American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-03

lOH III OuI colPs; thc ou; "hiiS q" "Ni"i
were fanked by the rebels just at dusk,
and Gen. Seymour and great part of his
brigade were captured, and the balance
of the Division thrown into the most dis
graceful confusion and completely routed.
The 1st and I'd Division stood like wall
and saved the corps, as we'll as the army,
from defeat and disgrace. George, l have
seen a good many hard sights during this
war, but such one as these woods pre-
sented after this break, never saw. You
could not take step without running
against dead or wounded man. Oh! it
was dreadful to hear the poor wound
ed fellows crying for water-water,
and none to help them; fighting is moth
ing compared to looking on such sights
as these. 1t would be impossible for me
to describe them, so | shall not try. Well,
in two days our regiment was in tiUe diff
ferent engagements, when the army fore
ed Lee back on Spottsylvania Z. Hive
marched down there on Sunday, the Sth,
and little before dark our regiment was
posted in line in ravine in Pine woods,
so dense, it was dark as night. We were
there only few moments when the fighting
commenced. The regiments in our front
were soon cut to pieces, or left the ground
until it came to the regiment in our
immediate front, the 10Th Michigan,
which somehow got frightened and came
pouring back without firing a shot-here
they were all mixed up-our regiment
would not let them back, and they would
not 90 forward. Their officers could do
nothing with them-we could not fire,
and they acould aot-so thought | would
see what could do. | went out in front
of them-told them | was a Penna. Off
Ger, and asked them if they would follow
me. They said eyes, so on We'll follow
YOU So | started with about one hun
dred of them, and commenced forming a
line-I did mt think this was far enough,
and commenced forming a second line
[ saw some groups Of men, whom | sup
posed were our skirmishers. | paid no
attention to them at first-l could not
see their clothes, and they were standing
grinishly looking at us; after bit, |
took step or two towards them, and then,
in an instant, | knew what was the mat
ter-they were rebels. / turned round
quietly to run back, but they were too
fast Three of them leveled their musk
cts at my breast and told me | was a
prisoner, and l agreed with them-I did
indeed. They took my sword, and told
me to run to the rear-I ran to the rear a
short distance, and then thought | could
escape by running around their regiment,
but when | had gone about twenty yards
l ran against the 18th Georgia regiment,
lying in the woods-no chance there
Then | concluded to hide until our men
would charge; | crawled into Pine tree
and hid there for about quarter of an
hour, when a couple of rebs came along
and made me come out; they took me to
Col Willis of the 18th Georgia; he Or
dered me to be searched, and then COM
menced questioning me, but | refused to
answer any questions whatever. | was
then taken to Gen. EYell's head quar-
ters, and from there to Provost Guard
head quarters, and the next morning, with
34S others, were started towards the Vir-
ginia Central Railroad we marched all
that day in the hot sun, some 30 miles
without anything to eat. Just as we
got to the station, Beaver Dam) and were
getting ready tc 60 on the cars, our Cav
airy came charging along the guards
skedaddled, and we were free men. |
could not describe our feelings-I don't
know when / felt so happy. There was
a million and half rations at the station,
which we burned-we then went with the
Cavalry on their great raid, and were in
side the outer line of Notifications at
Richmond-fought there two hours
the Chickahomny; White Oak Swamps
crossed out at Malven Hills; crossed the
James river to Buffers Department from
there to Fort Monroe-then to Alexan-
dria and to Belle Plain-then to Freder-
ieksburg. ! found the regiment at the
n Anna, and we have been fighting
nearly ever since. We had terrible
fight on the Sd, and captured the rebel
pits We have commenced the siege Of
Richmond, and are working night and day
digging rife pits, and building forts; we
are continually under fire, and have men
killed and wounded every day Our line
is only two hundred yards from that Of
the Rebels, and we have hot time of it
There was flag of truce in front oi
our regiment yesterday, for the purpose
of burying the dead and taking off the
wounded. 1t looked strange to see men
who have been trying to kill each other
all day, now shake hands and converse
like friends. There has been no firing