Among the wounded of the 84th was its Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel
Opp, shot through the lung. He suffered, and how bravely, until the
9th, when he died. And it but honors every soldier of the Regiment,
from the highest in rank to the lowest, when it is said, that with his
going out there was made a vacancy in the Regimental household, which
we have felt from then to the present, and will ever feel, until we
greet him in our Reunion when we gather together in that other time
which shall follow upon this.
In the closing weeks of '62 the Regiment had sought and found new
life, and with the beginning of '63 had started off anew, cleared
of all that might have held it back in the then coming time. Milton
Opp was then the Second Officer of the Regiment. He was possessed of
an ambition worthy of all the praise that grateful men could well
bestow; ambitious, not for himself, but for his Regiment. In command
from January, 1863, to the time of his death, the very example of his
manner, his bearing, whether with belt on or off, was such, as to bring
up the tone of every soldier of the 84th. The lowest in the Regiment
was higher, the highest was higher, because of the presence of Milton
Opp. No Regimental Headquarters surpassed his in integrity of purpose,
firmness without severity of action or sense of duty in everything
that was calculated to incline a Regiment of soldiers to be a credit to
themselves, and an honor to their State.
How much the situation did for the general tone of the Regiment has,
perhaps, been more thought of since than during the time of its service.
Aided from the beginning by a most faithful and altogether most
competent Adjutant, Colonel Opp brought the Regiment up to a standard
of discipline from which his successors in command never saw it depart,
from which, good and able officers that they were, they would not have
permitted it to depart. Between their task and his, and it detracts not
one whit from them to think it or to say it, there was this difference;
he made it the easier for them to carry out well, as they faithfully
did, what he had so well provided. He was the most loved by those whose
acquaintance with him was the most intimate. A gentleman, a Christian,
a man.
How we would all welcome him, could we greet him now. And by none would
he have been welcomed among us with more of good, earnest feeling, than
by him who so well succeeded to the Command which was left by Milton
Opp on the 6th of May, 1864.
* * * * *
The Battle of the Wilderness had been fought. When the soldiers of
the Army of the Potomac learned that a drawn battle could be made
in its results a great victory, when they learned that Grant not
only commanded the masses of the troops, but had firm control of the
official elements, and 48 hours was sufficient for the lesson, is it
any wonder that "the greatest enthusiasm was manifested by Hancock's
troops," when, on the 7th of May, Grant rode behind the 2d Corps, lying
on the Brock Road, "inspired," says Grant, "no doubt by the fact that
the movement was South."
No more exhibitions of jealousy among Commanders of Corps. Such conduct
was now to send a Major-General to the rear as a useless incumbrance.
* * * * *
Early on the morning of the 7th, Grant's order had gone out for a night
march to Spottsylvania.
An encounter with Early detained the 2d Corps at Todd's Tavern, and
kept it from Spottsylvania on the 8th.
Having got rid of Early, at noon on the 9th Hancock was ordered up from
Todd's Tavern, excepting Mott's Division, which followed later in the
day.
Sedgwick, commanding the 6th Corps, was killed on the morning of the
9th, by a rebel sharpshooter.
On the 10th, Hancock was ordered to attack with the 2d, 5th and 6th
Corps. The assault was made about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, with not
altogether satisfactory result. Mott's Division was on the left of the
6th Corps.
On the 11th, the only movement was by Mott's Division, acting under
orders to develop a weak spot in the enemy's line. The outcome of
this reconnoissance was Grant's order of the 11th, for an assault
at precisely 4 A.M. of the 12th, "with all possible vigor, the
preparations to be conducted with the utmost secrecy, and veiled
entirely from the enemy."