The National tribune., 1903-07-23

liant Sykes. the next day. at Bull Run No.
=. the Regulars, with the 9Th N. Y, the
140th and 10th N. Y. made up for the
drawbacks OF Groveton: also Batteries G
and T.. list Art: d and I, 9Th Art, and
| e, Of the I'd Art. lay claim to participa-
tion in that battle. AS skirmishers the
Regular infantry at Antietam gave it to
the Confederates hot and heavy at the
| sunken road, in front Of the corn field and
east OF the Sharpsburg Pike. all that
afternoon, holding the position away into
the night
Shepherdstown Ford OF the 10Th was an
| affair of infantry against infantry till the
river was reached by the retreating Fed
erals; then the Regular artillery, coming
in battery on the Maryland side. poured
n destructive fire into the advancing reb-
| els.
After the army had been fed on soft
bread during the Winter by Hooker. in
early May. 63. he took up the line of
march for the fords of the Upper Kappa
hammock to attack Lee and turn his left.
if possible. Here the Regulars We're also
| engaged The Captain of my company.
the courageous Salem S. Marsh. com
manding the regiment, was instantly kill
cd while nobly performing his duty on that
field. ..
GETTYSBURG.
The Regulars of the three arms OF the
service were answering at Gettysburg on
the second and third days. the wheat field
| being the first scene of action on the sec
ond day. Gettysburg was probably the
one field of the war in which the Regulars
were so numerous by organizations, viz:
| Batteries L. G. II, | and X, 1st Art; A,
B, d, G, /. and NJ, I'd Art; C. +. and X,
Sd Art; A, B. G, f. f. G and X. 4th
Art; G, u. +, / and X. 9TH Art: I'd. Sd.
4th. 9th, 9TH. Sth, 10th, 18th. 18th. 14th
/ md Inf 1St y and n
/ q. s. Cav, all fighting on that field of all
other battlefields the world over to the
credit and glory of the entire Regular
Army
| The Wilderness. Of the following May,
was also rushed by the Regulars. as was
also Spottsylvania and the engagement of
| the enemy at the North Anna on May %,
stopping with Cold Harbor on June 2.
where the infantry regiments, along with
| the volunteer regiments, lost their skir-
mish-line at the opening of the battle, the
rebels coming III at gap between the
Fifth and Ninth Corps, sweeping the line
before them.
The battle of Cold Harbor left the in
fantry regiments but mere skeletons; still,
for all that, they were to be found in the
trenches in front of Petersburg. and par
ticipated at Hatcher's Run, Yellow Tav-
ern and Poplar Grove Church. These in
| fantry regiments were so weak that after
Poplar Grove they were by the War De-
partment ordered out of the field and sent
North to recruit The Cd. 18th and 18th
We're during that Winter stationed at Ell
mira, n. Y, guarding rebel prisoners, re-
| lieving n regiment of J0-days men whose
time had expired.
| The dashing charge of the early days of
the war was made through the ancient vii
lage of Fairfax by Capt. Tompkins and
his squadron of Dragons in June, 81,
routing and putting to flight in utter dis
may the renowned Black Horse Cavalry
of Virginia.
Another event of our cavalry. which 1
should have noted before, was the desper-
ate engagement of five companies Of the
5th with Stewards entire force at Tun-
stalls Station. in June. GO. coming out of
the contest with much credit to the officers
and men of the command.
HEROIC YOUNG OFFICER.
An illustrious incident Of the first day
at Gettysburg was that of Lieut.. Bayard
| Wilkeson. holding his battery (G, 4th Art
to its work in an exposed position. Lieut..
Bayard Wilkeson, who commanded Bat
terry G, 4th U. s. Art, was but 10 years
old, and was the son of Samuel Wilkeson
who, as correspondent of the New Yor,
Times, was at Meade's headquarters
Young Wilkeson, by his fearless demean-
or, held his battery in an exposed posi-
ton on the Union right. Gen. Jno. B.
Gordon, finding it impossible to advance
his Confederate division in the face of
Wilkeson's fire and realizing that if the
officer on the horse could be disposed OF
the battery would not remain, directed
two batteries to train every gun upon him
Wilkeson was brought to the ground des
perately wounded, and his horse was kill
ed. He was carried by the CoDfederates
to the almshouse or dragged himself there
where he died that night. Just before he
expired it is said he asked for water. A
canteen was brought to him. As he tool
it wounded soldier lying next to hin
begged, For Gods sake, give me some
He passed the canteen untouched to the
man, who drank every drop it contained
Wilkeson smiled on the man, turned
slightly and expired.
Yes. the Regulars had officers, ant
splendid officers at that; brave and co1r
ageous in action, unflinchins and deter
: mined men on all occasions, even unit,
seeming rashness at times; always carin.
, for the comforts of their men, ever
) though it were at the sacrifice of thei
{ own pleasure and welfare. Come from
where they might, the Academy, the rank
, or civil life, they were always found Il
be Of gentlemanly instincts and principles
vying with each other as to the best tha
could be done for the well-being Of the en-
| uSteQ men, ana letting no opportunity
pass by for their comfort or pleasure, eth
, er in camp, barracks OF the march. But
true to their training, that discipline 81
, necessary to military organization and re
, quired by the army regulations, was al
, ways exacted and was without cavil ad
hered to strictly by the men.
. In my abstract moments of today / re
, vert back with much pride and pleasur,
to the many acts of kindness of hear
| shown time and again by these officers t,
, the enlisted men of their commands.
, We will now take up Stone River. an,
prove to our critics that on that field tn
i, 10Th, 10Th, 18th and 10Th Inf Tough
their ground inch by inch unainchingly. a
brigade, commanded by Col. Shepherd
one of the battalion commanders bein:
Maj. Slemmer. of Pickens fame. In tn
2 falling back of a volunteer regiment from
the field, and who was accelerating it
, step too much for its commanding officer
ideas, he Immediately called tine attention
of his men to the Regular Brigade by say
ing: Look yonder; don't you see tn
, Regulars standing as firm as the Rock o
Gibraltar?' Deduct not from the men o
the Regular Army. As l have said al
: ready, they were to be found on almos
every field of the war. At any rate, the,
were found on the main fields of the Arm
les Of the Potomac. the Tennessee. tn,
) Cumberland and the Ohio: yes. and OF
those of the Army Of the Gulf. ana unfor
tunately some of the light batteries wer,
under Butler at Bermuda Hundreds.
t 4 coincidence of Gettysburg was tha
| the fhrsa ppppr1l OfficerS most