The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-15

MENUS 4 HERO.
So Lincoln Said When the
Judge Lost His
Arm.
RESULT OF A BRAVE FIGHT
PROHIBITION Came But the Sol
dier Was Too I'll to Take
Advantage of 1t


Very few people know how Judge Henry
| NJ. MENUS lost his left arm in the Civ
War. Judge Nevius was a member of the
Twenty-ifth New York Cavalry. A re-
| cent issue of a Washington newspaper
contained the following story concerning
the battle in which Mr.. Nevius lost his
arm
The memorable battle of June II, 1864,
when the Sixth Army Corps met Early
and drove him from the fields, was par
| ticipated in by this regiment, but had it
not been for the Individual work of the
men there would have been no battle the
next day and no capital to ave A few
days previous there was a big fight near
| Baltimore and Early secured information
| that Washington was unprotected. Leav-
| ing part of his men behind he took
Rhodes division and by a forced march
| appeared before the city. The Twenty
fifth New York was stationed at City
| Point. va, and was hastily loaded on the
| cars and brought to Washington. They
| reached here on the night of the tenth
and found the city defeneeless. There
| were no trained soldiers here, inc the
| only pretence of defence that could pc
| made was that by the militia and a few
| Government clerks who were under arms
Immediately upon their arrival they
| were sent out Seventh street to Bright
wood. and on to Fort Stevens. Here they
intrenched themselves behind the earth
works thai had been thrown up and pre-
pared for the serious duty before them.
AT the fort the tall form of Abraham Lin
coin. wearing a linen buster and a slouch
- - f.x-;Isar .S~,.ra 90 Caoratafv
of War Stanton, appeared before them.
The President talked to the officers of
this little band of not more than 700, and
cautioned them to tell their men If they
were captured not to betray the defence
less condition of the city.
The Captains and Lieutenants of the
regiments had to assume field positions,
and so it happened that Orderly Sergeant
and now Judge Henry III. Nevius, of Red
Bank, N. j., was in command of his com
pany. When he told his men of the words
of the President, he added, TELL the
Johnnies, boys. if you are caught that you
are the skirmish line of the Sixth Army
Corps, which is behind you in the works.
There was a long conference, and each
knew his duty. There was hope that the
Sixth Corps would come up at any time,
and safety only lay in making a feint and
trying a piece of strategy. So it was de-
cided that when Early advanced the regi-
ment was TO leave the works and advance
in regular line of battle.
This was the only engagement ever
fought during the wal under the eye of
the President, and none was more cool
or more collected thai he. Speaking of
his, Mr.. Nevius said
THE President went about cheering the
men and c%autioning them to be careful.
Every man of us determined to die be-
fore the enemy should pass US and get
within reach of the Capital and our
President. We knew that no mercy would
be shown US with the capital in the hands
of the enemy, and we preferred death
rather than turn our backs upon the
enemy in the face of the President. Each.
man had sixty rounds of ammunition, and
when the skirmish line of the enemy with
90, 900 men behind them advanced, we
jumped over the fortifications and ad-
vanced also. We could scarcely believe
our eyes at the result. Across that field
we went straight in line, opening fire and
retiring the enemy. Jul fire was re-
turned, and some of the boys dropped. On
we went, and in a few minutes later that
army, the flower of Early'S command,
stopped and then slowly began to retreat.
We pursued them in battle array several
miles, and when the sur went down hey
had retreated. The reason for this was,
as published by the leaders on the other
side after the war, that at first they un-
derstood there was nothing IN Washing
ton but militia. but when they saw us
come out General Rhodes called Early's
attention to the fact that we were veter-
ans-troopS who moved as if they had
known what lighting was. They imme-
diately concluded that the Sixth Corps
and other achievements were behind us,
and hat we were e~ndeavoring to entice
them into battle SO as to entrap them.
This was the very idea we hoped to carry,
safety. Had Early surmised the truth
he could have wiped us out of existence.
When they left the fields all our ammu-
milton was gone"
The Sixth Corps did come up that
night and the big fight came off the fol-
lowing day. Sergeant Nevius was wound
ed in the arm about two o'clock, but
or three hous. He tainted twice, and was
taken behind the works. President Lin
coin held out his hand to shake that of
Nevius, but the Sergeant said
Tt is all bloody Mr. Lincoln"
Never mind" replied Mr.. Lincoln, sit
is the blood of q hero
The President. promoted him to the
Lieuterrancy of his company on the spot.
and said he would hold the Majorship
open for him until he was able to take
it. But Lieutenant Nevius arm was am
putated and did not heal until 1868, and he
was unable to again enter the service.
His hand is now in the Medical Museum
ma 10 a, harnA 9 Q91