The National tribune., 1896-04-02
Story of the 18th N. Y. from CuIpeper to the
Wilderness.
Continued from last ,ceek.

1
| Continued from last ,ceek)
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Our corps
was to constitute the left flank OF the line
Oi-battle, which extended from Mine Run,
on the Rapidan River, to Shady Grove
Church, distance of IL or Is miles. Our
division, under command of Gen. Hays, who
was killed in the first days fight, held the
right of the corps, and came in on the Chan
cellorsvile road and went into action as
soon arrived upon the ground. Our
skirmishers passed through the slashing of
| timber being felled toward the enemy and
entered the jungle not over hundred yards
in advance of the line-of-bathe, and had
penetrated but short distance when we re-
ceived a whitening fire that told US TOO well
that our enemy were there in force to give
us warm reception. A perfect hail of bull
lets swept through the underbrush fearfully
cutting our ranks, and brave men were seen
falling on every side, AS gallantly they
pressed forward, regiments maintaining
their lines and formations regardless of the
uniav0rable conditions and the Calling fire
to which they were. Subjected. The rebel
line was completely hidden from our view
by the impcnetrabIe tbicltet and the smoke
that soon filled the whole forest. Only a
sheet OF flame from their guns marked their
hne-Of-battle. Soon the smoke hung like a
STROUD around the living and the dead and
rose like a canopy over our heads, shutting
out completely the light of the sun, and
darkness nearly equal. to that Of night en-
comprised us.
As columns of troops were hurled into
this vortex of he'll cOunter-current of
wounded and manned were carried out on
stretchers aud liuers by the stretchsr car
riers of the ambulance corps. Regiments
torn and bleeding were relieved by others
to meet the saaie fatei Brigades 90 plung-
Ing IN, over ridges and gulleys, sometimes
through mud and, Inire. and then through
burning turf and epbeTs Of fiery dead wood,
fighting, bleeding, and dying at every pore !!
Thus the grand old Second Corps maintained
its position the first day against the impetus
ons charges OF Gen. a. T. HIPS Confederate
veterans until night put a close to the hor-
ribe strife.
Early on the morning of the 9th hostilities
were resumed, and my regiment with ranks |
decimated by the fearful ordeal through |
which it had passed, again was sent to the |
front. The roar of flames now added to the |
roar Of musketry and piteous cries for help |
and water was heard at every hand from |
the wounded and helpless victims. Yet !
through this veritabe wall of fire we forced |
our way, while the swelling volumes of |
musketry rolled from right to left and left |
to right with a roar that was enough to |
strike terror to the stoutest heart. Crash |
followed crash louder and fercer than
heavens artillery, and the deep forest echo
ing It's thunders, sounded as If the minions
OF hell itself had been loosened. Yet there,
amid this Lethe of death, with faces begrimed
with smoke and powder, were the groans Of
the dying, the cries of the wounded and curses
of the living could be heard on every side
We net charge by charge, never but once
yielding our position, and that only when
Longstreets Corps came fresh upon the
ground. But in turn we sent them Keeling
back, drove them beyond their works, and
masters of the field. That night
ended the conflict in the Wilderness, the
horrors of which no tongue can tell or pen
fully describe, and of which death only can
shut out from the memory of any who were
here.
During the two days my regiment the
I11tb n. Y, as it did at Gettysburg, lost
over 90 per cent. of the whole number en-
ragged in killed and wounded. The second
lay the command of the regiment fell to
capt. Perry, the senior Captain of the line,
al of his superiors having been wounded
md some companies were in command of
officers only