Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-15

posed to severe Smelling; but ut noon
the brigade was ordered to charge the
works in front. The ground was Il
plowed field and wet; it was a half
mile to Bowling Green Pike, then
nearly as far to the railroad, beyond
which was the wooded slope crowned
by the rebel batteries. whose shot and
shell swept every part of the plain.
The Sixteenth. under command OF
Lieut-Col. Tilden, held the center of
the line of battle with the Ninety
fourth New York in the rear to pre-
vent struggling. The Sixteenth boys,
from kennebec. Cumberland and OK
ford and other counties. now faced the
realities of war. But they were equal
to the occasion. Graphically relates
an eyewitness:
Quickly and firmly the line ad-
Yances. Iron death-bolts shrek in the
air ana burst around; bullets hiss and
whistle by, but above the roar of battle
rings the inspiring war-cry. Only the
dead and wounded halt. The pike ~
reached and crossed. then the ground
descends to the railroad behind whose
embanlment lies the foe. The storm
thlckens. Veteran troops. who know
, the danger, falter and fall behind. but
still onward. in perfect order. sweeps
the Sixteenth. Fear and doubt are
swallowed up in firm resolve and deep
enthusiasm; no stay, no tarrylnS, TIL
with fixed bayonets the railroad is
reached and the rebel line is scattered
| or captured, hundreds of prisoners due
sent to the rear, ana again the fearless
band. alone and unsupported, pass to
| the woods in which the routed foe is
reforming. Steadily they load and
fire, vainly hoping for support and re-
| Inducements. To advance would be
certain capture, TO remain, sure
| destruction. Reluctantly the order to
| withdraw is obeycd and sullenly the
| victors retire over the field they had so
gloriously won, while the enemy con-
centrating a deadly fire from either
flank, make the return more deadly
than the advance.
The Union loss WAS 1,2S4 killed,
$500 wounded, 1.1G4 missing; a total
of 1853
Yes. in that first battle the Six
tocnth won impcrsllable glory.
Nearly fifty per cent. of its force that
entered the fight was killed or
wounded the whole list of casualties.
as previously stated. being .26. half
the loss of the brigade. Well may it
be proud Of that days record which
called from Gen. Burnside this
tribute.
whatever honor we can claim in
that contest was Won by Maine men,"
The regiment had narrowly missed
taking part in the battle of Antietam
Ser l1,If In Oh ~ -t1 IL
lesson of wars horrors in their
march across that bloody field soon
after and beholdng the host of
slain ones.
The resignation Of Col Wildes re-
suited in these promotions: Lieut.
Col TilGon to colonel: Major Farm
ham to licutenant-colonel: Capt.
Leavitt Of Co. T. to ma or: Hospital
Steward Eaton tn assistant surgeon,
DIR. Hunter having resigned. A band
was formed i'll the winter, the officers
donating the inetrunt nts.
Gen. Hooper superseded Gen.
burnside in command of the army
and brought it into the finest con-
ditinn it had ever known. The
spring campaign OF CD opened April
Goth In the new arrangement OF
corps, the Sixteenth was assigned t'
the First corps. Gen. Reynolds. killed
in the first days fight at Gettysburg,
and his place taken by our famous
Maine general Oliver Otis HnwardD.
Second division (Gen. Robinsom.
First brigade (Col. Rust.
The regiment on July 1st reached
Gettysburg before noon of the first
DAYS fight and advanced at once into
close action. And that day and in the
two succeeding days it again won