The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-09-22

biting our own tail. How exhausted
did we drop down that night to find
at break of day that we had soundly
slept within a few yards of the rebel
pickets, and how grand was the sight
when our batteries forded the swollen
waters of the Rapidan, the burning
mill rendering the dark rainy night
bright as day. What shall i say OF
the unfortunate delay at Chancellors-
vile, which, together with the incom-
petence of the commanding General,
lead to that disastrous defeat! Too
late was il, when he was compelled
by the urgency of the moment, to do
what he had, in spite of all warning.
obstinately refused to do. I had been
the last warner, but the hurricane
came over us almost simultaneously
with my warning. Had an army of
gods stood in our place they could not
have saved the day. On that day boys,
you proved your true yalor. Like
| living bulwark you stood against the
advancing foe, all around you death,
confusion and wild retreat; you stood
until gave you the command to re-
tire steadily and slowly, and l shall
ALWAYS hold dear that certain gallant
| friend who came with a new horse to
my rescue in spite of advancing rebels
and flying bullets. Others may have
been demoralized by that day. l was
proud of our days work. The gem
erals who bear the responsibility for
that defeat, may have overlooked in
their reports, in endeavoring to white
wash themselves, TO mention what we
had done. Amongst the gallant boys
who fought with as, was only one
| voice; that we had saved them from
obstruction and as long as one of
our gallant aud inseperable friends of
the 6lst Ohio, The SD Illinois, 26th
Wisconsin, 29th New Z ork and 9th
/ Pennsyivania live, they will always
| remember you and give us credit for
| Charlottesville. Confident of VIC
tory we had crossed the river. De-
feated but not demoralized we wended
| our way back-tie day of revenge
/ was near, Gettysburg followed, the
/ decisive battle of the war; how spir-
tied was our first days engagement ;
how gratefully did our brave friends
| shout on the second day, when some
we'll directed shots dislodged the en-
/ emy from behind the hay stack and
1 relieved their too far advanced COM
/ rades. It would be too much to think
! of all the little incidents of that MEM
ofable battle, (eEen of my stolen
4 field-glass)i But fresh i'll my mind,
will; always be the remembrance OF
i that time, when, with fearful noise,
! the shells exploded over our heads,
concentrating from south and north,
east and west on that very little spot
we were bound to defend, when on
they came in long gray masses bound
/ to win-onward and onward, hun
/ dreds of cannon thro wing death and
destruction into their ranks until they
/ had to yield and hurried back under
j the shelter of their batteries The
backbone of the rebellion was bro
ken in that hour at Gettysburgh and
from that day only victories followed
four Banners. Transferred to the
West, we were permitted to add Look
out Valley, Chattanooga and Mission.
Ridge to our roll Of honor; we were
allowed to accompany Gen. Howard
i to East Tennessee and shared his un.
bloody triumphs at Sweet water and
London, where we first discovered the
/ enemy in force in the form of an old
graylInare.. We stole horses and mules
/ white whisky and fresh picked pork
/ and passionately baked corn-cakes
4 which led to the disgracefnl capture
and imprisonment of some gallant
young warriors by a furious General
and disciplinarian, and, 10 l the poor
battery had to go to camp that eve
ming without the call of the familiar
trumpet
/ We could not, however, have be.
haved very well in the opinion of oul
tpioas commander or his lnfidel chief
of staff, as they sent us in disgrace to
the Garrison Artillery of Chattanooga
though greatly to the, delight of some
4 of our heroes, who thought sure the
sweet times of Garrison life, far from
4 shell and canister would not last for.
ever. How comfortably quartered
Il did find them on my return from
II the North. How disappointed die
: they look, when, one fine morning,
J brought the marching orders to the
!, front that order assigning us to tht
; command of Thomas and Palmer, an(
J Haughtaling and Drury, they re
{ venged themselves afterwards by kill
) ing and eating my gray rooster; poo
t roosteri .s.... s.a
Il Difficult was our start with thes
. Western boys-they' had not nucl
t confidence in the " "Potomac fellows.
5 Resaca changed their mind, when
! led you on that open field in front o
( Baird's division, to enable him to de
|. ploy from the woods where he ha
Il been held in check by the enemy
: batteries when, as the report of tina
8 noble general before the committe
], on the conduct of the war says :
T" Within half musket range Of tn
: enemy we wheeled into battery, wit
= "a gallantry seldom witnessed" throw
ing our well directed fire into hi
e strong Notifications and spreadin
. death and confusion amongst the bal
b teries and battallions of the enemy, 8
= that during the coming night, he eva
o uated his works. From that day th
n hearts of the army of the Cumberlan
a. were otirs, and long, when many
Is Generals name will have gone dow
N into oblivion. the deeds Of Leathe
" breeches' battery will be remembers
lr by those gallant boys in their tales
"a the great battles to their grand chi
d dren. .tAl. l.a'i'i-i e'i4i i5's u
,e How glorious were our duels wit
,f the enemy at Bald-Knob. How d
" we celebrate our Fourth of July
" Marietta? Do you remember ho
& the old major asked my sword
Ia ityou recollect his orderly at Atlanta
D. Poor old: soul, he did not know bett
at and compelled me only to revens
Iy myself at Peach-tree-C Greek, the bait
st which made me Adjutant General
ye the great State Of Illinoise.
ID i With Atlanta our roll of hon,
It. closes. Contented, you may look ba,
,r upon the records of our gallant ba
rs tery-few are like it-none bette
id Like dream seems to me the remer
or brance ofall those trying marches al
rs bloody battles. Hundred years fro
K. now our names will fade away, son
ly hundred more and great generals al
n fpolitieians will share the same fat
lg Let them disappear; it is pride al
n glory enough to have actedthe sma
ID est part in this great epoch of o.
ef country's history. One star will eve