The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-05-31

assertion that it was one Of the most notable
and one Of the grandest bodies of soldiers that
ever marched against foe. AS member of
that famous organization am able to claim
some personal acquaintance with the charac-
ter and the deeds of most important contin-
gent of New Jerseys volunteer forces Not
only the old First Brigade but the Twenty
frst and Twenty sixth regiments we're honored
constituents of that famous body.
We knew the metal of the First Jersey Bri-
gaze on the bloody field at Gaines's Mill
where 1t left thousand of its comrades as a
seai OF lts courage. We learned then and we
were often reminded in later critical times
In@t ohese regiments were inspired by the
same spirit that animated the gallant Colonel
Tucker Of that Brigade who. as he led bis yoan
lnto the ratal woods at Gaines's Mill while
their cheers almost drowned the tnmnlt -
musketry and cannon, said to one at his side
It's hot place In there and Soma of ~ ii,
never come out, but the Jersey BOYS will do
their duty The brave Colonel did NOT oo,,.s
out and the Jersey boys did their duty.
Then we saw the dash and DARING ,u,+h
which the old brigade took its place at the left
of our Sixth Corps line at Crampton's Pass i,
Maryland. There are perhaps some here today
who remember the little village of Burketts-
Vile, nesting under the shadow of the South
Mountains, Its white houses almost cleaning
amidst the dark foliage of abundant shade
trees, and the winding road leading up the
mountain side. and the batteries of the enemy
which frowned from above and then shot out
their thunderings and destruction towards the
idauntless corps. Those who were there have
not forgotten the cheer that went up from one
end to the other of that long line as the men
left the cover Of the stone wall and rushed up
the hill In the face of the hostile batteries
The Confederate position was carried and the
enemy routed.
Then went up exultant shouts from the men
of the Jersey Brigade as they Haunted the bat
tie flags which they had captured and thought
of the proud part which they had taken in one
of the most brilliant of the many brilliant
charges of the war. Then, as the excitement
of the battle was hushed. their thoughts
turned sadly to the many heroes whom they
had left on the terrible hillside
We shall not stop now to recount the gallant
~ of the whole of the Sixth Corps including
the Jersey Brigade at Antietam nor of the part
which they played at the Inflated battle of
nor even of their brilliant
behavior at Marye's Heights where the Sixth
WI 20 tOSoAtCO lAO Oubtb Ol Inc whole Oh Lees
army, We shall also pass over the honorable
part taken by these troops in the notable
Gettysburg campaign and battle in which,
after march such as had never been made
by an army corps and which still remains
unique, that organization arrived on the bat
tleheld In time to turn the tide of battle.
So, too. we pass the wonderful campaigns of
the Wilderness and Spotsylvania, the bloody
days at Cold Harbor and the attacks on Peters
burg In all of which the Jersey troops acted
well their part to come to campaign and a
battle which are to form the central theme for
our thoughts this evening.
In what is to follow we are to think of the
New Jersey troops only as constituting part
of small army with renown which will live
as long as the story of great deeds is told.
That army was the Army of the Shenandoah
or more technically the army of the Middle
Military Division, under the leadership of the
resolute and fearless General Philip
H. Sheridan.
1t is then, my purpose to recall some remin-
iscences, more or less personal of the battle of
Cedar Creek and the antecedents which led up
to it.
After speaking of the thrill of supreme
exultation that ran through the North as the
news of the famous battle gof Cedar Greek
flashed over the land and the bitter disap-
pointment that spread over the South as the
tidings passed more slowly, the speaker
graphically sketched the departure of the
Sixth Corps from the Army of the Potomac
with which 1t was then engaged in the sege of
Petersburg. its arrival at Washington where it
was met by President Lincoln, who watched
the process of disembarkirg with deeu
interest chatting now With this soldier
now. with that one, and, to show that
he was in sympathy with the men in all sorts
of ways, complacently nibbling at pieces of
hard tack as he chatted. Then came the
memorable march of the veterans up Seventh
street in Washington and the battle of Fort
Stevens
As the troops filed out to the front from the
fort President Lincoln took his stand on the
earth works where he could view the maneu-
vering. The guns of the fort opened fire and
the veterans dashed forward. Bullets whizzed
past the president, and an assistant surgeon
standing near his Excellency was badly
wounded General Wright suggested to the
president that he should descend but when
the latter did not heed the warning the
General said Mr. President, it is my duty to
insist that you descend from this place of dan
ger" To which the President replied Gen
eral Wright, always obey the orders of my
superior officer and he got down
After this short and brilliant fight came the
beginning of the campaign in the Shenandoah
Valley and the appointment of General Sheri-
den to it's command.
The brilliant engagement at Winchester with
the rout of the enemy with the loss of many
battlefags, cannon and provisions, the tarn-
ing of his flank at Fishers Hill and the pursuit
Continued on Eighth Page.