The National tribune., 1901-05-30
A FAMOUS COMMAND.
Splendid Record of Ruger's Brigade from
1861 to 1855.

| EDITOE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: | have
read with much interest the communica-
ton from Comradc Nelson Purcell, Co.
l., 9th Ind, relative to the brigade in
which his regiment served, and asking
whether Gen. Ruger, the brigade COM
mandcr, is alive.
For the information of Comrade Pur-
cell and other comrades of the brigade of
which the 9th Ind. was a part, l will
cndeavor to give brief sketch of the reg
imcnts forming that splendid command
their losses in battle and from disease,
and the brigade commanders. In Sep
tcmber, 1861, when joined by the 2Ith
Ind. at DarneStown. Md, on the Upper
Potomac where "all was quiet" the bri-
gade was composed of the 9th y. y. :.
NJ. (S3d Vols). Col. Stiles; Sd Wis, Col.
Rugcr; Doth Pa, Col. Murphy, and the
9th Ind, Col. COlgrOve, and was com
mandcd by Gen. c. S. Hamilton, former
ly Colonel of the Sd Wis. The division
was commanded by Gen. y. 7. Banks.
About the 22d of February, 1862, the
| Army of the Potomac was organized into
five corps, and Gen. Banks commanded
the Fifth which consisted of three dlyi-
sions, commanded by Gems. \. :. Will
EIamilton's Brigade was the Third in
Williams's First Division.
Gen. Williams commanded this division
from that time until after the Grand Re
view at Washington, d. c., May 2i,
| 1860, excepting at various times, when in
command of the corps, and it is histor-
ical fact that the division never lost a
color or gun.
After the capture of Winchester, Va,
on March H. 1862. Gen. Hamilton was,
by order of Gen. Mcclellan, transferred
to the command of a division in the Third
Corps, and Col. G. II. Gordon, of the ID
Mass, which was transferred to the bri-
Sade, being the senior Colonel, became
commander of the brigade. The 9th y.
Y. 5. NJ. CS3d y. Y. Vols.l was trans
ferrcd to Gen. Abcrcrombic's Brigade,
from which the ID Mass. came. The bri-
Gadc as then organized consisted of the
81 Wis, the Doth Pa, the 2Ith Ind, and
the ID Mass. Col. Gordon remained in
command of the brigade until May 2S,
1862, three days after the battle of Win
chester. Va. and the retreat to Williams
port, Md, of Gen. Banks's Corps, which
had been previously reduced to two small
brigadcs; then Gen. Geo. ). Greene took
command of the brigade.
About June 22, 1862. Gen. Geo. H.
Gordon reported to Gen. Banks near
| Front Royal, Va, with a Brigadier-Gen
| tTdl = tbHllliSSlolI, anu an OIutI ilbHI lu'
Secretary of War, assigning him to the
| command of the brigade under Gen.
Greene On the 10th of June, 1862, when
the brigade recrOsSed the Potomac River
at Williamsport, moved through Martins
burg and Winchester, Va, to near Front
Royal the Doth Pa, was left behind, do
ing provost duty at HagerstOwn and Will
Transport, and never again Joined the bri-
gade. The latter part of June, 1862, the
designation of the corps was changed from
the Fifth, of the Army of the Potomac,
to the Second Corps of the Army of NIr-
ginia, Gen. Banks commanding the corps;
Gen. Pope commanded the army, which
was composed of three corps.
After the second battle of Bull Run
and Chantilly, Va, when we again crossed
the Potomac at Washington, ID. c., to
participate in the Maryland campaign and
the battles Of South Mountain and Antic-
tam. the 18th y. J., Col. CaTman, and the
1O7th y. Y, Col Van Valkenburg, were.
assigned TO the brigade.
Sept. j. 1862, the designation of the
corps was again changed to the Twelfth
Corps Of the Army of the Potomac, and
Gen. Joseph *. Mansfield was placed in
| command At the battle of Antictam
Gen. Mansfield fell, mortally wounded,
while depIOying his columns and the com
mand of the corps during the battle de
volved on Gen. Pap" Williams, our be
! lONtu Olu uGNlSIOI tOlllUldUutI- ne Va
| cancy caused by the death OF Gen. Mans
field was filled by the appointment of
| Gen. ii. w. SlOcum, a splendid officer and
| a thorough gentleman.
After the battle of Antietam. Sept. II,
1862, Gen. Gordon was again relieved
of the command of the brigade, and was
succeeded by Gen. Thomas II. Ruger, for
mcrly Colonel of the Sd Wis, who CON
tinued in command until the fall of At
lanta, Ga, Sept. l, 1864, excepting. at
the battle of Gettysburg, Pa, where Col.
! COlgrovc of the 9th Ind, commanded the
brigade, Gen. Rugcr the division, Gen.
Pap Williams the corps, and Gen. Slo-
cum the right wing of the army.
The 1J0th n. Y, Col. Ketcham, joined
the brigade during the battle of Gettys-
burg, and remained with it until the close
| of the war.
The corps was reOrganized at Tulla-
homa, Tenn, in the Spring of 1864, pre-
vious to the Atlanta campaign, the desis
nation again changed from the Twelfth
Corps Army of the Potomac, to the
| Twentieth Corps, Army of the Cumber-
corps Gen. Pap" Williams commanded
his old division Cthe First, and Gen. Ru-
ger commanded his old brigade, designa-
ton changed from Third Brigade to Sec
Ond Brigade.
Gen. Hooker was relieved of the com
mdllu OI JDe corps at his own request
about July &c, 1864, while in front OF
Atlanta. and Gen. Slocum then at Vicks-
burg Miss.) was appointed his successor.
Until Gen. SlOcum joined Cthe last of Aug
usU the corps was commanded by Gen.
Pap" Williams.
After the fall of Atlanta Gen. Ruger
was assigned to the command of a divi-
sion in the Twcnty-third Corps. He is
now on the retired list with the rank of
Major General, U S. A.
or our brigade commanders, Gems.
Hamilton, Greene and Ruger We're very
popular. and won the respect of the sub
ordinate officers and soldiers, and the con
fdence of their superOrs; but Gen. Geo.
II. Gordon was the reverse.
Col. COlSrove, of the 9th Ind, was
seriously wounded at the battle of Peach
Tree Creek, Ga, July 20, 1864, and he
never again commanded his old regiment.
He is still living, and is So years of age.
Sept. /, 1864, about 100 of the men of
the 9th Ind, who had not re-enlisted,
were mustered out of the service by rea-
son of the expiration of their terms, and
Nov. the supernumary officers were
mustered out, and 10 veterans and re-
cruits, with three commissioned officers,
were transferred to the 10th Ind, which
was in the First Brigade, Third Division,
Twentieth Corps, and marched to the sea
and through the CarOlinas with Sherman.
Gen. Pap" Williams commanded the
corps from Atlanta to Godsboro, n. c.,
where he was succeeded by Gen. Mower,
Cen SlOcum commanding the Fourteentl Ii