The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-07-16


command The Ffftv-fourth Massachusetts.
he took the post Of honor and of danger
at the storrning OF Wagner and fell on
the parapet urging his men forward.
The next great battle OF the Army of the
Potomac was missed by the Second Mas
sachusetts and the whole Twelfth corps in
fact. The corps guarded the Potomac dur
ing the campaign at Fredericksburg, but
at Cbancellorsv Vile part of 1t went mo
action as reserve to the Eleventh corps
The Second as usual, came in for the lions
share of the fighting. IL lost the most
men killed there OF any regiment IN the
CORDS and that was its record all through
the service When Jeb Stuart gathered up
Stonewall Jackson S victorious battallons
to press the charge that renowned leader
had barely initiated when he fell, part
of Slocum's Twelfth corps lay in the path
way of his advance. The fiercest lighting
took place on Sunday morning, May 3.
The Union troops fell back fighting
through Hazel Grove to a new position in
the rear where the army was massed- Ev-
ery step of the ground was disputed as the
lines retired and it was during this diff
cult retrograde that the Second was called
upon to play the role it had practiced In
the Shenandoah valley and also at Cedar
Mountain. Three times 1t turned ana
charged upon the advancing enemy, each
| ed and driving him TO cover like hunted
prey. In its last charge the regiment met
| the First South Carolina, a body of men
noted for gallantry in battle. The Caro-
| linians lost 100 killed and wounded in that
| collision in the woods, and its flag was shot
| down by the Massachusetts, bullets But
| lust at that time the ammunition of the
| Second gave out, and it could not advance
| TO follow up the good stroke. For two
r I. 10 N=snFu
| ing, and the boxes of the men were empty.
| Refusing 10 leave, however, Colonel Quin-
| cv sent messengers to tho rear to make his
| wants know at headquarters. The men
| fixed bayoncts and stood there on the dc
| fensiye with one shot in reserve for the
| trying moment should the enemy press his
| advantage There they stood in sullen
| defiance, surrounded by over 100 OF their
| comrades who hat fallen in that unequal
| 6obt Gettvsbur, was to the Second Massa
cbusetts as TO many another gallant Union
| lighting field of their bright
est fame One hour there the survivors
NAV recall as did the Mexican veteran the
glorious charge at Monterey;
We are not many, we who pressed
| Beside the brave who fell that day
! But who of Us has not confessed
| He'd rather share their warrior rest
/ Than not have been at Monterrey
The hour was in the early morning o
| ,July 2 when the regiment was ordered Z
recapture breastworks at the base Of Culp'
| Hill which had been carried by bol'
| Confederate charge the previous night
| when the Twelfth corps men were ava.
repelling Longstrect on another part o
| the field An open meadow 100 yard
| across Law between the Second and tn
enemy massed heavily in the stolel
trenches and among the huge rocks in tn
woods in front of them. When Colone
Nudge received the order TO go, he OK
claimed: 1t is murder, but 1t Is the order
| Second Massachusetts, come onI' with
cheer the men leaped their works an
| started double quick across the neld. Colo
| mel Nudge was killed instantly Will
soundinp the first battlecry. The fusillad
which the enemy directed upon that nal
| row space was terrible The regiments
flag lost five bearers, three of them kille
| outright, and in the bloody dash OF 10
paccs 10 officers and 1873 men went down
! half the rank and file. Arriving at tn
2 | foot Of the hill, Captain Morse, who sue
{ | ceeded the dead colonel found his flank
: | unsupported and the enemy throwing
Z force in his rear The limo was draw
hack on the right and in that position ID
men stood. firing rapidly until they ba
emptied their boxes and the general Of
: dered a retreat.
r out OF the original 1919 officers an
Q men mustered at Brook Farm, ll3 WEI
killed in battle. and the total killed an
, wounded was COS, all in tho ranks OF n
/ | Second Massachusetts.
$ GEORGE /. FILSfEE
5
The HAWAIIAN GAZETTE CoMPA'
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