Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-04-09

ed field, either, that this gallant bat
TALON got its real baptism of fire and
made the heaviest entry on its marvel
ous roll of honor. "Mechanicsyille" is
the name given by the Confederates to
the affair which the Federals call Bea-
yer Dam Creek and do not rate very high
as a battle. Lees regiments were order
ed to inscribe it on their flags along
with Cold Harbor Gaines Mild, Fra
zer's Farm (Glendale) and Malvern Hill.
No empty honor that for the Nineteenth
Georgia, since it left 1S5 Of its number
killed and wounded on that field.
1t was at Mechanicsville that Lee
met with his first check in the move to
turn McClellan's flank under Fitz John
Porter at the close of June, 1862. Por-
ter had stationed the Pennsylvania re-
serves along Beaver Dam creek to meet
the enemy's advance. Anticipating a
surprise, the Confederates, led by Colo
mel J. J. Archer's brigade, to which the
Nineteenth belonged, dashed forward
boldly to the banks of the creek un-
aware that beyond it lay long lines Of
Yankee riflemen and batteries trained
bN6Ey lOOb VI BlO1hd oot
diers could march.
This was not the first experience of
the Nineteenth under fire 1t had been
at West Point, on the York river, in
May to help check the Federal advance
up the peninsula after the evacuation at
Yorktown and had also taken part in
the surprise at Seven Pines, losing a
few men, but not coming to close quar-
tiers. Favored of luck, perhaps, up to
the time of the attack at Meehanicsville,
the days of grace were over when it
joined Archer's brigade in A. z. Hills
Light division. Hills division came to
be used as wedge to open way into
the enemy's lines. The bullets and can
non shots of the Pennsylvanians played
havoc in its ranks on the banks of Beaver
Dam creek, but the next day at Gaines
Mill it played the same role, charging
breastworks and batteries. In these two
days Archer lost 535 men ont of 1928
The Nineteenth had entered the fight
400 strong and lost almost half of them
the first day.
In the remaining battles of the PENN
sula the Nineteenth lost few, as it had
but few to lose, but was entitled to EN-
blazon its banners with the names of all
four. 1t marched with Archer's brigade
in Hills division when jackson re-
turned north to new fields of adventure
in front of Washington. Archer's bri-
gade made history as a band of Tonnes
seeans, having three regiments from
that state. Perhaps the Georgians
We'd with the mountaineers in the race
for glory and kept their end up against
there rivals. Archer, who was Ten
nessean, praised them as they deserved
for their deeds at Mechanicsville.
At Cedar Mountain, where jackson
first crossed bayonets with the soldiers
of Pope's army, Archer had the place of
honor near Jackson himself The bril-
gade made gallant charge to save the
Confederate left from disaster and the
Nineteenth lost one-third of its num-
Der. This was not many, for less than
six weeks had passed since its last battle
on the peninsula. Hills division fol
lowed jackson upon his famous raid in
the rear Of Popes army when the stores
were captured at Manassas. 1t was
Archer S men that jackson called to the
front when he found Taylor's New Jer-
sey brigade crossing Bull Run to recon
hotter the rear Of Pope's army. Jackson
was on a raid, not bent upon fighting;
hence he desired to get rid of Taylor. a
trap was laid for him, and Archer s
brigade captured nearly the entire COM
mand, killing the gallant leader.
Second Manassas was one Of the hard
est fought battles Jackson ever engaged
in. He was nearly caught in trap and
desperate fighting alone could save him.
Hill division held the famous railroad
cut which played great part in Jack
son S line, serving as a stronghold. All
day ON the goth Of August Archer men
defended the cut from the steady as
saults of the enemy and several times
charged forward from it to dislodge the
Federal columns On the Both the bat
tie ragged fiercer than ever around the
cut, for Pope believed he had separated
jackson from Longstreet's supporting
column. Throughout the day the Con-
federates kept a steady stream Of fire
pouring from behind the railway en-
bankment. Their own loss was slight,
but the execution upon the Federals was
awful
When the contest became close,
the soldiers of both sides used stick and
stones for weapons. About o'clock
Archer's brigade rushed from the cut
and charged over the field direct upon "a
six gun battery which was firing CAMS
ter. Three Of the guns fell to the bri-
gade as trophies, and at night the men
bivouacked in the heart of the enemy's
camp In the two days battles the
Nineteenth lost 30 men.
In the Maryland campaign Archer s
brigade saw comparatively little fight
ing, but the Nineteenth lost in one
charge at Antietam half of its strength.
BY the time the armies next confront
ed each other, three months after Antie-
tam, the regiment had been filled up to
the average field strength Of southern
regiments. twas still in Archer com
mand, under Hill and Jackson, but was