The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-29
GEN. TRACY AS A SOLDIER.
N uERo OF THE SECOND DAYS
OF THE VIII ERNESS.

A Decd or brilliant GnliAntry That Won tho
VIcfory for the lnIop-SiorJ OF tho Charge
xx,,,n t,. ,o,prndca will Never Forget
,,a Nyb,ch s:.,urd Him n Medal OF Homer.
As lawyer, statesman. and iurist, the career
NJ Cor. Rrninmin +. Tracy is well known. For
thirty vcnrs he has led an active life, and has
rnrticinntcI I'm the management OF public al
rrirs, But before no was called to the bench,
before his record AS n statesman began' Ten.
Tracy was n soldier.
brilliant ms his career In civil life has been,
the time he spent on southern battlcnclds
gives. perhaps, II better idea of the manner OF
man he is than any other period of his life. The
great service that Gen. Tracy did for the cause
of tho Union may have been forgotten by many
during the thirty.two years that have passed
since the war closed, but one especial act Of
Gallantry done by him will never be forgotten
by his comrades in arms.
In 1862 Gov. Morgan appointed Cen Tracy,
then n member OF the Assembly, ono OF a COM
| mittcc to recruit and organize regiments to go
| to the front. In n short time Con. Tracy re.
ported to the Governor that from Broomc,
Tioga Chis native county, and Tompkins coun'
ties he had recruited two regiments that were
waiting for orders. These regiments were the
1OQth and the 18th New York Volunteers.
OF the Tooth he was elected Colonel by the
unanimous CnOlCe VI tne Htn WIN COHpOhcu i'
In August, 1862, the l09th was ordered to
| Annapolis junction. There for II little more
than n year 1t was engaged in preparing for
actual service on the battlefield. The recruits
had to be instructed in the school of the sol.
dier, and they were engaged in guarding the
railroad leading to Washington. Early in
January, 1854, Col. Tracy was ordered TO join
tho famous Ninth Corps with his
lie was assigned 10 llartranft's brigade Of
WilcoN's division. Preparations were being
made then for tho campaign Of northern Nir.
GINA. Lee was in winter quarters along tie
ltapidan. and was expected to give the Union
Army something to attend to in the spring.
! Soon aftcrward the battles Of the Wilderness
were fought. Veterans of the Army OF the
Potomac need no reminder to recall those days
in early May of 1864 when the Virginia wood
land echoed with the noise OF war. The battle
began early on the morning OF May 5. When
night fell neither side could boast Of material
advantage.
At 5 o'clock on the morning OF May 6 the
battle was resumed. The Confederate forces
were behind brcastworks. Warren commanded
the centre OF the Union line, ScdGwick the right
and Hancock tho left. Burnsidc's army was
supporting Scdgwick. In Burnside's army was
Wilcox's division, including the Tooth New
York. As the day advanced the Contederatcs
w ~ NV NA''Ah AN'ahS ~ - ANe'|
behind the brcastworks.
The battle line was giving way and rein
forcemcnts were ordered from the rear. The
! 1o0th and two other regiments were sent for
ward. After a sufrocating march through
burning woods, while going forward by the lett
flank in columns OF fOurs, tho regiments sud
denly came upon the enemy in force. The Con-
fcdcIates from behind their works poured vol
ley after vollcy into the Union ranks. Wheel
ing into line of battle on the run. n
OF considerable difficulty in face of tho firing
which was growing heavier all the while. the
Union troops made as strong a resistance as
possible.
For n time they hold their own. Then the
re -iments on tho left OF the lo9th began to
wavcr. Finally one OF them. n Michigan regi-
i ment, rctreatcd in disorder. Another regiment
had its front turned. There was q prospect OF
n panic among the men. They were on the
right OF the line and a break there might end in
a rout Of the Union forces and the triumph of
Lees army. Something had TO be done and
done quickly. The left flank OF the lO9th was
giving way. 1t seemed as II the whole battle
line was about TO cut and run. Just then n
young officer dashed out in front OF the line and
waving his sword above his head. shouted:
What the devil does this meant The Tooth
turning cowards. Not if you'll follow where l
lead! Forward. men! Never retrcat!'
A roar OF the encmy's artillery drowned tho
responsive shout Of the men TO the young OIL
GERS r~allyiag cry. Men went down like grain
In the path of a storm. Those who were nm
hurt started for the rear. Tho young officer
was let alone in front OF the encmy's guns.
Quick as thought ne dashed after the flying SOL
diers. Getting behind the retreating line, he
grabbed the cOlors from the color sergeant and.
with the flag in one hand and his sword in the
other, he cried:
..If YOU won't follow your leader, follow your
colors! With the flag in front. let any man
face to the rear who darcs! Now. men Of New
York, forward! Forward. and those works are
ours!'
The effect was magical. Inspired with an
enthusiasm that neither shot nor shell nor
charge Of cavalry could stop. the regiment
dashed forward. Further and further up the
ascent they went. tho colors always ahead OF
them. Another vollcy from behind the works
checked the onslaught for a moment. He who
bore the colors saw the hesitation and shouted
"A foot more and the works are ours. Come
like the devil or the flag will be there before
your
On and up, over fallen trees, over stumps
through bitches. and through binding smoke
the men rushed forward in answer to that
rallying cry. \ moment more and they were
tumbling over the Confederate b~rcastworks
But the flag was there before. Where the stars
and bars had waved "a moment before the
flag Of tho Union was flying instead, and lying
under II lay the young officer who had changed
a Confederate victory into n Confederate dc
feat, and, historians say, had made possible
by that one act of gallantry Shcrman's march &c
the sea.
1t was feared at first that in winning thu
victory he had lost his life. 1t was found
however, that he had only been disabled, ant
later he was sent to the hospital ut Annapolis
Junction. Thirty ycars, almost to II day. ate
that battle Grover Cleveland, upon the recon
mendation OF the Secretary OF War, issued Il
BENJAMIN Franklin Tracy n medal of homo
'for exceptional bravery, displayed on tn
second days battle OF the Wilderness"
r After several weeks in the hospital, Col
, Tracy's condition was such that he was nd
: viscd by the hospital surgeons to return to tn
North. He finally decided TO follow their ad
vice. When a furlouGh was offered to him h
IL