Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-06
Bon
Ami
Cleans by dissolving mot
scouring) the dirt or tarnish.

ing away TO the left, and the FREEZER
licksburS pike. over which General
Grants supply trains We're moving.
became uncovered. and late in the
afternoon the advance of n force un-
der General Ewell, which had been
sent out by General Lee to feel for
Grants right and rear, struck the
wagon train at point known as the
Harris farm, and as the train was pro-
| tected only by light guard it readily
fell into their hands. The First Maine
| CHANGED to be nearest the point of at
| tack, which, with several other heavy
| artillery regiments near by, weer at
| once put in motion to recapture the
| wagons. The Maine regiment, in ad-
vance, got possession of the train and,
| without halt, drove the enemy back
half n mile to their main line. Here
| line of battle was formed and the fight
| continued for over two hours until
| they were further forced back to their
| entertainments. This action is some
| times referred to as 1.-The battle of the
| Heavies" as it was fought out by the
heavy artillery regiments, the infantry
troops arriving on the ground about
the time the enemy retired. 1t was
|
right well did they stand up to their
work, 50 much so that an order from
| General Meade was read to them the
next morning. highly commencing
| them for their GOODNESS and bravery
| under fire. The losses in this action
| amounted to over one thousand, nearly
| half of which occurred in the First
Maine, though the First Massachu-
sets reported loss Of three hundred
and ninety including twenty-eight as
| missing. The First Maine lost about
onc-thirI of its number. while one of
| its companies lost over One-half. or
seventy out Of one hundred and thirty
| i've who went into action. The num-
| Der of killed and MORALLY wounded in
the regiment was one hundred and
Gfty-five while the number of wound
| ed who recovered was three hundred
and seventy two, making n total of
| fvc hundred and twenty-seven.
During the intervening period from
May nineteenth to the battle of Peters
| burg the regiment lost men at Milford
| Station, North Anna river Hanover
town. Totopotomy and Cold Harbor, in
| all seven killed or mortally wounded
and forty-three wounded, or n total of
| fifty.
Arriving in front of Petersburg on
the evening of June fifteenth it was
present at the opening of the battle
next day. Being in the second or sup
porting line for the greater part OF
the sixteenth and seventeenth its
losses were small. Just after dark
on the evening of the seventeenth the
regiment was placed in the front line
behind breastwOrkS and was soon en-
gagged with the enemy at short range
but the affair did not last over twenty
minutes soon all was quiet except an
occasional shot and the boys improved
the time in much needed sleep. little
dreaming of what the morrow had in
store for them. All We're awakened at
half past three the next morning and
at four o'clock a general advance was
ordered. The First Maine. moving
directly to the front. halted for
minute at the first line of the enemy's
works which had been abandoned dur
ing the night, but Immediately pressed
on through a growth of timber until 1t
struck the enemy's picket line which
had been posted along the Prince
George court house road. The picket
fires were smouldering but the pickets
We're making good time to the rear
across the Hare field. In front of the
| center of the regiment as it emerged
from the woods was the Hare house.
Advancing a little beyond the house
| the line was brought to halt by
| sharp fire from the enemy and was
| Immediately drawn back to the road
| where a strong line of breastworks
vas thrown up during the day.
This point. at the Hare house, be-
| came famous, not only as the scene OF
| the reckless charge and terrible
| slaughter Of this regiment later IN the
day, but it was also the site of Fort
Steadman built by the Union forces,
and seized by the Confederate early on
| Ike morning of the twenty-hfth oil
March, 1865, and from which. Few
hours later, they were driven out with
such fearful loss. A Union officer
who witnessed the carnage on both oc-
caSiops and viewed the field in botn
cases after the battle was over ana
before the dead and wounded were re-
| moved. has made the assertion that ne
aid not believe there was another spot
an Gods earth of equal size that had
| drank up the blood of so many men
slain in battle as the Hare field.
How do soldiers appear and now 90
they act during the lull of a great batuf
Very much as they do under ordinary 81
| cumstances. Here. throughout th3s
eighteenth day Of June. the men pf tne
First Maine Heavy Artillery. about to Pc
sacrificed on the altar of their country,
worked with pick and shovel. looted the
| Hare house. cooked and ate their foon,
smoked their pipes. wrote letters, playea.
| cards cursed and Swore. cracked th1ty
| Jokes. and though the bullets hummeu
| and the shells crashed over head. ana
oeca sionally a man was hit. yet IT was
| all taken as q matter of course ana NE
| went merrily as usual. though crosse
| observer might have noticed mere anu
| there a forced smile or light remark ina,
| showed a struggle COINS on within.
| Several attempts had been made ny inc
different corps to break through the en-
emy's line at various points in the course
of the day but without success, Wheh.
we'll along in the afternoon, Gen. Blrney;
temporarily in command of the Secon'
Corps received from Gen. Meade the foi-
lowing orders:
Il have sent positive orders 70 Genei
ais Burnside and Warren to attack q,
all hazards with their whole force. l fan
II useless to appoint an nour to efi.c
Recommendation and am therefore compelled
| Ia give YOU the same order. You have
II large corps powerful and numerous