The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19
THE LATE Gsx. r. w. HYDE
Notable Chnrg. OF tho Seventh Maine RsRi-
ment Led by Him At Anticthm.

To THE EDIroR or THE SUN-Sfy: Tho
death Of Gen. Thomas W. Hyde Of Bath, Ma,
President OF thr Bath Iron Works, Is worthy Of
more than passing notice He one OF tho
heroic figures Of the Civil War When tho war
broke out young Hyde was student in Bowdon
College. lie was then Just 30 years of age Tho
Seventh Regiment OF Maine was being organized
Hyde RAISED company, and. proceeding with IL TO
Augusta was ccct:d Major Of the regiment Ho
accompanied his command TO tho front The
Seventh was stationed for brief timo at Camp
Griiiin, near Alexandria. Va
When Gen. Mcclellan started on his Peninsular
campaign tho Seventh Maine was with tho Army
OF the Potomac The Hrsi man killed In battle in
tina, campaign was Thomas Pepper. q member Of
the regiment who fell at Yorktown. Later on
al tho baltic OF Williamsburg, the regiment distn.
guished itself 80 well that zen Mcclellan ordcr.u
thai Williamsburg" DO placed upon tho oolora
lie also mentioned tho regiment in general orders
for distinguished services" in that battle
command OF the regiment, and was wounded at
Williamsburg lieut. I oil Selden Common, alter.
Of Maine took command Of the regiment alter
this battle, aud participated with il In the series
OF ,', that we,e fought on the icninsula in
When the ,bh,to Of Antietam was fought. the
regiment had already Teen reduced by death and
wounds and sickness to 265 men and thirtoen
officers Among the sick at that time was Lieut. :
Col Common and the command OF The regiment
then d-volvcd upon Major Hyde. At the attic
OF Antietam the Seventh Maine was support ng
. battery, 4 body o. sharpsh ooters and whole
woods In front Of this battery. The commander
OF the bottory rode up TO Col Irwin. who command
e the brigade TO which the Seventh belonged and
requested that the woods be charged and the
enemy driven out so that he could plant his hat
terry. Col. Irwin selected the Seventh TO make the
charge which the boys Of that regiment did and
an hour 1876 men and eleven ofilcers When tho
roll was called that evening. seventy men and two
officers answered to their names among the latter
was Major Thomas W, Hyde.
peculiar incident occurred Just before this
charge Col. Irwin rode up TO Major Hyde. who
horse. The Colonel gave the command 10 Hyde
10 charge. the woods" Hyde responded by say
Ing that there was a whole brigade OF rebels In
those woods HeIeupon Irwin asked the Major
II he was afraid. Hyde Strengthened himself up
end saIuting his commanding officer. said TO
Afraid! You know that We arc not afraid
Give the order that the men can hear II and tho
charge will be made"
with the fatal results narrated. A ioss Of ~ per
cent in thrce-quarters Of an hour was the an
swcr oi the Seventh Maine 10 the remark Of
Gen. Mcclellan again mentioned tho regiment
In general orders Then The Seventh Maine was
sent homc 20 Maine to recruit The regiment re-
turned to the front with Its ranks partially filled
and participated In the rest OF the campaigns OF
the Army OF the Potomac from the battle Of Chan
eelorsyiIl- to the end Of tho war. Cen Hyde
deserves a monument
HENRY W. KNOTT,
Late Of tho Seventh Mama