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sixths of its men. It captured and turned over to the War Department seven stands of colors (First Texas, Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Fifty-Third and Fifty-Seventh Virginia, Twelfth South Carolina and Forty-Seventh North Carolina) and six pieces of artillery; When it is said that the regiment has been characterized by the most kindly and brotherly feeling, the best discipline and alacritous obedience in all ranks, that it was frequently commended and never censured by its superior commanders, the story is done.
The record is concluded by inserting the following, which appeared in the ‘Boston Journal:’
On the 15th of December, at Headquarters Second Army Corps, near
Yellow Tavern, Va.,
General Meade presented medals of honor commemorative of special instances of distinguished bravery in battle to several noncommissioned officers and soldiers of the Second Corps.
Among these honored and gallant men were
Sergeants B. H. Jellison and
Joseph H. DeCastro of the Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry.
These gallant soldiers were two of the four members of this regiment, who, on the 3d of July, 1863, at
Gettysburg, captured the battle flags of the Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Fifty-Third and Fifty-Seventh Virginia Regiments.
The others were
Sergeant B. F. Falls, Co. A, of
Lynn, who fell mortally wounded at
Spottsylvania, May 12, and
Private John Robinson, of Co. I, of
Boston, now a prisoner of war. At the close of this interesting ceremony, the Nineteenth and other regiments, whose members had received medals, being drawn up before the general; he took occasion to address to them a few kind, cheering words of acknowledgment for the services of the rank and file of the army, justly observing that but for the heroic endurance and magnificent courage of the enlisted men, the utmost efforts of their officers would be unavailing.
The Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry has, during its existence, captured seven stands of colors, viz: one at
Antietam (First Texas Regiment) by
Corporal Thomas Costello, Co. G, of
Lowell, killed at the
Wilderness, May 6th; four at
Gettysburg, by
Sergt. Benj. F. Falls,
Sergt. Benj. Jellison,
Corp. Jos. DeCastro and
Sergt. John Robinson; one at Spottsylvania Court House, (Thirty-Third No. Carolina) by
First Sergeant Samuel E. Viall, of Co. E, of
Lynn, mortally wounded on
North Anna River, May 24th; and one at
Hatcher's Run, Oct. 27th, (Forty-Seventh North Carolina) by
Sergeant Daniel F. Murphy, Co. F, of
Boston.
Sergeant Murphy being deputed by the
commanding general to personally present the captured color to the
Secretary of War, received from the hands of
Mr. Stanton a medal of honor in acknowledgment of his gallantry.
When it is considered that such captures are only made in hand to hand conflicts of the most desperate character, this appears a glorious record.
Officer
