Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-24


see that the men were taught the duty OF
soldiers. / complied with his request"
General ThOmss, with proVidsn. care
provided for the occupancy Of abandoned
plantations by the non-oombatants, negro
women aud children, whom he could not
get into military organizations.
He found line of deserted, magnificent
plantations along the bank of the river
from Helena to YOuDg's Point. OF these
he took possession, and leased them to
UniOnists who would employ negro wO-
men and children, and pay them suitable
wages. This arrangement is in full Ope-
ration and is working admirably.
General Thomas deserves well of the
country, and deserves to be held, always,
in grateful remembrance for the zeal aud
fidelity with which he accomplished his
great and good work in the valley of the
Mississippi
From Heckman's Battery, Ist Ohio Ariit-
Iery.
HEADQUARTERS OF BATTERY K, O. V. Al
CANT AT HAGERsTowE, MD,
July Is, 1868. }
EDIToRs LEADER :-S1pposing that our
many kind friends of Cleveland would
like to know something of our movements
since we left Fredericksburg, and the part
we took in the great and glorious battle of
Gettysburg, and being at leisure will
give you short sketch of our travels
We left Fredericksburg on the 18th day of
June for parts unknown, and after long
and severe march of nineteen days,
on the last day of June arrived at En-
mittsburg, a small town in Maryland
near the foot of South Mountain, eight
miles from Gettysburg. Then came the
report along the line that our advance had
overtsken the invaders, and there would
surely be an engagement on the morrow.
We soon received orders to make ourselves
comfortable for the night, and you may
rest assured that it was not long until the
boys were snugly enseonced-some under
rail piles, some under the bushes, and
some under tents, with nothing to disturb
their peaceful repose but some of the
many pleasant dreams that never fail to
visit the soldiers couch. Wednesday
morning came, the first day of July, with
rather an unpleasant rain, but we found
it did not interfere with our marching
At one o'clock the order came for our bat
terry to go to the front as soon as possible;
then we had to double quick it for three
miles over the worst roads I have ever
seen. We arrived on the field in due time,
and it was not long until we we're assigned
position by General Howard, in a field 8
little to the north and east Of Gettysburg.
We had hardly got our guns in position
before the order came from the Captain to
commence firing, for there was brigade
of rebels advancing to takeus without any
ceremony. "No sooner said thau done,
we commenced giving them our best wish
es in the shape of she'll and canister, which
moved them down like wheat. But on
they came, closing up their ranks wherever
they were torn ssunder by our shots, and
they we're not idle all the time; they were
pouring in their volleys with telling eff
feet. Our men were falling fast and they
we're coming so close that some of their
skirmishers were literally blown to pieces
from the muzzles of our guns. We found
it would not be very healthy for us to re-
main here, and we commenced making
preparations for retrograde movement:
but when we came TO move off the battery
we found that one section had lost nearly
all their horses, so we had to abandon it,
not however until the guns were well
spiked and rendered uuserviceable to the
[ enemy. We finally came off with two
| guns and all our horses. Had it not been
for Captain Hickman and his long expe-
rience as an artilleryman and an officer l
am afraid We might have lost some of the
latter but he had them far enough in the
rear and so they had time enough to get
| out. He said that he would rather give
the rebels all his guns than to give them
his ammunition at the present time. l
J think there was quite an oversight in not
sending us support; If we had had one
regiment there | think we could have got
all our guns off. But we had to support
ourselves the best we could The bows
used their revolvers with telling effect on
the rebels. All Of our officers horses
were shot from under them. Captain
hickman ran very narrow escape; he
had just dismounted when his fsvorite
horse fell, pierced by two balls, but it was
not long until he had the saddle off and
was again mounted on a fresh horse Af-
ter he had got the battery off he rode back
through the fire of the enemy to see if any
of the boys were left on the field. We
cannot compliment our Captain too highly
for the interest he took in our welfare,
and the daring deeds be performed that day
will be one long to be remembered by US.
The boys all stood to their post like brave
men, and not a man left his post until he
was ordered to do so. We were under
fire about one half hour. It was the
Warmest we ever experienced. The rebels
fought desperately, and seemed very well
pleased when they closed around our guns
Lieutenant ROdamoUr had his horse shot;
also, Lieutenant Schilly. Major 0sburne
chief of artillery, oOmplimented us very
highly, and wondered that we got off so
well. So ended our first and last days
fight at the battle of Gettysburg. On the
morning Of the Sd inst. we were ordered
to the rear as disabled battery, but this
was too good q thing for as, so they gave
us another gun and sent US to the front.
We are now the first battery in position
at HagerstoWn, and we expect to have
something TO do in the coming battle
The following is a list Of the casualties:
Private Lewis oPert, Cleveland, Ohio
Killed.
Private Charles Ziesche, Cincinnati, OHIO