Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-08-24
REGULARS IN CIVIL WAR.
their Splendid Record FROM the fir''
10 the Last Of the CODiiict-A Notable
Instance of Fidelity at the Outset.

already been called In the foSt 10
the general tendency of newspapers
and field correspondents, in the
present war with Spain, to pass
over the gallant services OF the
United States regulars with but
scant recognition in their eagerness
to do full justice to the exploits OF
the volunteers. Similar criticism,
probably with equal cause, has
been made of the war correspond
ents in our great civil strife; but
the Townsend Civil War library at
Columbia University contains ma
terials for a fitting record of the
United States army in the conflict
for the Union.
One of the proudest episodes in
the history of the regular army to
be found here is the exhibition Of
fidelity by the non commissioned
officers and privates, who treacher-
ously made prisoners by General
Twiggs in Texas in 1861, resisted
every temptation to violate their
oaths and desert their flag. Offered
commissions in the Confederate
service, with money and land freely
rendered to them, they all scorned
such inducements, submitted to
severe hardship, and, when at last
exchanged, avenged themselves on
the field of battle for the unavailing
insults to their integrity.
Too few in numbers to act as an
independent force, the regular reg
iments took part in every great
battle of the war fought in the east
and in most of those west of the
Alleghenies. Their losses in
cluded 1854 officers and men killed
in action and $50 more died of their
wounds, making an aggregate OF
z,2o5. In addition, the deaths
from disease were over 5000.
Their severe losses proved that
they were in the thickest of the
fight and the testimony of their
commanders shows with what hero
ism they upheld the Union cause.
The vigorous charges of the regu-
lars often won the day and in de-
feat they more than once saved the
Federal army from much greater
disaster by the obstinacy with
which they resisted superior num-
beEs.
At the first battle Of Bull Run
they covered the retreat of the
fugitive troops from that field to
Centreville. Their services in
McClellan's campaign on the PENN
sula are matters for proud recollec-
ton, During the siege of York
town the regulars did their part in
building breastworks, later to leave
them and follow Magruder up the
Peninsula until they found them
selves in the swamps Of the Chicka-
horniny. The famous Six Hun
dred at Balaklava did not behave
more calamity than did the Fifth
cavalry under Captain Whitney,
when, from the left of the line at
Gaines's Mills FIVE companies
charged into the advancing Con-
federate host, an entire division Of
which was about to charge the Fed
eral artillery and would have cap
ture6 the batteries if its onset hal
not been stayed by the Fifth. At
the close of the battle it was left for
the regulars to be the last troops to
cross the Chickahominy, covering
as they did the retreat of the Fifth
corps to the south side of the river.
AT Gaines's Mills the Eleventh in
fantry, now in Porto Rico, was said
to have suffered more than any
other regiment in the field. The
Twelfth infantry, which fought at
Santiago, also suffered very severe
ly and battalion alone, of the
Fourteenth lost 147 men, killed and
wounded. This last named regi-
ment is with General Merritt in
Manila.
The table lands Of Antietam also
witnessed the bravery and staying
qualities OF the regulars, many of
whom met their death on the sun
ken road in front of the cornfeld.
At the second battle of Bull Run,
the Third infantry (the oldest regi-
ment in the army, its age being
over one hundred years. sustained
a heavy and exhausting fire from
the enemy, as it did near San Juan
block honSe recently in endeavor.