Trying To Silence The Guns

Trying To Silence The Guns. Home I went, not slowly either". Time: Early Afternoon , During the early parts of the battle, Union troops in the Middle Field (on the high ground to your left) suffered heavily from the cannon fire of Confederate artillery under Maj. James Breathed, positioned on the high ground of the Huntsberry Farm some 500 yards to your right., Union Col. George Beal's brigade, on the right end of the Union line in the Middle Field, suffered especially heavily. Col. Alexander Strain, who commanded skirmishers of the 153rd New York on Beal's right flank, asked division commander Gen. William Dwight for permission to capture the guns, but Dwight said no., Eventually, a frustrated Gen. Beal dispatched the 30th Massachusetts and elements of the 29th Maine to reinforce Col. Strain and his skirmishers with orders to neutralize the guns. The Federals crossed Red Bud Run near here, but as they struggled through the swampy waterway they were spotted by Breathed's gunners and supporting troops, who opened fire, killing several men. Finding the battery "strongly supported,” the Union troops gave up the attempt and withdrew back across Red Bud Run., "Not Slowly Either" , Earlier, Lt. John Mead Gould of the 29th Maine was sent to check on reports that Confederates were on this side of Red Bud Run. Riding across the water near this spot, he found that, "Some of the 30th Massachusetts skirmishers were crossing by wading in the water and mud at their waists. Beyond the brook 1 found some cavalry skirmishers with drawn sabers but so dirty and uncouthly dressed that I could not make out...whether they were advancing rebels or retreating unionists. I rode out to see more of them and assured myself that they were rebels and home I went, not slowly either.", (captions) , Members of the 153rd New York Infantry. Skirmishers from the 153rd were part of the failed effort to capture the Confederate canon. Library of Congress, Union Col. Alexander Strain. (Nicholas P. Picerno Collection)