The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-01-05
AT CHICKAMAUGA.

ANADVENTURE AT CHICkAMAUGA.
The 10th of September, lS63--one Of
the bloody days Of Chickamauga-will be
long remembered by many, but none will
retain more vivid recollection Of the
memorable day than Corporal Wilkins,
Of the Indiana infantry, whose adventures
on that occasion are worthy of record.
The I'd division Of the goth army
corps to which this regiment belonged,
was, at the beginning Of the battle, post
ed on tho extreme right of the Union
army, but before noon it was ordered to
the extreme left. The distance was
traverscd at double. quick, and the divis-
ION swung into line on the left, just in
time to meet aud repel furioas charge
from the enemy. The rebel lise was re-
pulsed aud fell back in disorder, followed
closely by our forces. In the pursuit,
Corporal Wilkins, in his eagerness to be
''in at the DEATH" got Gar ahead Of his
company, aud ere he was aware Of the
danger he was in, was suddenly con-
fronted by rebel soldier, whose rife
was already leveled at his breast, and not
more than dozen yards distant from
him. Quick as thought his own piece
was leveled, and simultaneously both
pieces blazed forth their leadcn mcssen-
gers of death. The rebels ball Kissed by
in uncomfortable proximity to wilkins
ear, but he was unharmed. His antago-
mist was equally fortunate; both having
missed their aim in their hurry to get
the first shot. The bayonet would soon
have decided the contest, but just at that
moment storm of balls Kissed around
them, coming from both directions, and
the startled combatants discovered that
they were midway between the two con-
tending lines of battle-that the rebels
had reached position from which it
would be difficult to dislodge them, and
that long and bloody contest must en-
sue before either line would leave the
position then occupied-they saw this
at a glance, and each dropped to the
earth, as the only means Of escaping the
furious storm of shot and shell that swept
over the ground between the two lines.
Wilkins was in an awkward situation.
The shot and shell passed 50 close to the
ground that any effort to change his po.
sition or reload his gun would be fatal.
But the rebel was similarity situated, and
was utterly unable to reload his gun.
Both saw and comprehcnded their situa.
tion, and quietly waited for something to
"turn up
Several minutes passed without any
material change in the state of affairs.
Each moment seemed an age. A moment
more aud tho rebel called out:
"Hello, Yank!"
"What's up, Johrsy'2r
"ls your su9a INKS orrrer csp~..
"No. Isy. January EAT
"No. | say '.of Supervisors "A
swell" NJ. o'cloc,1
"Let's COMPROMISED" y"
l can't see how we'll ge. out of this
scrape by compromising
"When they let up we can crawfish."
"Very well, we will not fire on each
other until We have reached our own
lines"
M'll do it, lank. Got any tobacker?
If you have, can't you manage to toss a
chaw over this way!'
Wilkins divided his "plug," aud toss,
ed half of it over toward his late antago-
mist, who, with some difficulty succeeded
in reaching it, and taking an enormous
chew, settled himself closer to the earth,
to await favorable opportunity to eraw.
fish out of his uepleasant situation.
Half an hour passed ere the firing
ceased enough to allow their escape
When it did, each one, true to his agree
ment, crept away toward his own line
without even a farewell shot at the other,
The battle ragged on during the day
, Night came on, and at dusk the pckets
, of each army were but few yards apart.
The men of wilkins regiment were hot
and thirsty, but no water could be pro-
, cured inside the pickets Water must
9 be had from some place, and Wilkins, re.
membering small pool of water near the
sccne'of his compromise with the Johnny
Reb, obtained permission to go outside
the line in search ef it. Cropping his
E way carefully through the bushes, he
, at length had the good luck to ind the
object of his search, and soon had his
canteen full of water At this junc.ure
: the sound of approaching footsteps at
: tracted his attention. Waiting breath
r lessly for memcnt, he discovered that
the enemy were moving their pickets
further out, aud had even then inclosed
him within their lines. His situation
was uncomfortable, indeed. Escape
5 through their watchful lines was almost
= impossible. To remain inside was equally
, dangerous. lie drew back into clump
of bushes near by, and was turning over
3 in his mind the possibilities of escape
c and the probabilities ofa journey through
Dixie and sojourn in Libby prison,
when his attention was again attracted
by the footsteps of some one approaching 9
from the direction of tie rebel camp.
, Nearer and nearer they approached,
! coming directly toward him, until he
! deemed discovery absolutely certain, lit
tie dreaming that the same object that
brought him to his present awkward
predicament-the pool Of water-would
also attract others to the same vicinity,
until a rebel soldier, unarmed, stepped
r out in front of him, and STOPPING beside
the water began to fill number Of can
teens which he carried slung over his
shoulder. wilkins waited but moment