The National tribune., 1899-08-10
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
AN EPISODE OF APPOMATTOX.
Interesting Details Of the Fighting apd the Killing
Lieut.. Hiram Clark

Lieut.. Hiram Clark.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have
received a communication from Comrade
John w. Burnett. Lieutenant, 9TH Pa.
Reserve Corps, and 19Sth Pa, Waltham,
Mass, relative to the body Of an
officer reinterred by the ladies of the c. S. A.
at Appomattox, which may also give some
light. quote it:
rThe Fifth Corps marched from Prince
Edwards Courthouse, Va. on Saturday
morning, April 8, 1855, and after marching
all day, and nearly all OF Saturday night
and Sunday morning, April 8. were the
first white troops from the Army of the
Potomac to reach Sheridan's forces, then
hotly engaged on an open-wooded hillside
about south OF the Courthouse, with some Of
Lees cavalry. The leading regiment Of
the Fifth Corps that day was the 185th n. Y,
the 19Sth Pa. was second in line; our two
commands constituted the First Brigade,
First Division, Fifth Corps, Gen. Joshua l..
Chamberlain, commanding.
The colored troops from the Army Of the
James marched with us in the road running
north from the vicinity of Appomattox
Station, but were not in advance of our bri-
gade, as alleged history so fondly remarks.
The head of this column approached us from
the rear seemed to have had some rest, and
seemed full of spirit that morning. We
arrived atSheridan's position in the clearing
southwest of the Courthouse. Our Fifth
Corps entered the field at that point; the
colored troops continued to go north ON the
road.
Gen. Sheridan ordered Gen. Chamber
lain TO hurry into position to relieve his men,
and not to await arrival of our division, and
we hurried eastward TO the right, and after
passing beyond the slightly wooded hill
side, frOnted an opening commanding an
easy view of the enemy'S guns in position.
Gen Chamberlain called for volunteer
skirmishers, and they quickly ran out in
front of both regiments, now in line of
battle. A young Lieutenant of the 185th
N. Y. (Hiram Clark volunteered to COM
mand them, but before they, could all as
semble in front of us, much less deploy as
skirmishers, the extreme left guns in Lees
position opened on lis and them, with case
or shrapnel, landing a shell right among
the little group which mortally wounded
Lieut.. Clark and very seriously wounded
Private Hiram Williams, Co. X, 19Sth Pa.
Lieut.. Clark died of his wounds, and
was probably buried on the field Whether
his body was ever removed from there /
have no means Of knowing. Whether
private Williams survived his terrible
wounds know not. In the history of his
regiment occurs the following in regard to
him: Wounded at Appomattox Court
for No muster-out roll is on file at Ad-
jutant-General's Office, Harrisburg. Pa.
"Fhat it is possible to conceive that the
1Sjth =. Y. should ever have neglected to
mark brave officers grave cannot under
stand. There were very meaGer facilities
for burying our fallen ones there, but that
regiment certainly would not have failed
to so mark his honorei burial place as to
make it possible if his friends desired his
removal in a later period, TO have readily
identified the grave.
AS our brigade Immediately moved for
ward without any skirmishers to attack the
enemy, after this tragic occurrence and did
not again halt until We encountered the
white flag, passing along the ridge, on
which, and to our left, was located the Court
house, | cannot say what disposition was
made Of Lieut.. Clark s body. Augustus
Buell., as Headquarters courier, attached
to our First Division, Fifth Corps. says In
his work CThe Cannoneer), page 374: Re
turning to the Fifth Corps, | went up the
road leading from the station (Appomattox
Station, South Side Rai!road) past the
Trent house to the village. looking forGen.
Bartlett, and was informed that he had met
rebel General in the edge of the grove in
Pearson's front, and that they had ridden
off together in the direction of Appomattox
Courthouse. And also recollected seeing
a young Lieutenant of the 1S5th n. Y.
brought back mortally wounded, while the
white flag was fluttering | have since
been informed OIL the best authority that
ti!Io Wsto tIdIh, vi tiit IoDill,
and that he was the last man killed in
action in the Army of the Potomac
at is more than probable than Lieut..
ClarkS remains were Inferred a good dis
tance west of where he fell, if Comrade
Buell. struck the lines of our division south
of the grove or wooded ridge I first men,
toned, where Sheridan's last fight was
going on, as we double-quicked past the
rear Of their engaged line. never passed
over the ground of our advance on that
field again, although our First Division,
Fifth Corps, received the formal surrender
of Lees army, and remained at Apo
mattox until Saturday afternoon, April 15,
1865, when We marched in a pouring rain
for Farnville, Va.
"Tf my surmises are correct and no other
officer was killed at Appomattox, it must be
that the Ladies of the C. S. A have kindly
eXhumed and reinterred the remains of the
gallant young Hiram Clark, 1S5th N. Y,
or if his remains were removed later on,
might it not be possible that young Hiram
Williams. Co. X. 19Sth Pa, is at last 'ac-
counted for'?-H. w. DAY, Major and A.
A. I. c., Fifth Corps, Herman, N. Y.