The National tribune., 1908-07-16

retreat. The ConfAderates then as
sailed the right flank of Halls Battery
and the two regiments beyond the road.
SO swift was the attack upon the bat
terry, that Hall was compelled to aban-
don one of his guns because all of his
| horses had been shot or bayoneted.
While Davis was turning the right OF
the line, Archer. with his brigade. was
moving suuarely upon the 14th Brook
/ lyn and 95th n. Y. which Reynolds had
placed to the left of the road. Col.
/ Fowler. of the 14th Brooklyn, assumed
command of both regiments and skill
fully withdrew them to the new line.
Doubleday and Reynolds.
While this fighting was going on Gen.
Doubleday arrived on the field, and
seeing the condition of affairs sent his
Aids back to hasten the march of his
men. and dispatched Maj Halstead. his
Acknowledgement, to Gen. Reynolds to
ask for instructions. At that time Gen.
Reynolds was under the impression
that the enemy was advancing by both
the Carlisle and Fairfield Roads, and
he said to the Aid. ''TeII Doubleday
will hold on to this road" referring to
the Chambersburg Road, "and he must
hold on to that one" meaning the road
to Fairfield or Hagerstown.
The enemy. however. did not adj
vance for some hours along the Fair
field Road as Doubleday felt they
would and intervene between the First
Corps and the Third and Eleventh
Corps. a piece of woods occupied the
space between the two roads, and
Doubleday thinking that this was the
key to the position, since IL it were
strongly held the enemy could not pass
on either road without being taken in
flank, exhorted the Iron Brigade as it
came up to hold the woods at all haz-
ards. The men answered him proudly:
IF we cannot hold it, where will You
find the men who CAM" This brigade,
which had shown its magnificent quail
ty at the Second Bull Run. was vet
eran organization. 1t had won its fame
under Brighten. Solomon Meredith,
who was wounded by Ashell as he APP
preached the field. and Doubleday. sup
posing that Col. Morrow was the rank
ing officer. sent orders to him to take
command, but the seniority was claimed
by Col. w. W. Robinson. 7th Wis, who
commanded the brigade during the ter
rible fighting which followed.
Gen. Doubleday detached the 9Th
Wis. as general reserve and adding
to it some other men put the force
into position in the open space between
the Seminary and the woods under the
command of Lieut.-Col. r. R. Dawes,
9th Wis. The woods ROW known as
the Mcpherson woods, which Double
days quick eye had caught, had not
escaped the attention of the Confed-
crate commanders, and as the Iron
Brigade went in from the east, Archer's
Confederate Brigade was crossing Will
lOughby's Run to enter them from the
west. Gen. Reynolds saw that this
was the key-point Of the fight, and rode
over toward Doubleday to watch the
operations. He showed anxiety for the |
rest of the troops to come up in time
and frequently turned his head to look !
for them, and while his head was so !
the back of the skull the bullet COM |
ing out near the eye. He was dead in !
an instant. without a word. This hap
pened about 1915 a. m.
The Comte De Pnris's Tribute.
The Connie De Paris pays the fol- |
lowing well-deseryed tribute to the |
fallen commander:
Reynolds was undoubtedly the most |
man among all the officers
that the Army of the Potomac saw fall
on the battlefield during the four years |
of its existence: and Meade could say
of him. that he was the noblest and |
bravest of them all. A graduate Of
West Point, he had early distinguished |
himself in that Mexican army which
was destined to become the nursery OF
STAFF officers both North and South. /
His former comrades, who had become
either his colleagues or his adversaries,
held him in the greatest estimation on
account of his military talents, for I'M
der a cold exterior he concealed an
ardent soul: and it was not the slow
ness, but rather the clearness, of his
Judgment that enabled him to preserve
his GOODNESS at the most critical mo-
ments. The confidence he inspired,
alike in his interiors, his equals, and
his commanders. would no doubt soon
have designated him for the command
Of one of the Union armies. 1t would
have been fortunate thing for the
cause he was serving with devotion and
without ever having sought
10 elicit appreciation of his merits. His
death--he was AZ years old
was not without some benefit to that
cause. for by making a vigorous fight in
the battle which cost him his life he
secured the possession of Cemetery
Hill to the Army of the Potomac,
against which the full tide Of Southern
invasion broke. We will cite, in con-
,lusion, as the most beautiful homage
paid to his character, the unanimous
regrets of the inhabitants of Fredericks-
burg. of which town he had been the
Governor, who altho pas
devoted to the cause Of the
south, mourned him as If he had been
me of their own people,
CTo be continued)