The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-04-01
HOW COL vMtNsLow DIED.
New York InfantryHian Tells of His Brave
Conduct at bethesda Church.

HOW COL. NNsLoW DIED.
New York InfantryHian Tells of His Brave
Conduct at Bethesda Church.
EDITOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: In late
issue of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE notice
the death at Florence, Italy, OF Capt. Gordon
Winslow, U. s. A., Retired. Writer had the
honor to serve in Co. d, 9Th N. Y, in which
regiment Capt Winslow was Captain of Co.
A. remember Capt. Hordon Winslow well.
He was brave and intrepid officer.
You also refer to the death of Col. Cleve-
land Winslow, Colonel of the 5th N. Y, from
wounds received at the battle of Bethesda
Church, Va, June 2, 1854.
Our regiment, the 9Th N. Y, on June ],
1864, was increased by the transfer of the
recruits of the 14th Brooklyn, or rather OF
the men who enlisted into the 18th, after the
regiment was first mustered into the service,
the time of the original men having expired.
They were a fine body of superior and tried
veterans, and made Cos. G to X of the 9Th.
We were then part of Ayres's Brigade, OF
Griffin's First Division Fifth Corps.
The day of Bethesda Church and the
wounding Of Col. Cleveland Winslow will
ever be vivid in my memory. The morning
of June 2, 1864, we were lying about mile
ght-oblique from Bethesda Church, being
line in some heavy timber with considerable
underbrush. About 10 q. m. it began to
drizzle About noon the brigade advanced in
a right-Oblique direction, and after some
sharp fighting drove the JOhnnies out OF
some works, and in the final charge some OF
our men jumped on the second line of rebel
works. Col Winslow was mortally wounded
| by bullet through the left shoulder.
Early's men then got in on our left and rear.
The order was to fall back before We could
| finish our work, unless our part was done by
unmasking the rebel position.
In the retreat the writer got lost in the
brush and found himself alone. Going
towards what he thought was our line, he
came upon rebel skrmish-line coming
toward him, with trail arms, at a brisk walk
not 400 feet away. At once he knew the
right direction and made for it in splendid
style When arriving pretty well out of
wind, at the edge of the timber, at the
| clearing near the church, a fine panorama of
a battlefield was spread before him.
| l soon saw the red fez Of the 5th a small
crowd gathered under the old colors held
firmly in Jack Riley's hands. There was
what was left of the regiment, one-third of
our number having fallen dead or wounded.
Our Co. d mourned the death of the gallant
Capt. Larry Murphy, as noble an Irishman
and brave soldier as ever drew breath.
Everybody was hustlng into line to re-
| pei the attack of the enemy. On our right,
some 800 yards away, the battle was raging
furiousy. Col. Winslow, although mortally
wounded, mounted his horse and directed
the formation of the line. Our position was
then quarter of a mile south of Bethesda
Church, on the road leading to Richmond. A
battery went into position on the road in our
line. The officer commanding the battery
asked Col. Winslow to send out a squad to
prevent the enemy from making sudden
rush on the guns. q =
/ think the battery was D, 9Th U. S. II
will 60" said Col Winsiow. Asking Serg't
McNamara, of Co. d, fora detail to cover his
flank, some 20 men, mostly Of Co. d, volun-
teered to co. These being deployed on both
Sides in the timber, Col. Winslow rode down
the road After going about 400 yards, at
small bend of the roadwe came upon the
Johnnies' line, about 200 yards away, a bat
terry in the road commencing to fire as the
turn in the road brought us in view. Col.
Winslow stopped, and, turning to Serg't Nc
Namara, said
Sergeant, have the men fall back" See
ing that all the men had turned, he turned
his horse and slowly rode back, being the
last man coming in.
The rebel guns,8efa meantime raising
sheol with the topUof the trees above us.
Arriving at our battssy, the Colonel saluted
the Captain in cbsrEeand said
"The enemy's guns are 600 yards in your
front, sir" Our battery opened, and in q
short time silenced the fire Of the enemy's
guns. Their infantry now came pretty close,
but was repulsed by MS with considerable
loss. .s
Although severely wounded some hours
before, and constantly failing, Col. Winslow
kept on his horse and refused to relinquish
the command of the regiment. Gen. War
rem, commanding the corps, coming on our
part of the field, and seeing the condition of
Col. Winslow, peremptorily ordered him to
the hospital.
This was the last the regiment saw of COL
Winslow. A few days later we learned of
his death. death loves shining mark. J"
valor such as his, and devotion to duty such
as he that day illustrated, are rare even
among brave men. One more patriotic life
was laid on the altar of our country to hand
to posterity an undivided and glorious
Union.-HENRY NoRDHAUs, Co. ID, 9Th N.
Y, Stanwood, Iowa.