The Republican journal., 1896-01-09
A VALIANT SOLDIER GONE.

VALIANT oOLDIER JUNE.
BRILLIANT WAR RECORD OF GEN. BEN
JAMIN F. HARRIS.
The following extracts from the Adju-
tant Generals Report in relation to Gen.
Benjamin F. Harris, who died in Angus
ia, Dec. 30th, will be read with interest
by the boys in blue and especially by
those of the Sixth Maine Infantry. with
which he was connected:
In the very beginning Of the war, Ben
jamin F. Harris volunteered his services
for the suppression of the rebellion. He
commenced by recruiting company in
Machias, where he had resided for many
years, was chosen captain 10y his fellow
soldiers, and with the 9th Regiment, to
which his command had been assigned as
Co. c, he left the State in July, 1861, and
proceeded to the seat of war.
His energy, efficiency and intelligence
as an officer were too conspicuous to 90
long unrewarded. In March, 1862, Just
as his regiment was about to see active
service and hard campaigning for the first
time, he Was promoted to the rank of
major.
He participated in the Peninsula cam
pagn, fighting with notable gallantry in
every skirmish and battle in which his
regiment was engaged. In the early days
of the siege of Yorktown, he made himself
remarkable by IA single instance of cool
ness and discretion under the most peril
Gus circumstances. His regiment had
been ordered out to cover reconnaissance
of of hn W. Inf In
known to the besieging forces. Whilst
experimenting the operations of long
line of skirmishers who were advancing
through an almost impenetrable forest,
Major Harris becim separated from his
command and stumbled upon a rebel post
of half a dozen men. Quick as thought
their rifles were levelled at him, when he
coolly exclaimed, 'Don't fire at me, you
gray devils. Then waving his hand as
if to battalion in his rear, ''Secure, -
said he, ''these fellows and march them
off to the general and while the aston
ished rebels were looking for the men to
whom this order was addressed, he wheel
ed his horse, plunged into the forest, and
rejoined his comrades in safety.
When his regiment arrived at Harri-
sons Landing in July, he was specially
commended by his commanding officer fol
his marked gallantry at Yorktown, Will
liamsburg, Garnetts farm, Savage's sta
ton and White Oak Swamp.
In the absence of his superior officers,
the command of the regiment devolved
upon Major Harris from the middle OF
July until the LIST of September, during
which time he demonstrated his fitness fol
the trust, by the care and attention which
he bestowed upon the interests of those
under him, as well as the fine and decided
manner in which he maintained the dis
cipline OF the regiment.
When the army of the Potomac was
withdrawn from the Peninsula, he took
part in the Maryland campaign, fighting
at Sugar Loaf Mountain, Crampton
! Pass and Antietam. Later in the year,
he fought at the bloody battle of Fred
ericksburg.
In March, 1868, Major Harris was pro
NOTED to the rank of lieutenant colonel
and as such took the command of his regi-
ment in its gallant and successful assault,
upon the heights of St. Mary's in the fol
lowing May. Before ordering his mer
forward to the encounter, he said to them
Boys! uncap your guns. Your bayonets
must do the work. When we start we
must go to the top of the heights. Don
stop at any halfway place, and don't fire
a gun until the works are oursr' To the
fidelity with which these orders were OBJ
served, and the gallant manner in which
Lieut.. Col. Harris led the regiment, was
due in no small measure the memorable
success which attended their efforts
Marching northward with his regiment
when the rebels invaded Maryland and
Pennsylvania for the second time, he
fought at Gettysburg, and subsequently in
hot skirmish in the vicinity of Funks-
town, Md. On the latter occasion he COM
handed all the skirmishers of his divi-
sion, and in spirited charge captured and
held the first line of the enemyS entrench-
ments.
Whilst in command of his regiment. he
also participated in the pursuit of Lee
army and in the alternating retrograde
and forward marches of the army of the
Potomac during the early autumn of 1868.
The regiment again met the enemy or
( the 18th of November, at RappahannocI
station. With his command of less thar
400 men, deployed as double line OF
skirmishers, Lieut.. Col. Harris assaulted
| a powerful line of works held by two bri-
gades of rebel infantry and battery OF
artillery. Ordering his men to uncap theil
guns, Col. Harris, against fearful odds,
led them forward, and without assistance
or support from any other force he car
ried the enemy's works, drove him bach
to the river, and seized his pontoor
bridge, thus cutting off his only avenue
of retreat. The repeated efforts of the
enemy to dislodge our force were success
fully resisted until additional troops were
brought up, when the whole rebel force
surrendered. Seventeen hundred men
eight battle flags and five pieces of artil
lery were captured. just before entering
the works of the enemy, Col. Harris was
struck by mimic ball, which shattered
his thigh and inflicted what was supposed
to be ii mortal wound. He was conveyed
to Washington, where he lay at the poin
| of death for several weeks. He, however
gradually rallied, and after eight months
of confinement and suffering, sufficiently
recovered to return to his home. Mean
while, he was commissioned colonel OF hi
regiment, but his wounds had disabled
him for further active service. After be
ing mustered out as an officer of the 6tl
Regiment, he received from the genera
| government commission as major of thu
4th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, anc
in the autumn of 1864, was ordered t,