Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-05-27


heaviest entry on Its marvellous roll OF
honor. "Mechanicsville" ia the name Civ
en- by the Confederates to the affair which
the Federals call Beaver Dam Greek and
do not rate very high as a battle. Lees
regiments wore ordered to inscribe it on
their flags along with Cold Harbor
(Gaines MilD. Frazer's Farm (Glendale)
and Malvern Hill. No empty honor that
for the Nineteenth Georgia, since it left
1856 of its number killed and wounded on
that field.
It was at Meohnniosville that Lee met
with bis first check in the move to turn
McClellan's flank under Fitz John Porter
at the close of June, 1869. Porter had
stationed the Pennsylvania reserves along
Beaver Dam creek to meet the enelny's
advance. Anticipating a surprise, the
Confederates, led by Colonel J. J. Archer's
brigade, to which the Nineteenth belonged,
dashed forward boldly to the banks of the
creek unaware that beyond it lay long
lines of Yankee riflemen and batteries
trained upon every foot of ground where
soldiers 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 PENN
sula after the evacuation at Yorktown and
had also taken part In the surprise at
Seven Pines, losing q few men, but not
coming to close quarters. Favored of luck,
perhaps, up to the time of the attack at
Mechaniosville, the days of grace were over
when it joined Archers brigade in A. p.
Hills Light division. Hills division came
to be used as wedge to open q way into
the enemy's lines. The bullets and can
non shots of the Pennsylvanians played
havoc In it's ranks on the banks of Beaver
Dam creek, but the next day at Gaines
Mill 1t played the same role, charging
breastworks and batteries. In these two
days Archer lost $50 men out of !, 1928. Thu
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 1t had but
few to lose, but was entitled to emblazon
It's banners with the names Of all four. IL
marched with Archer's brigade in Hills
division when jackson returned north to
new fields of adventure in front of Wash.
ington. Archer's brigade made history as
band of Tennesseeans, having three regl-
ments from that state. Perhaps the Geor-
CLANS We'd with the mountainous in the
race for glory and kept their end uF
against three rivals. Archer, who was
Tonnesseean, praised them as they deserved
for their deeds at Mechanicsyille.
At Cedar Mountain, where jackson
first crossed bayonets with tho soldiers Of
Pope's army, Archer had the place of hon.
or near Jackson himself The brigade
made gallant charge to save the Confed~
crate left from disaster and the Nineteenth
lost one-third Of it's number. This was nc*
many, for less than six weeks had passed
since its last battle on the peninsula. Hills
division followed jackson upon his famous
raid In the rear of Pope's army when the
stores were captured ut Manassas. It waa
Arcbers men that jackson called to the
front when he found Taylor's New Jersey
brigade crossing Bull Run to reconnoiter
the rear Of Pope's army. jackson was on
raid, not bent upon fighting; hence he de-
sired to get rid of Taylor. A trap was laid
for him, and Archer's brigade captured
nearly tho entiro command, killing the
gallant leader.
Second Manassas was ono Of the hardest
fought battles jackson ever engaged in.
Ho was nearly caught In trap, and des-
perate fighting alone could save him.
Hills division held the famous railroad
out which played great part In Jackson's
line, serving as n stronghold. All day on
the 29th Of August Archer's men defended
the cut from the steady assaults of the
enemy and several times charged forward
from it to dislodge the Federal columns
On the S0th the battle ragged flercer than
over around the cut, for Pope believed he
had separated Jackson from Longstreet's
supporting column. Throughout the day
the Confederates kept steady stream OF
fire pouring from behind the railway en-
bankment. Their own loss was slight,