The National tribune., 1904-06-16
McGILyERY'S BATTERY.
Recollection of the Second Battle of Bull
Run.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: l have
never read anything about Capt. McGil-
very's Battery, Me. Art. | do not
know the letter of his battery. but
viii say there was never braver. COM
rade in the whole army. There were brave.
true comrades and officers. but none drawer
than he If there is comrade of that
battery alive l would like to hear from
him personally. You must remember that
near the close of the last day of the last
Bull Run battle, in that long line of bat
teries we were next to the last on the right.
when brigade of rebels came upon us, on
our right and rear. firing obliquely. raking
the whole line, and charging on us. The
battery on our right lost five of its six
guns, and we lost twO-a steel rifed gun
and brass piece. In our retreat with the
remaining four. two were separated from
the other two, Capt McGilvery taking
two guns to large stone house on an emf
nence used for a hospital, where he halted
There was piece of artillery and some
shells there. He got some stragglers, with
some of his men, to fire it, with the two
guns of his own. We were firing as fast
as we could load, Capt McGilvery helping
us, when an officer rode up with orders to
our own men. The Captain said: Fire
away, boys: they are rebels; and l know
it," The Captain gave the officer a card
with his name on it, and said to hold him
responsible for every Union man injured
there. The Captain said again: Fire
away, boys" After a while the officer
rode off, the Captain begging not to be or
to Fire away, boys" himself getting a
shell and carrying it to the gunner. The
officer soon returned with orders to stop
firing, giving the same reason as before
Capt, McGilvery, at the top of his voice,
yelled: Fire away, boys! We are firing
at the rebels!" So it proved; but as it was
dusk, and moonlight, it was Thought to be
some of the Union men retreating. The
Captain and officer were in sharp debate
the Captain telling him to hold him respon-
sible. We fired every round of our ammu-
milton, and waited for awhile. Then the
rebels we had been firing at came upon
us and opened fire at close range, and we
retreated toward Centervilie 1t was moon
light now, but the moon was obscured by
clouds.
You remember while at Rappahannock
bridge, there were some infantrymen de-
tached from their regiments to temporarily
take the places of some of your men who
were killed or wounded at the battle of
Cedar. Mountain, and that one stayed a
few DAYS after the battle of Chantilly,
where Gems. Kearny and Stevens were
killed. l was that comrade, and would
have. stayed until the expiration Of my term
Of service if could have been transferred;
but the Captain could not issue any cloth
ing to me, and as my clothes were only fit
for evening dress, l had to have some
thing to wear, and returned to my regi-
ment. l never saw any man of that bat
terry afterward except a Lieutenant and
Capt. McGilvery. met both several times.
The last time l saw the Captain he was a
BrigadierGeneral and Inspector-Generalo of
Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, un-
der Gen. Meade. He was a grand, loyal
man and soldier. l would like to hear
from him or any one of his old company.
| have forgotten every name of them, but
the Captain s.-H. A. VAIL, Towanda, Pa.