BATTLE OF GOLDEN’S FARM.
During the following morning, Saturday, June 28th, Col. Taylor, in
accordance with orders from Gen. Smith, moved with a portion of his
command to relieve and support the picket line, then within two hundred
yards of the enemy, leaving the remainder in camp, under command of
acting Adjutant Tyler, to strike tents, secure baggage, &c., preparatory
to retreating. The men had hardly reached the picket line before the
confederates opened a heavy artillery fire from twenty pieces, which was
mainly concentrated upon the camp.
Shot and shell flew in every direction, crashing through the trees,
ploughing up the ground, completely riddling the tents, firing the
baggage and commissary stores, and rendering every foot of the camp
enclosure untenable. The camp guard, prisoners, sick, convalescents
and, others, seizing their arms, immediately sought refuge behind the
earthworks, consisting of ditches and the breastwork in front, which had
afforded such good protection on the Thursday previous.
Several of the enemy’s missiles struck the breastworks and rolled over,
occasioning not a little confusion. One shell dropped down into the ditch
beneath the parapet among the men, but was quickly tossed out by J. W.
Hendricks, Co. A, and again taken up by Peter Roach, of the same Company,
and thrown down the hill, where it exploded, doing no injury. This heroic
deed of these brave fellows undoubtedly saved the lives of several of
their comrades at the imminent peril of their own.
Not being replied to by our guns, nearly all of which had been taken to
the rear to form in the line of retreat, their artillery firing ceased
at the end of an hour, leading our officers to infer that the rebels
had withdrawn to some other point. The mistake was soon discovered,
however, when the picket line (embracing, in addition to a part of the
Thirty-third, two companies of the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania), which had
firmly maintained its position, in spite of the artillery fire, was
fiercely attacked by two full regiments of infantry.
The men stood their ground manfully at first, but were at length forced
back to the earthworks, wheeling and firing steadily as they retreated.
The defences gained, and the co-operation of the remainder of the
Regiment secured, a most gallant stand was made. Colonel Taylor had
hardly stationed the men in their places before the rebels, flushed with
their first success, and confident of easily storming the defences and
capturing the defenders, came charging furiously down upon them.
All became hushed along the line as the men nerved themselves for the
encounter. The orders to “reserve fire,” “fire low,” &c., were given in
a quiet undertone, and the soldiers, bringing their firelocks to their
shoulders and resting them over the top of the parapet, calmly waited the
approach of the enemy. On they came, yelling and shouting like demons,
till within a few yards of the breastwork when there instantly shot forth
from behind it a sheet of flame, followed by another and another, until,
staggered by the galling fire, the rebels wavered, broke and fled in
great disorder from the field.
When the smoke cleared away the number of killed and wounded that
appeared scattered upon the ground testified to the accuracy of our aim.
Nearly every one had brought down his man. They continued firing upon the
retreating enemy until out of range. Not satisfied with the reception
which they had received, the confederates, re-forming, again advanced,
though more cautiously than at first. But they were again met by a
murderous fire and compelled to fall back, leaving many of their number
on the field.
Maddened by the defeat and carnage which had taken place around him,
Colonel Lamar, of the Eighth Ga., who commanded the enemy, now sprang
forward in front of his men, and, waving his sword and hat in the air,
incited them to a renewal of the charge. Over a hundred rifles were
instantly levelled at him, and he fell, dangerously wounded, to the
ground. At the same time a section of Mott’s battery, which had come up,
opened an enfilading fire upon them from the left, and the victory was
complete, the enemy fleeing in all directions.
Huzza after huzza followed from our men, who could be restrained only
with the greatest difficulty from leaping over the parapet and pursuing
them. This it would not have been prudent to do, owing to the great
disparity in numbers. A small party was, however, sent forward to secure
several prisoners who had voluntarily surrendered, and also our wounded.
