New-York tribune., 1897-02-09
4 CHARGE AT FREDERIChSBtR" 10.
DIR. JOHNSTON RECALLS GENERAL Col'hi' "
RRAyERY IN THAT MEMORABLE BATTLE

II.
RRAvERy IN THAT MEMORABLE BATTLE
AT recent meeting Of the young NE" ~
,ian Association of Franklin Penn Dr' IL, jim,
eton referring in speech TO General /. H. l. ~
lis Commissioner OF PUBIC "o'"' VI
made the following iemarks
mo, ON the ship going over gentleman ~noih nad
knew In the latter part OF isoz az tilS rayer 10
boy colonel of the ARM OF me ene Years past
Major-Cieneral Coils now aiIu lV' 49,, of Nav
c'omnissoner Public Works OF me lily SiIyI, O cen
% lorkc yom 1he very beginning of the war. he
during the summer or fall or looZ 0sd,l..@I ,ee
r,ont ~ PhiadeIuhians, known as COILS LoudE
and mis- regiment was just before the Fredericks-
burg battle in December ls62 assigned 70 se our VI
pad9 We were prejudiced against them pectusc
they wore the zouave uniform instead OF me regucal
United states uniform and never aoMeu az @ UppT pie
tunity 10 pass. without reminding them OF oui US
"Pp' PPpt n.n however 10 December l3 day memora-
bic I'm the history Of this country as DAY upon
which so many brave lives were sacrlceu III
vain attempt to storm an impregnable position OF
lead his regiment into their hrst hshI lhfI t,
on and on into the very thickest OF the hght. Dutt
the roar Of the cannon The bQodcurdI,@ns @ sou"d os
bursting of shell and the prayers and curses OF the
wounded and dying all around them had no tgt, TER
of battle and held their position like wall OF iron
When a man was shot down he was gently. rever,
up while every zouave stood his ground waiting his
turn be cared for in like manner. If the God Of
War had so ordained it. And when il came to the
time when the commander Of the brigade found
himself pniOned 10 the ground under disem-
lis pitch right in and bravey did the commander
Of the ZouaYes do his duty.
once during The fight ala 1t seem that were
70 lose our position. but even after the en"ry had
captured n" batterF that W9~' ~''-~""'
turned our own guns upon us the boy colonel Of
the despised zouave regiment rallied MS brigade;
o,-,r ana rccaptured his lost position, turned
tho guns again. and in less time tnan II taxes to
tell IL he had taken prisoners an entire reor
regiment. and as he marched the commander OF
tNe brigade ana a large part Of his command baci
to place Of security. he was the proue - Httlt
believed him the bravest.
For this days work Congress voted General
Ghen Colonel Coils a very handsome medal as
mark OF appreciation OF distinguished bravery on
the field of Fredericksburg suffice i to say that
from this day Coils went and on from one hon
ored position 10 q still higher. until it thought
that the over. and the boys were talking
and dreaming OF their return home
officers that, members OF his regiment, he led
into the battle OF Fredericksburg He was now
OF his staff. Grant found 1t necessary that some
troops OF the army that could be relied on should
in front OF Petersburg and he chose General Coils
al the man TO lead the charge. The General led
the charge and took the position. The light iasted
but five minutes, but In that five minutes hundreds
OF his command. including three of the brave ON
OF the glorious old zouaye regiment. rendered
their account before the Great White Throne
This all the more sad from the fact that the
win so much pleasure. never dreaming that they
would ever be called upon 10 fire another shot For
this brave charge General Grant placed upon the
shoulder Of the brave little red-headed colonel
/ had never met General Coils after the day Of
the Fredericksburg battle. December B; 1852. until
Of the meeting will not attempt to describe
There were three of US on board Major-Genera
General Alger OF the G. A. r.. and Corporal John
ston. late OF COMPANY 6: SD Regiment Pennsyl-
vania Volunteers. When say three of US mean mean
three g. A r. people, as there were many other
people on board