The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-05-19
The sIsty.Ninth New York.

With the laying OF the cornerstone
the first real work in the construction
OF the new sixty-ninth regiment arm.
DRY. In Lexington avenue, between
Twenty-hnh and Twenty-sixth streets,
will be begun, says the New York
Herald.
The Sixty-ninth got It's name. the
Fighting sixty-ninth.' soon after the
beginning OF the war. As an illustra-
ton Of the fierce fighting which this
regiment saw, Il may be said that 5T2
were wounded and I62 killed outright.
including many officers. Il was the
sixth on the list OF fatalities Of all
regiments which fought throughout
the civil war.
One OF the notable exploits In the
history Of the regiment was the gal
liant work before Petersburg. The
Sixty-ninih was under IRE for three
days and asked to assault position
after position. There was never a
when the Fighting Sixty.
ninth" was not ready to respond. The
gritty Irishmen rushed the trenches
OF the southerners time and time
again. their Wild yells ringing out
across the blood-stained geld. their
officers always at the front
In those awful charges men went
down by the scure. The regiment
never paused, nor did Il fal,er. Its
brave commanders had seen many a
wild moment during the three years
they had fought their way south. and
many OF the men with them were IN
the thick Of hot scrimmsges. but June
16. is and 22. 1884. are three days in
the calendar OF the sixty-ninth that
saw the regiment immortaliEed
These same boys had been at Wind
sor. fighting earnestly and stubborniy
Vaugkn's Run. Spottsylvania. where
Company n distinguished itself by the
most conspicuous and stubborn fight.
inE OF that awful day: B~lackWater.
Edonton Road. Tolopotomy. Clover
Am and Anueiam.
The battle % Antietam gave the
Sixty.ninth lis greatest opportunity.
The regiment vas exposed 20 a ter.
Tlhc ere throughout tho action.
The famous corn Geld was crossed
and recroEsed a dozen times, until the
position had been won. but AZ terrible
cost 10 the regiment The bullets OF
the confederates had practically deci.
mated tho regiment The endurance
OF the Irishmen on This day was won.
derfuL They never seemed 20 tire
and when night fell they were stU
busy, firing and roloading IS though
their work had just begun. The on
GERS distinguished themselves. but no
more so than the enlisted men.
Then came the battles Of Hateher's
Run. strawberry Plain and Maryes
Hcights In this last engagement the
Eixty-nlnth assaulted a stone wall
nine times before Il was won The
confoderatos put up one OF the most
stubborn reaistauces OF the war
Fighting their way almost &c the mug
Hies 81 the guns. which we're splitting
lead with fearful accuracy. the Irish
lads reached the barrier. only 20 bo
hurled back R~eorrauirinE they a.
aaulted the position time and time
again. until tho torn remnants % the
regiment cleared the wall and planted
their colors over the spot where the
c~onfedoratcs had fought so bitterly
and peFsistently,
There was grim fighting at Fred.
erlchshurg. Deserted House. North
Anna, and the first Bun Run. ln which
the regiment PLAYED a conspicuous
part Il had been attached 70 the
First brigade. Summers division,
Army OF the Potomac. from December.
1851. Il Vas IN the Second brigade.
richardson's First division. SECOND
corps. Army Of the Potomac. later.
the regiment being discharged under
Colonel Nugent June 80. 1855. near
Alexandria. Va
In the ongagement az Peach Orch.
ard the Sixty ninth suffered severely.
One hundred and eight men were
killed and wounded and forty.two were
missing. This Is an evidence OF the
fighting which the Sixiy-ninth was
called upon 20 do. Il Is little wonder
that the regiment was recruited from
New York eight times.
The record OF the SiNty-ninth before
Fredericksburg Is one 90 the cher.
ished memories of the war. The men
battled with the ~ferocity of tigers.
suffering from the ~cnalading ere and
running into the very mouths OF the
enemy's guns aud artillery. The reg
lment lost tNenty-tour killed and
ninegy-four wounded. In May. 1854
At s%po,tsylyania Court House. the res.
lmoat was again called upon 20 carry
out one os the most trying orders Of
the dag. In that memorable assault
the members Of the regiment were
shot down In great numbers. but not
onco vas there a wAyor, the remain