Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-03-02

erals whose civic virtues were on par
with their achievements III the field, and |
who chose to be painted i'll epaulets and |
sash, but warriors of all rank whose |
only claims to distinction were carved |
out with the sword, are given place
in Memorial hall. One tablet hands
down to posterity tho names of 16 Off
GERS of the Second Massachusetts in |
fantry who were killed in battle Thir-
teen wero all Harvard men, and thcro ,
were only three officers killed in that |
regiment during its three years service |
who were not Harvard men. Either the |
Harvard men alone were brave, or fate |
was unkind to them, or this was Har- |
ward regiment. 1t was not Harvard |
regiment except as to its leaders, but |
there were many things in its history to |
make it worthy to bo honorcd as it is
bonored i'll the war Pantheon of New |
England's great university.
When the handful of state militia was
arming in April, 1861, to uphold a
president whose right to even call on
that militia was doubted, young mi
litia colonel of Massachusetts who was
q graduate of West Point conceived tho
idea of raising regiment and present
ing it to the United States, clothed and
equipped and fed if need be, without
calling on any government approprla-
tion of doubtful legality.
Tho system Of organization was rigid
in the extreme, and ono which in any
other time than an hour of patriotic
excitement would have scared away re-
cruits and left the money chest empty.
The regiment was to bo modelled upon
those Of the regular army-that is, the
ranks were to be filed by e2listments
for an indefinite period (for the war;,
and the officers were to be appointed by
the colonel without consulting the
wishes of the men, as was the custom i'll
the militia and in the volunteers for Il
long time after the war began. Money
and recruits poured in, and officers made
application for positions, sometimes
bringing Governor Andrews iudorse-
ment, but more often leading COM
pany or battalion of stalwart recruits
Having at last received the highest
sanction for his radical methods, Cor
don ordered his scattered companies to
como together for muster, and OH the
18th of May Captain Abbot's company
from Lowell took formal possession of
historic Brook Farm at RoIbury, and
with borrowed cannon manned by vol
unteer gunners saluted the old flag as it
slowly climbed up the flagstaff of Camp
Andrew. The haunt OF dreamers was
again peopled with dreamers. At Camp
Andrew the companies were welded
into regiment, christened the Second
Massachusetts, and like the first phalGnZ
from Brock Farm marched out to make
history, but not like that in broken
ranks.
On July ls, 1861, the Second Massa-
chusetts--a body Of l,000 men finely
armed AID oq,ippedSifor'lod tao Poto-
mac into Virginia AMI marched to Liar
tinsbug.
When Gordon broke camp y few days
later TO march against the cncmy, the
owner of the land handed him bil!
for fence rails burned, grass trl!ar!cd
and extra p!awinS necessary t. malio
good the ravaSoi If Yaa.;ol hoo5 heels.
Having marched iEto t.iG south to en-
force ;l.a dact.ine that property WAS sa-
cred and not TO be ta,;an without ]rst
coinpeiHf;iiila, tho col0,:ol promptly
connted o"U every do!iNr asked i'll gold
Che fast fighting &C tic regiment was
in Banks retreat duwn tho valley, with
Stoncwail Jackson as his heels May,
1SG2. Gordon commanded tao Union
rear guard, Ok wlioh tho Second forrcd
pait YEo iirat check 10 jackson . VAIL
guard-;he general in person, with his
escort GLd stalI--was given by Company
Of The Second. GorGon's brigade dis
puted tho pike with them all tho way tC
Winchester and kept them from soizinf
the hills commanding the town, which
Jackson told his officers must bo take,
at all hazard. Formed Oh the somicir
cular heights, with but 1000 men il
line, ii kept Jacl,son'a lvo briGalcs ont
of which mustered 1000, over throt
hours Tho Second stood alone at th'
last and lost moro mon killed than an,
other regiment i'll the army. In 81
hours ii lGa.ched 81 miles, and % hoUr
Of that t.mo were pGsscd IN continuou
skirmishing with tho cnemy
THO ne.:t bRttlo Cf tho regiment wa
at Cedar Mountain, grand test Of sci
dier mcttle. In IL crisis OF the engage
ment Gordon WAS left with tnrco rcgi
menta - /, 500 men - to receive til
charge OF 5000 led by jackson in pei
son. Tho Second soon stood alone, it
companion regiments having droppe
out Tho Mcasachuasts men rcmaine
firm, coolly firing while tho other rcgi
ments reformed behind it, Int was agai
left unsupported just as an entire brI
gado fell upon ii from the right real
Tho captain OF tho right company an
90 men were killed III tho fury of til
assault. The major was also killed there
and tho regiment came Off with 90 dea
and over 100 wounded.
At Antiesam the regiment lost fcw(
than IN he Cedar Mountain fight, bl
stood in tho hottest corner of tho fiel
neyerhoiess. With the Twelfth corp
palt old valloy troops and all from Z
dar llountain, il confronted Jackson