Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-09-03
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FIGHTING BY JERSEY BOYS
Many Illuminating Side Lights on
Operations of Army of Potomac
After Crossing Rapidan.

John P. Beech, sergeant, Co. B, 4th
N. j.. First Brigade. First Division,
Sixth Corps, Trenton, N J., writes the>
National Tribune:
Il have been wondering if there was
Jersey brigade in that magnificent
Sixth corps and whether they took
any part at the Wilderness or Spotsyl-
wanna, as no mention was made Of
them. May the 4th n j., on the
extreme right of the Sixth corps, alone
prevented the Sixth corps from being
hanked while getting into position.
We drove them back, capturing num-
Der of rebels and receiving the con-
CALCULATIONS of our beloved General
Sedgwick. Later In the day, with the
9Th Md, we drove them back by gal
liant bayonet charge clear to their
works. In d little pamphlet of the
18th N. j., Colonel 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
through the abatis, the 10Th n. ]. be-
ing on our right OF 35 men my COM
pany OBJ lost 20 men, five of whom
were killed, Is wounded, two of whom
were captured. Both commissioned
officers, Captain Johnson and Lieuten
ant Brooks, were wounded, loss OF
about 60 per cent
"As Metcalf's battery went into posi-
ton horses and men began to &C
down. We had opened heavy fire
upon the enemy, but 1t seemed as II
his section was in danger of being
captured or destroyed. Realizing its
condition, l threw my musket down.
and appealed to Capt Howard Ring,
Co. c, who lay near me, and the only
commissioned officer l saw, to tell
some of the men to get up and help
work the guns. l started at once to
serve ammunition. At this time there
were but four rounds of canister left.
| carried the word to the officer, and
his orders were to use shell with one
second fuse. Sergt VIM E. Lines
says they fired IA rounds from his
guns. When Lieutenant Metcalf and
he were unable to work the guns they
withdrew, and l rejoined my regi-
ment
Your narrative says the battery
went into position with the Vermont
Brigade. The battery went into POI
sition on the right of Upton's Second
brigade and left of the Jersey brigade
of the First division. Sergeant Lines
says he was assisted in firing the last
four rounds by an officer of the 95th
Pa. and Vermont officer, both of
whom were shot. There were others
who assisted, for Captain Gaul, who
succeeded to command after Colonel
Ewing was wounded, says Captain
Ring and Peter S. Shemelia and others
of the regiment whose names he does
not remember responded, and some of
them were killed and wounded around
the guns.
For my conduct on that day | was
recommended by Colonel Gaul, Colonel
Hufty and Captain Howard for med
al of honor, which l now hold. Cap
tain Gaul said, in recommending me
for the honor, that it seemed certain
death to serve the guns. 1t makes
me shiver to this day when l 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 a sickening sight; dead lay
all around and blood and rain mingled
Where Metcalf was in position horses
and men lay in heaps, literally torn
TO pieces by bullets"