Berry's brigade, lying behind the bat
teries, ''Up and at them!" The Fifth
Michigan responded to the call, led BY
Colonel John Gilluly, who had previous