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ir.1 lie Fourth ruius.Htaiiia Cavalry. FiAmong Iho numerous and somewhat t conflicting reports of the terrible and ' sanguinary battles on tlio Peninsula. ^ j I have looked in vain for somo notice ! ol the part token in thorn by the 1th ttes Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.— 1 urs, While 1 must confess that it would join have boon n difficult task, under the ||;1 nee circumstances, to have given special » ja notice of each and every regiment on-we guged, yet 1 think it :\ little strange that this regiment should he entirely — overlooked, when it is considered th.il 1 .■ j' :t took part in nearly every battle' mn from the first to the last, and vied last with tho other brave ti oops of M’Call's luiv division, in enduring fatigue and pri- roe. vat ion. \Your gallant Col. J. II. Childs, with M*f three companies, arrived near the l,ns scene of action on Wednesday, the,2‘ith tilt, and jouied tho tlvo coin- W®* panics that had eorao on before, loav- °l ° ing four companies behind, under com-mnnd of Lieutenant Colonel J. K ' Kerr, who was prevented from joining , b T the regiment by communication being 1101 cut off with White House Landing. j A s ,n- On tho day following, (Thursday,) l*10 June 26th) the battle was fought near not Mechanicsville. Campanies E and F, bur 1 Capts. Herron and Woidman, wore on out on picket duty, and, in company aM(J with the Rucktaila, were tho first to1 c* f lin receive the attack. And they per- j bia formed important services by keeping1 b tho Goneral posted with regard to the ’ •'movements of the enemy.and only re- are tired from their dangorous post, alter pno having boon nearly surrounded by tlie jlUI rebels, when they were ordered to do ‘n I so. Company C, ('apt. M'Cullougb, l!OV was sent out on an important scout- and ing expedition, to noto the movements 've is. 1 of the cncmv on our right flank, while . vor• W / I -the re$t of the regiment, under com* • mand of Col. Childs and Major Covodc, 1 : was drawn up in line of battle to l*u-| await further orders, and having in * the meantime been joined by com- crs panics E and !•’, they remained at their a,ld post nil night. In the morning. Fri- fbo : day. June 27th, they were ordered to l,'ai inarch to the neighborhood of (Jainc's liridgo, and take their position on the *bc fold, where soon after raged tho bloody strife in all its fenrlui terrors, j tir- During the afternoon, they were join-1 R cd by Company C, Capt. M'Cullougb, i and though our brave officers and men ,Dc- wcro not ordered to tako any other’ part in this terrible battle than sirn ‘ ply to stand at their post, they jx r-1 bl,,r lis- formed this duty with remarkable ,] a coolness and bravery. Directly un- -uL ct5 dor tho tiro of the enemy, who ap- - OI preached them over tho hill and whose asc aim was.Pdoublless too high, 'other 1,1 wise our noble regiment must have alt;’1 been almost exterminated.) they stood their ground and not an officer or man ap flinched from his duly, while our gallant Col. rodo along the lines, cheering and encouraging his bravo men. —0j After a long and desperate struggle,| our lines wore overpowered by supo-et- rior numbers, exhausted by severe | al! sc marching and hard fighting (which i u had now continued for about forty- i l:lt;’; ^*° eight hours and became panic stric ken•as and began to fall back. The 1th Penn arnn sylvania Cavalry stopped their re. ',lc 11 treat, rallied them again to tho con I bo diet, and tLus saved our bravo but ox- | c. haustcd troops from being driven by i a their enemies into the Chicknhominy , swamp, where they would havo been literally butchered. And when, by in^-I the almost too late arrival of Meagher’s ! 1IV' | Irish Brigade, the enemy was held in 31 a check, and our troops wcro ordered | } _ At from the field, the 4th PennsylvaniaVrand inInsuncoirwocncnesiin vCavalry was tbc last to retire, and, as ! hlaT.1 i. 1 •.. i i «. j they slowly and quietly marchod from .0 tho field, they were greeted by the j a -rc hearty cheers of tho Irish Rrigado. u| * lod who duly appreciated the coolness and e,i intrepidity of our noblo littlo band.— or lu) Our loss on this memorable battle field van was one killed and four or rive slight-1 btl,lt; nd ly wounded. ourm , Without referring to the events tliat I occurred in connection with the rapid 1 ,retreat of tho right wing of our army, | 6]ta') ■ it is sufficient to say that tho Fourth i ^;)‘t e,]i Pennsylvania 'avalry occupied a very t‘(important and dangerous position in ’ | the tcrriblo battle of Monday, Jur.c nS 30th. They woro posted just to tho1 h. rear of tho left wing of M’Cull's division, and in full range of tho arlillory 'p and musketry of the enemy. And g when our left wing was overpowered, W they fell back and formed in tho rear j gun in , of our lines, where they remained un- on .! til our bravo troops drove tho enomy j in lt;youcr-(V.j5 It is impossible to tell tho number for of our casualties during this truly aw- nrizfrom the field prolfo
Newspaper Details
Franklin Venango Spectator
Franklin, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Jul 16, 1862
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Robert O.
VA, USA 24 Jan 2017
Other Publications Near Franklin, Pennsylvania
The News Herald
Franklin News Herald
Franklin Venango Spectator
