General Joseph Hayes
p. 134. “At the battle of Fredericksburg, I commanded the battalion of the 18th Massachusetts, on the extreme right of the lines. The troops had been charging on Marye’s Heights in the morning and had been repulsed. My regiment was halted under the hill on the right of the line – the men lying down – General [Charles] Griffin galloped along the line in the rear of the line.
Riding up to me, he said: ‘Colonel, I want somebody to charge.’ I said ‘Give me the order, then.’ Then he said ‘Charge!’ I called out: ‘Rise up men; fix bayonets – forward – guide centre- march!’ We marched up the slope under heavy infantry and artillery fire, passing over a number of dead and wounded, at length, meeting [Gen Thomas F.] Meagher’s Irish Brigade, who had been fighting through the morning, lying down behind a little ridge about 6 or 8 inches high. One of these officers as we approached held up his hand, said ‘Halt’ Lie down here. You are damned fools to go any further.’….
I lost 145 men in killed and wounded out of 320, and 11 officers, out of 17; 26 bullets put through the colors.
Griffin said ‘Look at the 18th Massachusetts; follow them!’
p. 141 Hayes reports to V Corps Headquarters, March 24, 1865 after returning from leave. “As I approached Griffin, he exclaimed to Ayres: ‘By God! There comes Hayes! Consolidate two brigades and give him the advance.’ Griffin, as the additional one [brigade] marched up, then said: ‘There’s your command, and you shall retain the advance until the campaign is finished.’ It was customary to give each brigade from day to day, the advance. The advance was continued.”
Source: GENERALS IN BRONZE: INTERVIEWING THE COMMANDERS OF THE CIVIL WAR, ED. William B. Styple (NJ 2005)
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