Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-04-27

tney uO tnpn lHCTo Is uO upnt, OT uU
least it is all ono sided. If they hurl
back shells for shells and canister for
canister, then they may look out for
bayonet charge to spoil their game.
Never was sublimor heroism displayed
by men suddenly called to stand i'll tho
breach than when tho Fifth Maine bat
terry responded to tho call ut the Chan
cellor House, May g. 1868. Everything
was confusion in the Union lines.
Couch, ignorant of the plan or positions,
assumed control. Stonowall's veterans
were shouldering their way toward tho
Union center. Hastily sending to the
several corps commanders for cannon to
hold the ground, Crouch received word
that tho batteries were jammed i'll tho
universal blockade OH all possible routes.
In some way the Fifth Maine got
through and was posted in road at tho
entrance to the thicket. Captain Lop-
pein's order: "Action, front! Timber
to tho rear!" had scarcely been given
when some 80 Confederate cannon OPEN
ed upon it.
In few minutes tho first, second and
third pieces were silenced, Captain Lep-
pein mortally wounded, the three lieu
tenants wounded and all the gunners
and cannoIeers of those guns swept
away. The fourth gun continued firing
until she'll exploded near it, blowing
up the caisson with it's horses and kill
ing the corporal fighting the piece. This
gun was soon disabled by shot strik-
| ing it in the muzzle. Couch sent Lieu
tenant e. Kirby of the First United
| States artillery to take charge in place
of the fallen officers. He fought the fifth
and sixth pieces valiantly for some time
and was at last mortally wounded. The
| guns continued firing until the ammu-
milton gave out, then were spiked and
abandoned. In that short action six gun
ners were killed and 20 wounded. Tho
fight took place in open field, within 700
yards of the enemy's line. The same
battery, with its recaptured pieces,
fought in the defense of East Cemetery
Hill, Gettysburg on July 2. Captain
Stevens one of the Charlottesville VIC
tins, was again wounded, also First
Lieutenant Hunt. leaving the company
with but one officer. Among the gun
ners three were killed and 13 wounded.
in a hot fight lasting two hours. After
90 gunners had fallen two of the pieces
were captured, but the remaining four
retired fighting, and when the tide
turned the lost guns were recovered.
A battery of artillery in the Union
army consisted of six cannon, usually
fought in sections of two guns each, un-
der the command of lieutenant. On
an average there were so men whose
duty it was to serve the guns, and as
many more drivers, artificers and super
numeraries. When battery lost 90
men, killed and wounded, in single
battle, it represented about 25 per cent
of the fighting men. There were G2 oc-
casions in the war when Union bat
terry lost 90 or moro in n single engage
ment. In the list j4 batteries are repre-
sented, the Fifth Maine having three
times passed through the crucial test and
eight other batteries twice. Among the
81 are 1G United States regular batter
les and IS volunteers.
Among tho regulars, Battery X,
Fourth U. S., lost 45 at charlottesville
and 20 at Gettysburg; b Of the same
regiment lost 40 at Antietam and SO at
Gettysburg. and l, First U. S., lost ~
at Eull Run and 20 at Gettysburg. The
batteries were tho pride Of the old army,
of tho generals and the war department.
For long time the government refused
to accept volunteer batteries. OF these
tl,a EiTfi, Mpinn Sf 4. .,,t tl,n hnuI. tl,nu
comes a, First Rhode Island, which lost
80 ut Gettysburg and 20 at Antietam.
In the Same regimont Battery q lost 27
at Cedar Creek and 23 ut Fredericks-
burg. Tho First Pennsylvania vies with
the Rhode Islanders. lii that regiment
Battery q lost 81 ut MANASSAS (sccond
Bull Run) and 20 at Gettysburg; b OF
the same lott 90 ut Mnnassas and the
I same number in the Seven Days bat
ties. These losses, us well as all those
in the list mentioned, were incurred in
hard lighting, not in disasters or slaugh.
ter pens, where there was no chance to
hit back. The heaviest loss of ALL 81 al
l,ku, in the Eleventh Ohio, was in,
CURED i'll prolonged struggle over the
guns Gettysburg is represented /.
times in the list of remarkable losses
Chickamauga times, Cedar Creek
, and Charlottesville 4. The crack bat
terry in the list at Gettysburg WAS Cush
! ing's, a, Fourth U. S. 1t was "knock
: ed to pieces, rs they say in the field
Tho battery bore the brunt Of the can
nonade on tho ridge whore Picket
= charged and hold its ground until Pick
) ett's men charged up to tho muzzlcs
: Armistcad laid his hand upon one of tin
guns before he fell, but gallant as III
was greater hero fell moment be
' fore That was Lieutenant A. Ii. Cush
, ing. Gushing had been wounded, ant
= while ho stood with lanyard in hant
: waiting for Armistead = men to COM
: within close range he began to sinl
. across the gun trail. General Webl
$ hurried to him to support his fallin,
body. GIVE me ono more shot