The National tribune., 1910-01-06
THE BATTLE OF GAINESVILLE
The Part Hatch's Brigade Took-FaII.
ing Back on Manassas-Troops Dis.
couraged.

The Part Hatch's brigade Took-FaII.
ing Back on Aianassas-Troops Dis
couraged.
Editor National Tribune: Very little
has been said or written about the bat
tie of Gainesville. Va, fought Aug. IS
t1S62. yet, as the Confederate Gen. Tall
iafcrro says, 1T was one of the most
terrific conflicts that can be conceived
1t has been very much misunderstood
by most of the historians Of the civil
war. John G. Ropes, in The ARMY
Under Pope" published by Scribner's
gives fair and impartial description
of the battle, yet he fails to under.
stand why IIatch's Brigade in advance
and Patrick's Brigade in the rear were
not brought into action. The truth is
! IIatch's Brigade opened the fight ana
took part in the closing scene Of the
conflict. AS | belonged to Hatch's Bri-
gade and took part in the battle. may
Oc able to throw a little light on this
| important engagement.
Kings Division was the only one OF
POpes army to take part in the battle
of Gainesville. 1t was moving along
the Warrenton turnpike toward Grove
ton, when the enemy very unexpectedly
was discovered on our flank. Altho
greatly outRumbercd. King determined
to give battle. Hatch's Brigade being
in advance, began to she'll the woods
north of the turnpike, where the enemy
was supposed to be. The battery fire,
however, brought no reply. They linn
bered up, and were proceeding slowly
along the Warrenton pike. again fol-
lowed by the infantry. when suddenly
a rebel battery on the edge of the
woods to our left opened terrific fire
upon us The infantry was ordered to
lie. down along a rail fence by the side
of the road, while the artillery got into
position on little knoll south of the
turnpike.
My regiment, the 30th n. Y. lay d.
rectly under the fire of both batteries.
and you may be sure we Rugged the
ground pretty closely. The BOYS had 4
little sport, however, trying to capture
a frightened rabbit, which was irving
to get away from the thunder of the
artillery, that seemed to shake the
whole earth. Paddy Welsh. of Co. A.
succeeded, and Molly Cottontail was
Istowed away in Paddy's haversacB for
future use. This was hardly done when
one of the rebel shells exploded in front
of the company, fragment of which
lcarried away the head of poor Paddy.
Many were also wounded by splinterS
from the rail fence behind which we
lay. panic almost ensued but order
was soon restored. The body of Paddy
Welsh was carried to the rear, and 1
doubt If ii ever was found again to be
identified.
While. the firing was going on some
of the boys of the 18th Brooklyn came
lalong carrying wounded comrade in
a blanket They urged some of our
men to help them, and when they re-
fused We're denounced by the brave
Zouaves as a set of towards. They
were not that, however. for during the
Pope campaign the Frisbie Volunteers
lost more men in battle than the
Fighting 14th," which the official rec
ords will show.
While this was going on with the
ladvance, Gibbon had come up and oc-
Icupied the ground first held by Hatch.
This time the rebels were very much in
evidence, and the conflict began.
The rebels found feemen worthy Of
their steel in the men from the West
men that were to become famous in
history as the Iron Brigade. 1t is but
Ijust to say, however, that Hatch's Bri-
gade already held the title, having won
t by its famous march from Catletrs
Station to Falmouth, Va, in the early
Spring of 1862. Both brigades claimed
it until 1862. Hatch's Brigade was
chiefly composed of two-years regi-
ments from New York, and when they
were mustered out the mustered men
held undisputed title, and they are
worthy OF the honor, having lost more
men in battle than any other brigade
in the Union service. Gainesville was
the beginning of this heroic record.
The battle ragged until long after
dark. The two lines of blue and gray
could only be distinguished by two
sheets of flame. Once in awhile the
firing would slacken a little, as if both
sides We're growing weary of the con-
fiiet, when cheer and yell would
rise above the din of battle and the rat
tie of musketry become louder and
more fierce than ever.
After dark caisson blew up with a
loud explosion, lighting up the darkness
and adding a most appalling aspect to
| the conflict. About 9 o'clock the fir
| ing ceased suddenly by common con-
sent. Gibbons Brigade fell back. and
| It's place was taken by Hatch's Brigade.
which advanced with a cheer. and was
only family answered by the rebel yell.
| Neither side seemed very anxious to re-
new the conflict. and silence reigned at
| last over the bloody field. 1t was so
quiet that we could hear the supposed
srOans of the wounded and dying scat
tered over the sangunary field, where
we stood until midnight, when we were
ordered to quietly retire.
| King, with the approval of every one
| IF the brigade commanders, had decid-
ed to fall back to Manassas Junction.
This move has been severely criticized
and it was doubtless a serious mistake,
yet Gibbon, one of our ablest COM
manders in the division, in the light of
subsequent events. said he had nothing
| to regret in favoring such a movement.
| We were greatly outnumbered at the
| battle of Gainesville. Longstreet was
pushing thru Thorofare Gap, and was
| expected to join forces with Jackson in
| the morning o. the 29th. Pope's army
was too much scattered to be available
at this point should the battle be re-
newed at Gainesville The blunder of
Pope and Mcdowell and the inactivity
of Porter at Groveton on the evening
of the 29th show what the result would
have been.
| We had been fighting and falling
back for over eight days since leaving
Cedar Creek Mountain, and the troops
were weary and discouraged, and it
seemed as if the night of gloom had no
star of hope. 1t seemed little bright
er in the morning at Manassas juno
ton as Porter's Corps (the Fifth) came
up with their tattered banners to REIN
force us. We cheered as the sunburned
ranks passed along to the old Bull Run
battlefield.
Truly it was an imposing sight, Civ
ing promise at last of victory; but, alas,
the darkest night was yet to come at
Groveton.-John Bryson, Co. A, 30th
n. Y, Eastport, n. Y.
Admiral Evans.
Editor National Tribune: Please in
form reader of your paper, first