This attempt, on the part of the Seventh and Eighth Ga. Regiments, to
capture the Thirty-third, resulted to them in a loss of 91 killed and
left upon the field, a large number of wounded, 50 prisoners, including
the wounded Col. Lamar of the Eighth and Lieut. Colonel Tower of the
Seventh Ga., and two hundred stand of arms. We lost several, in killed
and wounded, during the first part of the engagement, when forced back to
the entrenchments. A number were also taken prisoners, including Captain
Hamilton, of Company G, who was exchanged, and returned to the Regiment
at Harrison’s Landing. The enemy’s balls mostly passed several feet over,
or lodged in the earthworks, doing but little injury.
First Lieutenant Moses Church, of Company E, fearless to a fault, seized
a musket and, going out from behind the protection of the works, fired
repeatedly, with deliberate aim, at the advancing rebels, until he
dropped dead, pierced through the head with a minie-ball. He was a brave
and beloved officer, and was buried close to the spot where he so nobly
died. Private Hildreth, of the same Company, also exposed himself in a
similar manner, and was shot dead, the ball penetrating his eye.
Immediately after the final discomfiture of the rebels, Major Platner was
sent by Colonel Taylor to establish a new picket line, and both parties
buried their dead, under a flag of truce. One of the prisoners, belonging
to the Eighth Ga., on seeing the mangled remains of his brother,
wept bitterly and for a time refused to leave them. The same soldier
afterwards conversed with members of the Thirty-third at the first battle
of Fredericksburg, and reverted to the circumstance, and also to the fact
that his Regiment had encountered the Thirty-third for the fourth time in
battle.
While the engagement was going on, the Seventy-seventh N. Y., to the
command of which Lieut.-Colonel Corning had been temporarily assigned,
was drawn up in line of battle further to the left, to prevent a flank
movement.
The following is Colonel Taylor’s report of the engagement:
HEAD-QUARTERS THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT, N. Y. S. V.,
Virginia, July 10, 1862.
_To the A. A. Gen’l, Third Brigade_:
... On June 28th, the entire Regiment, with the exception
of the camp guard, cooks, and a few convalescent sick, was
ordered out on picket. Soon after, they became engaged with
the enemy, and according to instructions they fell back,
contesting every inch, into the rifle pits in front of their
camp. During this time Lieutenant Lucius C. Mix and Lieutenant
Ed. J. Tyler, of Company A, succeeded, under a galling fire,
in collecting and placing in good order, the former his camp
guard, and the latter all others in camp—some fifty men.
Both of these officers were conspicuous in their endeavors
to stop those who had become panic stricken, of which there
were a few, and arranging them to good effect in the rifle
pit—many of whom fought nobly. I can also mention the name
of Quartermaster Sergeant John J. Carter, now Lieutenant of
Company B, in connection with this affair, who not only did
good service in quieting the men, but conduced to keeping up
a continual fire on the enemy. Much praise is due to Captain
Warford and Lieutenant Church, of Company E, also to Lieutenant
Corning, of Company B, and Lieutenant Gale, of Company G, for
their coolness in drawing in the men, and establishing order
under such circumstances, at one time being nearly surrounded.
Captain Hamilton, of Company G, was taken prisoner while
actively engaged in rallying his men, and Lieutenant Church, of
Company E, was killed while encouraging his men by words and
deeds.
The above is respectfully submitted.
Your most obedient servant,
R. F. TAYLOR,
Colonel Commanding Thirty-third N. Y. S. V.
General Davidson, in his report of the affair, said:
“The Thirty-third N. Y. Volunteers, Colonel Taylor, of my Brigade, then
on picket, in conjunction with the Forty-ninth Pa. (two companies),
Colonel Irwin, had the honor of repulsing the enemy most handsomely. The
conduct of the Thirty-third N. Y., Forty-ninth Pa., and Seventh Maine,
under this terrible, concentrated fire, which took us completely by
surprise, was all that could be desired.”