The National tribune., 1909-01-14

part OF the fight of May 3. He came
to US from the First Division. was a
redoubtGble fighter. and would have
made his mark in the Army of the
Potomac had ne served longer in the
war. Gen. Humphreys succeeded Ber-
ry, and commanded It at Gettysburg.
He was an officer of great ability;
every man under him realized his COM
potency to command. In leaving the
division to become Chief of Staff to
Gen. Meade, in his official report On
the part the division took in the bat
tie, he said: I'm parting from this
celebrate division, after having com
nianded it for the brief period of so
days, ! trust that I may be excused
from expressing my admiration for its
high soldierly qualities. IT is impos-
sible to pass it in review, even, with
out perceiying that its ranks are filled
with men who are soldiers in the best
meaning of the term. and that it pos
sesses in the grade of commissioned
officers men whose skill. courage and
accomplishments would grace any SER
vice"
Gen. Prince succeeded Humphreys,
and commanded at Mine Run. do
not think that the division considered
him a General of great ability. On
the reorganization OF the Army CT lie
Potomac, in March, 1868, the division
became the Fourth Division, Second
Corps being allowed to retain it's old
badge and battle flags. 1t was COM
nanded by Gen. Mott. and later on
when consolidated with the Third d.
vision, zlso of the old Third Corps, It
came under the command of Gen. Biz
ney, and still later 8. again was
commanded by Gen. Mott and con-
tinued so up to the end at Appomat
tox. With such a galaxy of great SOL
diers as its commanders, it is pretty
hard to designate any special one as
the commander. tho. as 1 have said,
Hooker. was its first love.
While I am writing this I desire to
note that in your excellent account of
Gettysburg you omitted any mention
whatever of the part Humphreys Di-
vision took in the second days fight
l realize that/you could not give undue
space to every brigade, division or
corps, and that the fight at the Angle,
perhaps justly, was entitled to space
on account of the historic Importance
OF the conflict at that point: but Hum
phreys sent his Jersey Brigade. except
ing the 5th n. j., to reinforce Birney:
also, the I'd NJ II. and the 73d N Y,
and with his First and Second Brigades,
under Gen. Carr and Col. Brewster, the
9th N. j., Seeley's and TurnbulFs Bat
teries. he made most stubborn fight
against Wilcox and Perry's Brigade of
Anderson's Division from about 6:15
to z p. m. 1t was one of the few open,
stand-up conflicts of the war-notC a
tree or wall or projection for either
side-and in the short time covering
the engagement its losses were as heavy
as those of the other brigades of the
Third Corps in their heroic fight OF
nearly three hours on the front from
the Angle to the base of Little Round
Top. where the natural defenses of the
ground served as more or less protec-
ton, which is no reflection on Gen.
Birney's command. The brigade losses
OF the Third Corps in killed, wounded
ana missing We're: Birney's Division,
First Brigade, TAO; Second Brigade,
7S1; Third Brigade. 400; Humprreys's
Division, First Brigade, 790; Second
Brigade. 77S; Third Brigade, 513: ar
tillery of the corps, 106. Total, 4.212.
Isaac P. Gragg, Corporal, 1st Mass,
Boston, Mass.