The National tribune., 1908-04-30
Gems. Berry and NhippIe.

In addition to having suffered a loss
far greater than that of any other body
of troops engaged, the Third Corps had
to lament the death of two of its divi
sion commanders, officers of the great
est ability and promise, and who had
grown up with the corps from the be-
ginning
Maj-Gen. Amiel W. Whipple was a
Massachusetts man, who graduated
from West Point in the class of 1s41.
entered the artillery. and at the begin
ming of the war was Captain He was
Gen. McDowell's chief topographer in
the Bull Run campaign. and Oct. 10,
1862. was appointed to the command of
the Third Division of the Third Corps.
in which he distinguished himself by
good management and fighting in Popes
campaign and the battle of Fredericks-
burg. At Charlottesville he command
ed his division with the greatest gal
lantry and skill, until he was mortally
wounded and sent back to Washington.
where he died, May Z, at the age of IS.
He was commissioned Major-General
of Volunteers. to date from May 6. and
received the brevets of Colonel in the
Regular Army for gallantry at Freder-
icksburg and of Brigadier-General and
Major General for distinguished gallan-
try at Charlottesville. He was felt to
be only at the beginning of career of
particularly mourned for him as one of
her ablest sons.
Maj-Gen. Hiram c. Berry had been
a leading citizen of Rockland, Me, of
which city he had been Mayor and also
represented it in the Legislature. He
had been interested in military affairs
from the first, organized the Rockland
Guards, and commanded them for sew
eral years. When the call for troops
was made he took his company into the
4th Me-, and became Colonel of that
regiment. He showed fine talents for
discipline and organization, and was
promoted to the rank of Brigadier-Gen
eral, when he was assigned to the com
mand of the Third Brigade. First, Divi
sion, Third Corps. He distinguished
himself at Yorktown, and was given the
honor of having saved the day at Will
liamsburg. when he rushed up to Hook
er's relief during the pelting storm. and
by skiIful manuvering drove the enemy
from the rifle pits, took a large number
of prisoners and recaptured all of our
artillery which had been lost Gen.
Heintzelman acknowledged that Hook
ers Division was saved from defeat by
Gen. Berry, and the battle turned in our
favor. At Fair Oaks he drove back the
| enemy, which had routed Casey's and
Couch'S Divisions, and retook the
ground. When moving up to the front
thru the routed troops he was met by
Cen Kearny, who asked him if he did
not hesitate to march his men thru that
ford He answered, No. sir; not if /
march at their head" The next day
one of his regiments, the Sd Mich,
drove four brigades in succession from
the woods. and Gen. Berry led it every
time, having three of his staff killed
and his own clothing pierced by shot.
He received the highest praise for his
conduct from Mcclellan. Hooker. Kear-
ny and HeintZelman. AT the battle of
! Glendale Gen. Kearny was ill. and Gen.
| Berry commanded the division, repuls-
| ing every assault of the enemy. At Fred
fericksburg he had shown excellent man.
agement and was promoted to Major
General, being assigned to the command
of the Second Division, which was
Hooker's old division. and claimed to be
the best one of the, Army ,of 7the Poto-
mac. AT Chapcellorsville,a when the
break on the right took place, he led
his division on a bayonet charge which
checked the enemy's advance, retaking
much of the ground which the enemy
| had occupied He was killed the next
morning by a mimic bullet, which pass
| ed thru his body from shoulder
downward. Gen. Hooker was deeply
affected, and when Gen. Berry's body
| was brought back to him, he burst into
| tears, knelt down, kissing his forehead,
and exclaimed. MY God, Berry, why
was this to happen? Why was the man
ON whom 1 relied so much to be taken
away in this manner" The death OF
Gen. Berry was the deepest grief to the
men of his old regiment, the 4th Me-
| and as his body was carried by they
asked that the squad be halted, and
each man, with streaming eyes. stepped
forward and kissed the forehead of the
man they loved so much.
| (To be continued.)