Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-06-16

closer and began firing; we did not an
swer them until they had killed four of
our horses at one shot, when we opened
and kept up constant fire until dark,
when both sides stopped for the night.
The next morning we advanced again
along with the cavalry, the left section
being in front instead of the right,
which usually takes the lead. Soon
heavy skirmishing in front gave notice
that we were to have it again; pretty
soon We heard our two pieces open fire.
but no response from the rebels; soon
we were ordered to the front, and away
we went at full gallop and took up
position about three hundred yards on
the left of the right section. Soon the
bang, bang, bang came in quick success
sion from the rebel side, who had opened
on us from eighteen pieces of artillery,
most of them rifed, including two thir-
ty-pounders. They had our range per-
fectly, and soon disabled two of our
pieces by smashing the wood work and
killing about ten or a dozen horses
Finding that it was too hot for us there
we limbered up and went to the right
of the field, through as hot fire of ar
tillery as ever battery was under We
unlimbered there, but soon had to
change position again as it was still too
hot for us. After changing position
again they disabled another piece so
there we were, left with only one piece
to return the fire of eighteen or twenty
cannon. / have been in hot places, but
never had any idea of being killed un-
til then, and l will not deny that then 1
made up my mind that my days were
numbered The only thing that saved
us was their want of shell. If they had
fred shell at us do not think man of
us would ever have come out alive. AZ
ter our battery had engaged them about
came up and began firing, and thus took
the attention of the rebels from us, We
felt considerably relieved. In three
hours we fired away $50 rounds of shell,
400 of them from the piece that belong
to. After six hours hard fighting the
rebels ran and we pursued them about a
mile, when we suddenly came upon them
in line of battle in the woods about 800
yards off. They gave US a volley,
wounding two men. We gave them a
little canister and they left. The results
of the action were three pieces dis
mounted of our battery of four guns,
thirty horses killed and three men
mounted one thirty pound rife, blew up
one caisson, and killed any quantity of
mules and horses for them. How many
they lost in killed and wounded we do
not know. The colonel commanding
| complimented us as standing flank
| fire the best of any men he ever saw, as
did also the Chief of Artillery, and al
though say it myself / don't think
| there is another battery in the depart
ment that would have stood in the way
we did. As we were completely used
up after the fight, we did not take any
| part in the skirmishes, the rest of the
way, but we marched day and night for
five days until we reached the Missis-
sippi. For four days our horses were
| not unsaddled or embarrassed, and all
the sleep we got in that time was what
we could snatch as we stopped to feed
and rest the horses by the side of the
road We reached here day before yes
terday.
Yours truly,
DUNHAM G.. BURT,
Battery F, Ist u s. Artillery,