The National tribune., 1910-10-27
Several Comrades Tell of the Casey
Couch Dispute and Take Sides.

Couch Dispute and Take Sides.
VIM. ]. Wray, 23d Pa, Philadelphia,
Pa, writes:
ITO rerute that there were jealous
les existing between Couch and Casey,
and that Couch was not prompt to go
to the support of Casey at the battle
of Fair oaks. l give my personal
knowledge while serving in that action
with the 23d Pa.
About noon of May 81, while the
men of the regiment We're cooking rice
(the only ration on hand, the wagons
being away behind), the enemy at
tackled Casey's Division, which was IN
iposition about quarter mile beyond
the Nine Mile road, when the battle
opened. Our brigade (Abercrombie's)
of Couch's Division was in bivouac
along that road, from the Williamsburg
road to and across the York River
Railroad and the right of the 23d Pa
lrested in the fallen timber to the left
of the railroad. AS soon as the action
began a shell from the enemy landed
in clearing in front of the camp, and
the men at once got into line. Gen.
Keyes came riding up the road, passed
the 23d Pa. and ordered it to support
ICaseys right. Moving across the Nine
Mile road and thru some low bushes,
We came upon the enemy, who were
driving in Naglees Brigade of Casey's
Division.
With cheers we charged, striking
the rebels in flank, driving them thru
a clearing and woods, where we con-
tinued the fight until recalled. Passing
back over our dead and wounded, we
formed 4 new line near a log house on
a wagon road running thru a woods.
Here, while being moved to the rear in
the direction of the Nine-Mile road. to
connect with our brigade, we were met
/ IN nd a hnr 1t
Couch. in order to deceive the enemy,
began giving orders in loud tones. az
tho manuvering a division. Leaving
| the 23d Pa, he, with the 61st and SD
Pa, the 65th N. Y. and 7th Mass.
| formed a new line to the right and rear
tack of Gen. Gustavus Smiths Division
moving on that flank.
The 23d Pa. again advanced thru
the woods and drove the enemy into the
clear fields, where masses of the enc
my (Pettigrew's Brigade) were moving
to cross the railroad. We opened upon
them, and became so hotly engaged
that we were driven back slowly to the
Nine-Mile road The enemy could be
seen passing down the road and the
railroad. We maintained this position
with no support on either flank under
most severe fire. Col. Neill then or
dered the men to retire to their old
CdIHp OH tUe INlIlS-hlIe TOdu.
1T appears now that Couch, in order
to gain time. so he could form the regi-
ments above named to the right and
rear of Fair Oaks Station, at the Adams
farm house. left the 23d Pa in the
angle IN the woods to hold the enemy.
Reaching the camp. we faced to the
rear to receive the attack of the enemy,
who had passed around the fallen tim
ber, and while thus engaged a regf-
ment moved up the Nine-Mile road and
received a volley from the enemy. They
broke, and coming back on the 23d
Pa. threw our line into confusion, but
the men quickly rallied and held the
position fully half an hour until or
dered out. The resistance of the regi-
ment in its old camp, in conjunction
with the 67th n. Y. on its left. was evi-
denced in the number of the enemy
killed.
"a new line having been formed in
its rear, the regiment was ordered
back and placed in the center of the
line, where it remained until ordered
back TO the Williamsburg road. At
this time none of our troops were on
the right of the Williamsburg road or
beyond the NineMile road, and our
fire to the right of the Nine-Mile road
caused the enemy considerable dam
age. At this juncture troops from
Heintzelman's Division arrived, and,
again crossing the Nine-Mile road in
the direction of the railroad, we drove
the enemy's advance back to his main
line.
1T had taken the enemy all the
afternoon to drive our line back 1000
yards. We were relieved at dusk. and
bivouacked at the breastworks down
the Williamsburg road The troops we
were engaged with were the 9th Ga,
9Th S. c., 2Sth Ga. and the Palmetto
Sharpshooters of Anderson's Brigade,
al
line that held the enemy In check was
of troops composed of Couch's and
Casey's Divisions and portion of Kear-
ny's Division.
Our regiment fired about co rounds
of ammunition, lost ITO killed and
wounded (none captured), and brought
In 35 prisoners. Co. c was on picket.
and took part with Birneys Brigade
farther down the railroad, while Co. II
was left in camp and supported Mil
lers Battery at the clearing in front of
the camp. When the enemy appeared
they did good execution, as they had
gathered arms from he wounded, and
each man had several muskets loaded
Co. Joined the regiment as it formed
in the new line to the left of the camp
The next day our regiment was sent
with squadron of the Sth Pa Cav. to
the extreme left, to look after the ap-
proaches on that flank, and lost a few
wounded. We rejoined our brigade the
next day, and learned that the enemy
had been swept from the field and had
gone back to their intrenchments at
Richmond