Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-09-03
5nisrellanu.
" Only a Scratch"
A SAD SOUVENIR OF THE BATTLE OF
COLD HARBOR.

COLD HARBOR.
Lie down, Tenth !" shouted the lieu
tenant colonel; and three or four hun
dred men simultaneously stopped, touch
ed their knees to the sandy parched
earth, and prostrated themselves with
their faces to the ground.
In another instant the air seemed act
ually to vibrate and culver, as a thou
sand pellets of lead, from a Confederate
brigade in our front, hurtled with a
whining shrek over US, and spattered
against the trunks of the pine trees form
ing little belt of forest hundred yards
in out rear.
1t was just daylight on the morning of
the third day of June, 1864, and the
army of the Potomac, having draggled
its bloody trail from the Wilderness, over
the bright May flowers and green leaves
of Spottsylvania county, and across the
muddy and turbulent stream Of North
Anna, was establishing its lines at Cold
Harbor- about ten miles in direct line
from Richmond.
AS orders had been issued directing
our lines to be advanced, and as we were
already within five hundred yards of the
enemy's breastworks and rife-pits, our
whole brigade had been directed to
charge just at day-break, and then hold
and entrench the ground we had gained.
"The order to !" lie down was given
just after We had made dash of about
a hundred yards and it had been pre-
viously understood, that as soon as we
dropped to the ground we were at once
to set to work throwing up breastwork
of sand.
We toiled vigorously, using tin cups,
plates, and even our bare hands, as shov-
els, in the construction of the protecting
parapet and in fifteen minutes, that
seemed like a days duration, we had
piled up ridge of earth sufficient to pro-
tect our bodies pretty well, so long as we
took care to keep in a recumbent posi-
tion.
Ten or fifteen minutes more and we
had completed tolerable breast-work,
behind which we were safe from rife
practice; for in scooping out the earth
to raise the parapet, trench was at the
same time followed behind it, which
formed part of our shelter from the en-
emy's fire. .....
Aswe were charging forward however,
the enemy's rihemen out of their pits,
and the sharpshootersfro the trees, had
saluted us with scattering fusilade
though no full volley had been given
from their main line, until just as we
lay down.
From that time until we had entrench.
ed ourselves, perfect whirlwind of rife
balls went tearing over us.
The parapet completed, our next con
sideration was to look after our wounded
of whom there were scores, besides
many dead, all around us.
Among those whom we found injured
was man of Company H., by name
Hank" Russell. He was suffering
from what appeared to be a gun-sho
wound in the face-a small trickling
stream of dark blood oozing from jag
ged puncture on his right cheek, abou
midway between the cheek k-bone and tn,
bridge of the nose, and about an incl
and half below the lower lid of tn,
eye. A little earth-sand, saturated will
blood, clung around the orifce of tn,
wound; but altogether it looked insig
nificant-only scratch.
Russell was one of those men who
without any very bright parts, had be
come general favorite in the regiment
All the qualities he had were commend
able. He was cool, quiet, and modest
always very appreciative of wit an,
pleasantly, though never making an.
particular demonstration in this lin
himself. He was never heard to boas
of his presence at particular skirmish
or in a charge but his comrades neve
knew him to absent himself from an,
one or other of these occasions, or at an
time to lag in the rear. He never, i
short, did anything more than was re
quired of him; but. invariably an
: promptly, without question or complain
he was ever up to the full performanc