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Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Massachusetts in the Army and Navy during the war of 1861-1865, vol. 1: prelminary narrative, Preliminary narrative. (search)
nced over the crest and nearly to the bottom of the hill, when they in turn were obliged to retire, being flanked on both sides, and with a loss of nearly half the force carried in. Colonel Byrnes's report is in Official War Records, 43, p. 387. The 32d Mass. (Col. Geo. L. Prescott) distinguished itself by holding its ground after the breach in Sickles's Corps was made. The 32d was in front, the 4th Michigan and 62d Pennsylvania being behind it. When the attack commenced, says Col. J. B. Sweitzer, commanding brigade, word was sent by General Barnes that when we retired we should fall back under cover of the woods. This order was communicated to Colonel Prescott, whose regiment was then under the hottest fire. Understanding it to be a peremptory order to retire then, he replied, I don't want to retire; I am not ready to retire; I can hold this place, and he made good his assertion. Being informed that he misunderstood the order, which was only to tell him how to retire when