The Portland daily press., 1899-09-14


bounded, fiohoohetted and tore through
/ our marching column.
Glencing down from the rear, over the
heads OF the men long the line OF flush-
Ing steel, one could detect the tremulous.
| wavering movements as the hrsiiea fiucked
down when shell burst accurately over
the moving column, and then rose imme.
diately after.
We entered the point Of woods south of
Irostie's farm, and west OF the wheat
Held, and toxming line OF battle, halted
on the edge OF the little rnvine that low
known as the Loop"
Wo were tive hundred Yards east of the
hose houss" (nOw Mible), in the tow
or OF which we heard the melancholy ring
OF the field bell, when later the bullets
clipped and truck it as they tore. buzzed
and shrieked across the open glade. Less
than Il y ards to our right was an open
field, and about e05 yards to our right
and front was Snerfy's peach orchard.
The wheat field. running well up 10 the
stone wall that separated IL from Roses
woods, where we now were. was on our
LETT as we passed across Its extreme north
westerly corner. Roses house was dis
t,nctly visible across the run and
meaaow.
DE IrobrIand's brigade OF the Third
| Corps, which had previously occupied
this position, and which we now relieved.
I
arrival To the right of our little bril-
gade, the right of the Fifth Corps, there
| was a large gap, In which, facing nearly
sou b, were the Fifth philips and Ninth
| (Bigelow' g Massachusetts batteries. They
had no supports and were at least from
| five to eight hundred yards from our po-
sition. Sergeant Major, recall the line
of sklrmishersr' The writer's brother
sprang to the front, crossed the rasine
and disappeared: a death like silence
reigned. 1he skirmisheIs came running
in, our brothers. tall form with sword
drawn among them.
''Fix bnyonets," rang through the
woods, no other command. A shot-one.
two. three, and then with a perfectly
startling rattle AID roar, the line blaZed
forth, followed by an incessant cheer that
| ell to thrill ones very marrow. Our
battle was on Many placing heap of
| cartridges and caps on the ground In
front OF tnsm, were SOON busily engaged
loading AMI firing as rapidly as possible.
The discordant screeches and exultant
yells of the grey located "Johnnies," rose
high above the noise about us, instantly
followed By our hearty, solid cheers.
Across the run the indistincJ forms Of
masses of men, presenting the usual dir
ty, greyish, irregular line, were dimly
visible and moving up with defiant yelis.
while here and there the cross barred
Confederate battle flags were plainly to
be seen. There seemed to be nothing on
our minds but strong IT solute desire to
check the living torrent, and q slight ten
denny to doubt one's-sef, when this bull
let's buzzed SO closely by without touch
in some part of the body.
These are hasty reflections; we were
not there long. Hoods division, Long
streets Corps (McLaws now command
ing, had charge and swinging into the
gap, left bstween the two Corps (Third
and Fifth), soon doubled back the right
ana left, and with exultant yells pressed
around and over-lappsd US. We were
thanked. The command "chauge
front, was passed along, for no orders
the din of battle.
Our veterans with no other commands,
proceeded to execute this difficult man
enyre. While passing through "a division
of the Second Corps (Caldwelps d.
vision), moving by their left flank and
entangied among the oaks Of thu wooded
glade we were almost inextricably mixed
up with them, and subjected 90 a terrific
cross lire. Here we lost great many
men, anu for few moments Gno uPTOur
and confusion was most appalling, even to
older inen with stouter hearts,
As we emerged from Hose 8 woods into
the open swale or PASTURE studded here
and there with large boulders and stone
walls, which time has not changed, we
ehook ourselves clear of our Second Corps
brethren, and still moved at ordinary
quick time. We were on the westerly
edge Of the ''Wheat Field" now known
as the "Valley OF DEATH
At the point where the lane connecting
the Taneytown and kmmittsburg roads
divides this wood from Trostle's farm.
the land rises rather abruptly to the
northwest, and terminates in u plateau,
or opsn roomy ridge. On the north of
the lane, at this point, there Is also a
piece of thin woods, leaving an open space
u little over one hundred and fifty yards
in width. Here the rebels were pouring
through-kershaw's and Wofforu's bril-
gades.
bred yards, faced about, and were now
fronting this gap or elbow between the
two corps, towards the peach orchard.
Although our little line was somewhat
broken or Irregular, every man kept his
eyes on the colors, and each company or
ganization was complete.
There was horrible din. and for a Few
moments tine uproar and confusion was
appalling.
AS already stated, to our left as we faced,
when changing front in the elbow be-
tween the two corps, and in the direction
of the "peach orchard" directly in the
gap, were Phillips and Bigelow's MRssa-
ohsetts batteries. General Barnes and
staff and Col. Hilton. commanding our
First hrigade, were mere also. The fire of
shot and she'll through this breach, and
across our line which had nav changed
front, yves terrific.
Here Gen. Barnes, commanding our
division, was wounded; Col Tilton. of
our own regiment, commanding the
brigade, had his horse shot, and Lieut..
Walter Davis, of the Twenty second Mass,
ON Barnes's staff, had the rim OF his hat
carried away by a piece of she'll
Nothing could live before 1t. The horses
and many OF the men OF the batteries
were shot away yet 1t was bravely strug-
CLING to check the onward rush Of 1.-THE
rebel masses.
Bigelow WAS fighting, retiring, with
prolonged ropes attached. Lieut.. Col. Il
McGilvery, Chief of Artillery of the First
Volunteer brigade of the ARTILLERY Re
serve, had ordered him to hold that point
at all hazards. In the midst of the smoke
we could see the oannoneers using their
pistols, handspikes and spon gestaffs. he
lost three officers, twenty eight men and
| eighty horses.
| The battery was in the enemy's hands
at one time, but four guns were retaken
later, which we're subsequently brought OF
by hand, by Major Ed Dow, Command
|