Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-07-08

Joseph Yard to him. who was a close
friend and had served under him in
the Mexican war. The general gave
orders to the captain to tell the men
not to make any noise in going over
the bridge. Our company was sta
toned at General Lees home. Mrs.
Lee was there at the time. At the end
of the three months l reenlisted In
Company B, Fourth New Jersey, for
three years. The regiment was in
General Kearney's brigade. and was
in constant and active service. ! The
effective service of our regiment was
largely due to General Kearney, who
constantly kept his men training, not
only as to army discipline. but in tar
get practise. 1t was the target prac-
tise that made the regiment so strong
in battle, little ammunition being
wasted. 1t gave it the power to cope
with and defeat large numbers. At
the battle of Gaines Mill it was Cor
poral Joseph Lawton that vent in
front of the Fourth New Jersey.
About three o'clock the regiment went
into a o important position for the
protection of the brigade. It was in
front of General -Longstreet's division.
The enemy charged, but was driven
back; then there was steady firing for
awhile, when the enemy charged
again, but was driven back with
heavy loss. Then the enemy stopped
firing. Major Birney asked me if I
ould go out and see why the enemy
mad stopped. I came back and told
the major that the enemy was getting
ready to march on our right n left
in large numbers. l had before gone
into the enemy's lines over the
Chickahominy river. Captain John
son of Company B and four men of my
company and my brother are still liv-
, ing as witnesses of this statement. I
saw what the regiment had done. The
, ground was covered with the dead and
! wounded. some places two deep. It
was the target practise that made the
regiment SO effective. The major went
after reinforcements. The Eleventh
; Pennsylvania came and went in our
+ front. It was late in the day. The
e enemy soon charged on the Eleventh
Pennsylvania, driving them back on
1 us; we again facing another charge.
It was then discovered that we were
surrounded. We were compelled to
: prison and Belle island cannot be
told. When exchanged we marched
\ from Belle island to Harrison's
Landing. The captain and men
Of the boats waiting to take us shed
tears to see 5000 half-starved prison.
ers. 1t was like being in Heaven to
see friends and the old flag again
An officer came aboard and read a pa
per, saying that there was going tc
be another battle that would decide II
the government should stand. The
officer called for all who would try tt
carry a gun, and said the government,
will reward us, the wagons carry oul
knapsacks. Nearly all the Fourth
New Jersey and many more of the 9th
er regiments shouldered guns. After
marching for a few days we got t.
~Crampton's Gap, September IA. 1862
Gen. Slocum talked to us as we wer,
ready to lead the charge. He said h,
had seen the New Jersey when it wa.
nearly a thousand strong, able men
now 1t had only a few hundred. H,
told us to keep in good heart, that tn
darkest hour was just before tn,
break of day. We got the order AM
made the charge. We got to tn,
stone wall at the foot of the gap, DIR
wing the enemy away and up in t
the gap to the turn of the road; the,
made a stand there. I was with thos
who got on top of the cut and W
Idrove the line back. In doing SO W
got the flash of w cannon in on
faces with, canister. 1t thinned GU
line. The enemy fed. Going a littl
way I saw that l was in the rear Q
the enemy. and looking down saw a
oficee encouraging his men. l sa,
Alfred Hoffman and got him to fir
with me at the officer. The enem
saw their onicer fall, and that the
were getting q flank fire. They RAJ
but We got some Of them. 1 believ
that this was the turning point Of tn
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