The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-25

Incidents of the Firing Line
mt Two of the Fights on the james
River. V0.

River, Va.
Stories of the battle of Drewry's Bluff.
on the James Diver, Va, were related
by the comrades of George H. Ward
Post, GAR, at a recent meeting at
Worcester, Mass. "reminiscences were
also given of the fight at Arrowhead
Church, by Fl. Arthur White, of Post
131, Leicester, veteran of the 25th
Mass. He referred to the self-command
possessed by Gen. Josiah Pickett, then
Colonel commanding the 25th Mass,
and eulogized him as a soldier and a
commander. The work of Gen. Benz.
F. Butler was spoken of, but not praised.
He expressed the belief that Richmond,
or at least Petersburg, could have been
taken in 1854 had there been other and
better leadership.
Descriptions of demonstrations and
skirmishes In May, 1864, were given,
and the work of Heckman's Brigade as
1T came to Arrowhead Church told
about. In this. the leading brigade, were
Massachusetts,. and they were pitted
against the South Carolina regiments
with the same numbers.
Comrade White gave some interest
ing personal experiences of the fighting
in thicket near Arrowhead Church.
He said the rebels charged the Union
lines, but Pickett's orders were to hold
their fire. Then the right wing got or
ders to fire, and the left wing to right
Oblique and fire, while the 9th got or
ders in such way as to give cross
fire in front of the guns the rebels were
after. and drive the South Carolina men
back.
The speaker was sent with others to
replenish the ammunition, and carried
many canteens to fill for the men. While
going he counted 70 rebels dead and
dying in one heap. One of them asked
him for drink preferring the Yankee
water to the rum and whisky, mixed,
which had been served to the rebels.
The regiment was relieved the next
day by the 10th Mass, which had re-
peating rifles. the first the speaker had
ever seen. In after years he visited
the battle-ground while after orders for
card clothing from a neighboring cot
ton mill, whose manager said he had to
shut down at the time of the battle on
account Of Union bullets.
The regiment went toward Richmond
from Arrowhead Church, and heard
Gen. p. G. T. Beauregard's troops
marching past 1t to head it off from
Richmond. The speaker placed Beau
regard next to Lee and few others of
the leaders of the rebel army. The 25th
was under fire nine Of the first IL days
1t was in that section of Virginia.
The 25th was at the right of the
Eighteenth Corps, two miles from the
James River and Gen. Beauregard was
not slow to find the open door between
the Union troops and the river. He
made his move and Gen. Butler was
bottled up at Bermuda Hundred.
The Virginia troops, under Gen. Henry
A. Wise, fianked the troops at the river
bank and got In the rear Of the 9th N.
j. They captured Gen. Hickman, who
mistook them In fog for Union troops.
The 9th Mass. was attacked front,
right and rear and doubled up. Then
the 23d Mass. was treated the same
way.
The 25th was next attacked, and the
men were told to hold their fire till the
rebels faces showed over a rail fence
a few feet away. The smoke obscured
the view, and the men stood at rest
when no response came from the rebels.
Then the 7th Va. was found in the rear
Of the 25th, greatly to the establishment
of the Massachusetts men. Gen. Pick
EFT found it up to him to save his regi-
ment, and he gave orders to about-face
and charge. This drew the rebel fire,
and under cover of the smoke the regi-
ment was ordered to go by the right
flank, and he saved his regiment with
the loss of about 80 men and his col
ors, the best Of any in that end Of the
battle.
The brigade got through Marston's
Brigade and reformed, while Marston's
men got on the firing line. Criticisms
on Gems B. F. Butler and Gilmore
were given for their not taking Peters
burg and Richmond when they were
undefended.
Mr.. White told of visits to Virgiiis.
since the war, and Of the cordial reccp-
tons he got from men who fought
against the troops with which he serv-
ed; Of meeting Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. then
Governor Of the State: Col. Marye, Of
Marye's Heights, where was one Of the
great battles Of the war, and of others
with whom he took trips around the
battlefield, and of the manner In which
he was always treated, making the as
sertion that the Confederate veterans
are the best people in the world for q
Yankee veteran to meet.
He told OF the days of the civil war,
when he was In the hospital and his
regiment was called "parlor soldiers
by the veterans Of the Army OF the Po-
tomac, but after few days were called
by their critics men who would Eight
like -" and made many references
to days and happenings which were re-
called by the half-score OF 25th veter-
ans who were present at the meeting.
This was the last battle meeting OF
the year for the benefit Of Post 10.
II