The National tribune., 1910-06-30
THRU THE TERRoRs OF THE WILL
DEIsNESS CAMPAIGN.
Many Illuminating Side, Lights on the
Operations of the Army of the PO-
tomac After Crossing the Rapidan.

Many Illuminating sue AiSHtS on the
Operations of the Army of the PO-
tomac After Crossing the Rapidan.
The Wilderness Campaign, by John
McElroy, now running inuThe National
Tribune, awakens many memories of
those momentous May days 46 years
ago. We are presenting below another
installment of interestingi personal ex-
periences, observations. incidents, ETC.,
of comrades who were, there or who
know whereof they write.
The Jersey Boys Were There.
John P. Beech, Sergeant, Co. B, 4th
N. j., First Brigade, First Division, Sixth
Corps, Trenton, N. j., writes:
Il have been wondering if there was
a Jersey Brigade in that magnificent
Sixth Corps and whether they took any
part at the Wilderness or Spotsylvania,
as no mention was made of them. May
5 the 4th n. j., on the extreme right of
the Sixth Corps, alone prevented the
Sixth Corps from being fanked while
getting into position. We drove them
back, capturing a number of rebels and
receiving the congratulations of our be-
loved Gen. Sedgwick. Later in the day,
with the 9Th Md, we drove them back
by a gallant bayonet charge clear to
their works. In a little pamphlet of the
18th n. j., Col. Campbell claims his
regiment was the only one in the Sixth
Corps to go over the works at the
Angle, but in this he is in error, as the
4th n. J. was the first to charge thru
the abatis. the / 15th n. J. being on our
right OF 35 men my company (B) lost
20 men, five of whom were killed, Is
wounded. two of whom were captured.
Both commissioned officers, Capt. John
son and Lieut.. Brooks, were wounded,
a loss of about so per cent.
las Metcalfs Battery went into posi-
ton horses and men began to go down.
We had opened heavy fire upon the
enemy, but it seemed as If his section
was in danger of being captured or de-
stroyed. Realizing its condition, 1 threw
my musket down, and appealed to Capt.
Howard Ring, Co. c, who lay near me,
and the only commissioned officer
saw to tell some of the men to get up
and help work the guns 1t was rain
ing hard at the time. l started at once
to serve ammunition. At this time
there were but four rounds of canis-
officer, and his orders were to use shell
with one-second fuse. Serg't VIM. E.
Lines says they fired IA rounds from
his guns When Lieut. Metcalf and he
were unable to work the guns they
withdrew, and / rejoined my regiment.
Your narrative says the battery went
into position with the Vermont Bri-
gade. The battery went into position
on the right of Upton's Second Brigade
and left of the Jersey Brigade of the
First Division. Serg't Lines says he was
assisted in firing the last four rounds by
an officer of the 95th Pa. and a Ver-
mont officer, both of whom were shot.
There were others who assisted, for
Capt. Gaul, who succeeded to COM
mand after Col Ewing was wounded,
says Capt. Ring and Peter S. Shemelia
names he does not remember respond
ed, and some of them were killed and
wounded around the guns.
For my conduct on that day ! was
recommended by Col. Gaul, Col. Hufty
and Capt Howard for a medal of honor,
which / now hold. Capt. Gaul said, in
recommending me for ithe honor, that
1t seemed certain death, to serve the
guns. 1t makes me shiyer to this day
when 1 think of the missile laden air
that day. My regiment alone lost about
100 men that day and the 18TH N. Us
loss was very heavy, more so than the
other regiments of the brigade. The
field presented sickening sight; dead
lay all around and blood and rain min
gled. Where Metcalf was in position
horses and men lay in heaps, literally
tOIh " pItttS Wy
Dates Are Correct.
George A Bowen, Captain, Co. c.,
18th N. J.. Bridgeton, n. j., in writing
to Mai. N NJ. Brooks, 18th N. j., of the
Post Office Department of Washington,
d. c., and who lost leg in the fighting
at Spotsylvania, says:
Some of the impressions of the Will
derness campaign are as fresh and vivid
to me as if it had been but days instead
of years ago. l frequently get out my
diary and read it. 1t helps to keep
been reading THE Wilderness Cam
paign" with great interest. 1 notice
that all my dates correspond exactly
with the dates given there and also all
the statements of fact are the same as
/ have them so far as mine go. / men,
ton this, as l have had my dates ques-
toned at times, but always knew that
they were correct; but it is satisfac-
tion to have them confirmed by an au-
thority."
Death of Gen. ThOs. A. Smyth.
VIM H. Pierce, 18th N. j., Seventh
and Parrish streets, Philadelphia, Pa,
writes:
II am greatly pleased to read the
Campaign, especially of the
old Second Corps. Gen. Thomas A.
Smyth, Third Brigade, Second Division,
upon whose staff / served during the
last year of the war as Orderly, received
his death wound at Farmville two days
before the surrender of Lee, he being
the last general officer killed in the
war. Our brigade was In the lead that
day, and my own regiment the 18th N.
]. (Maj. Chew, was in the immediate
front, with skirmishers out when the
rebels made a stand. Gen. Smyth rode
to the brow of the hill alongside the
cut with his full staff and the
brigade colors flying, and Immediately
we were the target of the enemy. A
picked the General off,
and he fell forward from his horse.
He lived until the next day, but never
spoke"
At the Bloody Angle.
G. M. Eichelberger, Captain, Co. G,
Jeffersonville, O., writes:
"Comrade McElroy is giving us a
great history of great campaign. Some
brigade or regiment will not be men
toned in some particular battle where
they were most conspicuous, but the
old boys are charitable, and / am glad
to note so few criticisms. l would add
a little history of omission that occurs
in the account of the fight at Bloody
Angle. When Gen. Sedgwick was killed
the Third Division (Sixth Corps Gen.
Ricketts) was on the right of Hancock's
Second Corps and the Second Brigade
was on the right of the division and
the 9Th Md. the extreme right of the
brigade. Its particular duty was with
a heavy skirmish line to support the
battery to which Gen. Sedgwick came
to personally urge engaging the enemy
in his front when he met his death.
The right of our 9th Md. was certainly