The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-08-07
Marye's Heights and Lookout Mountai

Marye's Heights and Lookout Mountain,
Shiloh and the March from Atlanta to
the Sea. all occupy the hours as the day
passes. These great battles, with many
/ ton S history. Properly enough, it should
be So For, as result. we have unit
ed people-a nation whose bonds of
unity, We trust, will never again be test
ed by the arbitrament of war; nation
whose underlying purpose is to be power
full, and humane, progressive and help
full, intelligent and influential, rich and
generous, too great and strong TO be I'M
just, to live in friendly intercourse with
all nations and in profound peace. In a
recall of the great battles it is with
pleasure that equal courage, equal valor
and bravery is accorded to the army of
the South. Were it not so there would
have been no call for bravery in the
army of the North 1t must be accord
ed to both sides that they believed in the
justice and righteousness of their cause,
and upon this belief the contest was
fought to the end and with all the in
tenslty that such belief could engender
1t would be difficult task to recount
the many incidents of daring courage
and almost superhuman pluck and energy
manifested on both sides during the four
years struggle. A single instance of
the many will be sutficient-th storm
ing and capture of Maryes Heights on
the Bird day of May, 1868. it will be re-
membered that in December 1862, Gem
eral Burnside made three desperate at
tempts to carry Marye's Heights, and
lost in killed and wounded $500 men,
and failed. At one place over which any
stormlng force had to pass so great had
been the losses that it was called the
Slaughter Pen" On May 3rd, 1868,
General Hooker was fighting at Chan
cellorsvllle, and across the river our
Heavy Artillery was pounding away at
Marye's Heights and Cemetery Hill
without effect. Five brigades of the
Southern Army, under command of Cen
eral Early were quietly holding the de-
fensive. 1t became necessary to carry
Marye's Heights, as they held control OF
all the roads leading to Charlottesville
After considerable delay stormlng col
umn was formed consisting of the 5th
Wisconsin and 9Th Maine Regiments,
numbering in all, officers and men, $50,
well-hardened by the Peninsular Cam
palgn. 1t was nearly s a. m. when this
storming column was in position. A
stone wall bounding the road at the foot
of second terrace, with the addition of
some earth, a double line of breast
works and redoubts crowned the sum-
mits o two terraces, all of which were
Well-manned by the army defending and
awaiting whatever might be coming to
oppose them. After more than two
hours wearying delay the order to ad-
vance came. Colonel Harris, command
ing the 9th Maine, ordered the caps TO
be removed from the Springfield rifles,
saying: IF these Heights are carried il
must be with the bayonet," and Col
Allen of the 9Th Wisconsin, said to his
men, as he pointed to the Heights: Per
haps YOU may think you cannot take
them. | know you can. When the order
to advance is given, trail arms and move
forward at double quick. Don't fire a
gun, and don't stop until you hear the
order to malt, and this you'll never get. "
AT II a. m. the order to charge was
given. The brave boys rose to their
feet and with the battle yell charged for
the Heights. Across the ''Slaughter
Pen" they rushed, while the line of OPP
posing earthWorks and tianking batteries
was a blaze OF fire; men were falling
FAST, and the terrible tension required to
keep the column and close the thinning
ranks from grape snot, shrapnel and
bullets in this race with death, seemed
almost beyond human power to endure.
There vas a hand to- hand conflict at the
stone wall, and the defenders were rout-
ed. With a shout of triumph, the little
band pushed on, over, under, and through
board fence and around house, and
carried the second ritie-pit now swarm
ing with its defenders and arrived at
point where the Artillery in the works
could not be depressed enough to sweep
through the ranks, and this reduced the
losses. Without firing a shot, the line
pushed on with wild. indescribable frenzy,
mounted the last and strongest fortifica-
tons on the summit, captured seven
guns of the famous Washington Artil-
lery, and many prisoners, and, with a
loud cheer, planted their colors on the
ground of their victory. Colonel Allen
then said to his brave men: at was like
journey to He'll, boys, but we have
made the trip. A London correspond
ent wrote: Never at Fontenoy or Water
The commanding officer of the defensive
forces on the Heights, as he yielded his
sword, said: Il die not think the whole
army of the Potomac could carry this
point; it was the most daring assault
ever made" In little less than six
minutes from the order given to charge
it was over, but it cost in killed and
wounded Sc 12 per cent of the entire
storming party.
Never have known or read of greater
daring, drawer deed, more complete
victory in such limited time by so small
force against such odds. If such deeds
enrich history what wealth of history
we must have, for during our long, siren
uous struggle like deeds many times re-
peated by both Northern and Southern
armies cover its pages. This has been
recited because it is best known to me
! and is believed to be we'll worthy of re-
newed consideration for its wonderful
display of tenacious courage, guided by
an intelligent and an intensified sense
of duty and loyalty.
Another source of wealth 70 our his
tory is the development of the lives of
brave and good men, not alone in war
but in the ways and walks of peace.
Many who stand out bold and brilliant in
our history would never have appeared
above the surface but for our war.
These appear among the conquerors and
the conquered as we'll, wherein devotion
to the wel-being of their whole country,
as they are given to understand it, is as
! annarant in tho Co,fh &c in tho Mouth