Edward Browne, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient of the Anderson Zouaves

Corporal Edward Browne, Jr., was reported for gallantry at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights. In telling his own experience, he gives an interesting account of the movements of his regiment, the Sixty-second New York Infantry.

"On the morning of May 3rd, General Hooker was at Chancellorsville and general Sedgwick, with the Sixth Corps, crossed to the right bank of the Rappahannock, about three miles below Fredeericksburg, and took up his line of march toward that city. The advance, after considerable resistance on the part of the Confederates, entered the city just before daybreak and drove them out. My recollection is that the enemy found refuge behind a stone wall at the base of the heights back of the city. At daylight, six companies of the Sixty-second were thrown out in advance to uncover the enemy if behind the wall. I was with the color-guard at the time.

"We advanced in line of battle until we came within the rebel works, which formed a circle at the foot of the hill, and uncovered them. But we reached the spot through a murderous fire of small arms at point-blank range, opened upon our  front and flanks, and it seemed  like going  to sure destruction. Our men were literally mowed down. Those of us who were not incapacitated, sought the cover of the city as soon as we could. The color-bearer was injured in the engagement, but my comrades and I brought him back with the colors.

"Upon our return to the city, the remaining companies of the regiment were brought up and the regiment reformed. The colors were entrusted to me. About noon we were in line of battle for the charge, which carried  the stone wall and the heights beyond. I was among the first upon the wall with the colors, and kept them flying until we reached the top of the heights and the enemy was routed.

"In the afternoon we pressed forward, after having reformed our columns, to Salem Church or Heights, about four miles to the rear of Marye's Heights, where, in a belt of woods, our advance became engaged with what we supposed to be the rear guard of the enemy. We afterward learned that it was a part of Lee's forces on their return from Chancellorsville. The Sixty-second Regiment was in the second line of battle, supporting a battery, with its right resting on the road from Fredericksburg. Generals Newton and Wheaton were close by, mounted.

“Suddenly out boys came in hurried retreat from the woods, followed by the enemy in good form. I was at that time in front of the line waving the colors, when, on turning  to the right observed a line of the enemy emerging from a belt of the woods in that direction , and called the colonel’s attention to it. At the same time I was wounded in the side. The colonel noticed that I had been hit, and suggested my retirement to the rear. But  the boys were coming across the open field between the woods and our line, and I remained with the colors open so that they might know they had something to rally about, and to show the enemy that we were not in a panic. I remained at my post until the boys had crossed  the open and were within our lines, and the enemy had been brought to a halt by our fire. Then the colonel, C. B. Hamilton, commanded me to give up the colors and get to the hospital.

“I transfered th colors to a noble fellow, who afterwards fell under them; and after the enemy’s line ws broken and they had retired to the woods whence  they came, late in the afternoon, I went to the field hospital. On the following day I crossed to the left bank of the river, and from a safe position, in the stone house which served as a hospital I saw the battle.