Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-15

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r A1hA NJ career under
MNMH.1 General Joseph
~ KAMMN r. derson,
IN ~ $4% who was disabled
MlA WM mi, by a wound in
WYMW -&ME<N/ tho seven days
NG# FJAkRIHK battles, fell I'M
FMNH//W1 der tho leader
ship Of General
Edward L. Thomas, colonel Of the
Thirty-fifth Georgia. The brigade COM
prised the Fourteenth, Thirty fifth,
Forthwith and Forty ninth regiments
from the Empire State of the Confeder-
acy. After proving its mettle ON the
field of battle it was assigned to the
famous Light division, led by the fiery
A. p. Hill, in Stonewall jackson corps.
A complete record of the battles of
these regiments cannot be shtained. but
one hazards little in saying that the
Forty ninth regiment fought in greater
number of the regular battles Of Lees
army than any other of the brigade and
perhaps of the division and corps. The
Forty ninth took its baptism of fire at
Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, ON the 31st
of May, 1869, and fragments Of it were
in action at various places on the works
at Petersburg when they were overrun
by the several Federal corps ON April 2,
1865. 1t was in the thick of the fight
in the five great battles around Rich
mond in 1862, for after Fair Oaks it
fought at Mechanicsville or Beaver
Dam creek, June 90; at Cold Harbor or
Gaines Mill, the 27th; at Frazer
Farm, the 90th during the seven days,
and at Malvern Hill, July 1.
With jackson the regiment marched
from the James to the Rapidan to fall
upon Popes army bore the brunt of the
fighting in Hills column at Cedar
Mountain and saw desperate work dur
ing the two days battle Of jackson s
corps at Manassas, or Bull Run Second,
on the goth and 30th of August. 1t was
one of the few regiments closely engag-
ed with Kearny's men at Chantilly on
Sept. l. In that singular battle, which
began during terrific thunderstorm
and ended in darkness, these Georgians
met the enemy hand to hand. Kearny
was shot from the saddle by Sergeant
McCrimmon of Company b and died
within Jackson's lines. This affair is
set down in history as a skirmish, but
it was a bloody one for those in the heat
of it. Two Federal major generals,
Kearny and |. /. Stevens, were killed.
In the ranks Of the Forty there
were eight casualties, three of them
fatal, which was quite enough for a
skirmish, but the commanding officer,
ID 4 y lol
by wound whioh>cost him leg.
Antietam is the one great battle of
the series not inscribed upon the banner
of the Forty ninth. 1t was engaged at
the capture of Harper's Ferry and did
not rejoin its division until Lee had re-
crossed the Potomac. 1t took part in the
bloody affair at Shepherdstown on Sept.
10, and after that missed no field Of
glorious memory down to the end. Fred
ericksburg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg,
where it fought three days, two days
fighting in the Wilderness, the Bloody
Angle" at Spottsylvania, North Anna
river, Cold Harbor and the defense of
Petersburg cost the regiment a heavy
dole in blood, although it missed the
slaughter pens and made a record for
giving heavy blows to the enemy.
AT Fair Oaks the Forty ninth took its
baptism Of fire in Longstreet's column
at Fair Oaks proper. At that point the
Confederates struck Federals who were
alert and did not make a surprise as
was the case at Seven Pines, another
part of the same field General Joseph
E. Johnston saw the Forty ninth going
into battle and exclaimed, 'Those men
move like veterans.
At the battle of Mechanicsville, June
20, the Georgians stormed the terrible
bluff defenses held by the pennsylvania
reserves on Beaver Dam creek Colonel
A. J. Lane, the commander, was severe
ly wounded and disabled for further
service. This was the beginning of the
seven days, and the regiment came out
of the battle week with loss of 1879
killed and wounded, two commanders
disabled and one captured.
At the battle of Cedar Mountain,
which followed in August, the Forty
ninth for "a time had favorable elevat-
ed position and the men exhausted their
ammunition in picking off the enemy
at long range At the second Manassas
and again at Fredericksburg the Forty
ninth was put to the supreme test for
gallantry. In both battles the line was
pierced by desperate charges of the enc
my ON tho flank of Thomas brigade
None but soldier can appreciate the
danger in a crisis Of that nature, At
Manassas the Forty promptly
changed front and engaged the daring
Federals at arms length, beating them
off and restoring the line
The only occasion when the FEEDER
ais broke the Confederate line at Fred