The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-03-03

IN those two regiments, per statement,
page lOl, vol. Is, Rebellion Records,
were Fifth Wisconsin, IS killed, 1872
wounded. 36 missing, total 1913; Sixth
!. Maine, 50 killed, Ill wounded, 20 miss
! ing, being SIS per cent. of all borne on
the rolls four days previously. This
loss included our major and six COM
pany commanders; brother, brother
ln-laW, and cousin escaped whole In
this. connection I will mention an in
stance Of the marvellous Our color
4 guard of nine escaped without a
scratch. When the two companies
next to us were cut all to pieces I was
IN front rank. on right of colors, and
know that the seven men on right of
company on my left went down the
colors of Sixth Maine we're the first
ever to reach the crest Of Marye's
Heights, to gain which point we had
to quiet the Eighteenth Mississippi
regiment, part Of the Twcnty-frst
Mississippi regiment and one company
Eof the Washington Artillery. (See
Eswinton, page 297; also see report of
Rebel Gen. Early, page 1901, vol. 25,
Rebellion Records.) More than our
own numbers and these same behind
works the best that nature and skill
could provide. So much for the claimed
superiority of the Southern soldier.
The Eighteenth. Mississippi lost
colors, and Gen. Hall commanding
their corps, recommended that they be
not allowed to again carry a flag until
they had in battle captured one. Time
was passing and we had not reached
church. It was about noon and we
hurried on via plank road. About half
way we met another dissenting congre-
cation attending services in what is
called Salem CHURCH, on Salem Heights,
about two miles south of Banks Ford.
They were stubborn and we had to
labor with them some time, our brigade
being in second line, Gen. D. A. Rus
sells being first. We did finally push
them back and gained the crest of the
hill about 4 p. M, but the enemy were
soon reinforced and we had to retire
our lines aud to give up the job for the
day. We prepared for the defensive
and rested on our arms thinking of
what we had done, and of our COM
rades who had fallen, many of whom
we did not know whether to report as
killed or wounded. Some had been
seen to fall and that was all we then
knew and in many cases all, that has
been known. Sedgwick in his report
of this day says: ''It is no disparage-
ment to the other regiments of the
corps to say that the steadiness and
valor of the Sixth Maine, Fifth Wis
consin, Seventh Massachusetts and the
Vermont brigade could not be ex-
celled," thus putting US first in his
force OF $4,000 men. I think Col. T. S.
Allen Individually should be first of
all. He now says in speaking of this
CHARGE: AFTER we started I looked
back: and when I saw the Sixth Maine
following me I knew we we're going
to win.''
In conclusion, wish TO state to you
how men will conduct themselves at
such time. Some were praying, some
were writing letters to friends at home,
while some were playing ''seven-up"
to pass the time away Thus ends the
record of this day so far as am indi-
vidually concerned, except that some
time after the paymaster handed me
$500 in greenbacks in full for the
months service. being a fraction less
than AZ cents for this Sunday. They
allowed no 'double t1me.'' We now-a-
days occasionally hear those that think
that the soldiers get more than they
earned or deserved. I would like to
have one such relieve me that morning,
do my duty and draw the pay I earned
still think a country worth living
in is worth fighting for, and that the
Fifth Wisconsin and Sixth Maine
could at any time or place have
whipped their number picked from the
whole Southern Confederacy.
L. BERRY,
Company A, Sixth Regiment
" Infantry Volunteers