The National tribune., 1908-10-08
Not a Fighting Regiment.

which they belonged; once in a while
you designate one fighting regiment,
as tho the others were not. l think
that If a regiment happens to be in a
fort or over mine and gets blown UP
| and loses half of its men, it is no more
| a fighting regiment than one that may
be 30 rods from it and lose only 10 men.
| / will give you a little sketch of one
that is not fighting regiment. / sup
| pose there are 500 in the same class
| that can equal or surpass it. The nth
n. Y. left Saratoga Springs on Thanks
! giving Day, 1861; went to Washington
and into camp on Meridian Hill. In
| February, 1862, we crossed the river.
and were assigned to the Third Brigade,
Gen. pavidson's, and VIM. F. Smiths
Division. When Gen. Mcclellan trans
ported his army to the Peninsula our
regiment was with it. Then the Sixth
Corps was organized, composed of
Franklin's First and Smiths Second
| Division. We passed thru the siege of
| ChickahOminy fever, and left with the
rest of the army for the second Bull
Run. We did not get very near the
| fighting line, as it took our corps three
days to march to Centerville and only
one night to get back to Alexandra.
Then we marched thru Maryland, and
our corps drove the rebels from Cramp-
ton Gap. From there we went to An
tltNtdIl, anu ecu OsCA tiiC 6iohhh
that had been fought over twice. Our
regiment charged down toward the
Dunkard Church. When Gen. Smith
saw what q place we were in he said
that the regiment had gone to -.
Capt. Horton, Lieuts. Dennison and
Skinner were wounded; our colorbearer
was killed. as were many others. We
fell back, over the crest of hill, and
held the ground until about noon the
next day, when we were relieved. But
we were not a fighting regiment. Next
we were at Fredericksburg, crossed the
river at Franklin's Crossing, moved up
to the front and held it until we re-
crossed the river. We also participated
in the mud march. In the Spring,
while Gen. Eooker, with the rest of the
army, was at Charlottesville, our corps
crossed the river again and captured
Marye's flights. Our regiment cap
tured two guns and rebel flag, and
was complimented by Gen. Smith. Capt
Wheeler of our regiment was killed
on the Hights. Our regiment was de-
tailed to run the pontoons down to the
river, while another was to man them.
They crossed the river under fire and
captured the works; but We were not a
fighting regiment.
We were at Gettysburg, our corps
mostly in reserve, having marched 35
miles in Il day to get there. After Gen.
Lee recrossed the Potomac We were
engaged in backing and filling, from
the Rappahannock to Centerville, until
it was decided to cross the river, when
our corps captured the rebel works at
Rappahannock Station, went out to
Brandy Station and stayed there until
we went to Mine Run. Thence We re-
turned and went into Winter quarters;
but when Gen. Grant decided to cross
the Rapidan with his army he could
not get along without our regiment,
and we had to leave our comfortable
quarters at Brandy Station and march
into the Wilderness. When our right
was turned, May 6, it all went back
until it came to our regiment. Our
left clung to the breastworks, the Third
and First Divisions having gone back.
Our right was at right angles to the
works, forming the base for new line.
My orderly was wounded and went back
a short distance, where he saw Gen.
Sedgwick in an old road, with his hat
in his hand and only one Aid with him.
The Sergeant said, General, L am
wounded. Where is the rear?" Gen.
Sedgwick said, "Stay right where you
are. 1 haven't any rear now, but Will
soon have one" Capts. Smith and
Winnie, Lieuts. Rowland, Fowler and
was captured. Gle was recaptured
after few days.) You see, we were
not fighting regiment.
At Spotsylvania the 77th was select
ed as one of the 16 regiments of our
corps to charge the enemys works, un-
der Gen. Upton. The column carried
the works, and captured almost as
many men as there were in the charg-
ing column. We also captured bat
terry; but, not being supported, We were
compelled to fall back and leave the
works Capt. Carpenter and Lieut.
Lyon were killed and Capts. Deyoe and
Rowland were wounded but we were
not a fighting regiment.
The 77th was at Bloody Angle, where
oak trees Is inches thru were cut down
by the artillery fire. Capt Rugg, of
our regiment, was killed. Over the
works l counted 13 rebels who lay dead
under a large limb of a tree that had
been cut down by shell from our
guns.
From there we went to Petersburg,
where three men in my company each
lost leg from one shell. Each was
named James.
When Early was soaring Washington
our corps was sent there to protect it.
At Fort Stevens our brigade made a
charge under the eyes of President Lin
coin, and drove the enemy back a mile,
every regimentai commander in the bri-
gade being killed or wounded; but we
were not a fighting regiment.
We then chased Early around for
| awhile, and Gen. Sheridan being sent
| up there to look after things, he found
Early at Winchester. He drove Early
up the Valley to Fishers Hill, but did not
| let him stay long, not liking to have
/ him so near. AS Gen. Sheridan had
| been called to Washington Gen. Early
| thought he would interview the army
while Phil was away. Our corps was
| lying at the right of the army, when,
on the morning of Oct. 9, we were
awakened by firing on our pickets and
| heavy firing to the left. Soon we were
| marched thru where teamsters were
| Harvesting and hurrying to the rear.
Men from the Eighth and Nineteenth
Corps passed u.s. saying that Early had
captured all except those who were
hurrying to Winchester. We were
marched over to the Winchester pike,
and formed our line at the foot of a
| small hill, and Were then moved back
over the crest of the hill. 1 was sent
| out on the skirmish line with my COM
pany, and soon saw the enemy forming
/ a line at the foot of the hill where we
i first formed. / reported to Col French.
and told him if we could give them a
4 vol,ey as they came over the hill and
4 then charge them we could drive them
i like sheep. They tried 1t three times.
| but could not get over the hill Capt.
| Lennon was mortally wounded at that
| time. After the third time there was
no infantry firing on our line, tho we
! got terrible shelling from the enemy.
| 1t was at that time that Gen. BidweII.
4 of our brigade, was killed by q shelI