The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-01
IN the TRENCHES At COLD nARBoR.

and spottsyvania; had coRsed to talk OF them.
We were on the south bank Of the North Anna,
and had seen Mt n glance that the rebel line
could not be taken by assault So we, the rank
and nle OF the Potomac army. wcro patiently
waiting for our Generals to discover this truth.
Lying behind our earthworks. eating hard
tack, playing cards and smoking. we waited.
At last the order came to march. We rocrossed
the North Anna and the flank movement to Cold
Harbor began. We arrived there in the night.
and at once went into position Wrapping
blanket around me. lay down under my gun
and went to sleep. Before daybrcuk on Juno 3,
1864. tho infantry massed around us were
aroused officers hastened to and fro; staff
officers rode rapidly through the darkness.
mp and down tho lines, giving final
orders. We artillerymen woro reused
up. Eating our scanty breakfast, we
took our respective positions at the Napoleon
guns. was No. l on the No. gun OF the right
section Of the battery. l stood leaning against
the cool brass piece. with my sponge-staff In
hand gazcd intently to where / supposed tho
rebel earthworks wore, and wondered IL my
luck would take me through this fight unhurt.
as 1t had through past battles l noticed that
my watcr-buckct for tho sponge was empty.
Leaning my staff against the gun. l unlocked
II. and. explaining the need TO the gunner
walked of to swamp and filed the bucket
'"i"s " ih' p'VV'' p,N0" '"1 '"NNN' 'i
INC eIounu unuer .ho n"u11'o Vi uno gun, unu
business OF waiting. The heavy columns Of in
fantry began to move by Men recognizing the
battery spoke to us as they marched. The
Seventh New York Heavy Artillery passed and
in the dim. gray light Of breaking dawn l rccog-
49, many VI ','0 mn was "sNe" iuc91'ons
a., ",D"u VI u' az wv "ViNs
ou - ~. - ,V'p9 ." i,viI' VI
a'iu nv. = wv - ''''' wv ""'"ei0N 10 'i'o
80, - '''O' a.. . 5000,
Ou'' oVioio s"rlIao wv uoops "elo III pos,-
:. C" 80 -, So - ."o o'li''''''iu'
nn "',nH, u'''p.n ny epV"s,'
iaui 'uo nls' 20, i1ev NOM "ru ,',p U"yN
49, - e'ouu " "uu .'i' o''''o VI
Co'u n",o ,,- n"s o'sun. I"piul, sponge out
'"o ~ "'",','H W. w, spu',,'9
- wy. =, -. W. ~ w.
49, '' 49,, - '-, ~, " -. ~ w.
Wv
49,, ~ ~ - 80 ~. -,
''iS .''''' ~, SUI, , ~ ''s' Doe''
.n "',neU, l"'a" ,u,up ~ 1Hu 'o.' NY sun
.no su'O~o HiO"' '"'-N,'' "i" az '"S' ,,"'
"',, w " 'eS''.,h
=. 49," 70, 90 ".
"Si' II, |t'''. 'u'i''o'VS "0''' 'i' 9"i IGN "a
oi.u s"", anu s",'i q, '',S v'"r '"'ouEh .no
battery thc uull thud oIbuUets, instantly lol-
lowed by EXPLANATIONS OF pain; tho falling Of
artillcrymen-all pass uncarcd for | simply
sponge and ram. and look ahead. No. 2 Just
opposite mo standing with cartridge
in his hand, suddenly pitches forward.
dead As / jerk the sponge out Of tho
gun l lean over toward him and pick
the cartridge and place it in the gun. As
step back SEQ the man who is TO take No. Us
place jerk the dead body impaticntly by the
legs TO get 1t out Of tho way Stepping back
look over to No. gun. ana inyoluntarly
smile to see the great piece rapidly turn a sum
mersault in tho air. Bits Of wood and iron fly
OF TO the rear, and the gun comes down with
great thud on tho ground. l stop smil-
ing. as l see the poor men In scaret-trimmed
jackets. my comrades. lying dead around the
wrecked cannon.
Up through the smoke comes bareheaded
officer on horseback. Telling our officers TO
stop firing. he disappears as rapidly as he
came. Tho battery if silent; tho smoke clears
of. and see that the sun is not yet up. and
that two long lines OF men in blue are lying on
the earth in front Of US. Suddenly the foremost
line springs up. The charging cheer is heard.
and they go at tho rebol works run. A
swift. brave charge. and in front OF us Red
Division. Second Corps successful. We hear
tho charging cheer away OF 10 tho right. 10 the
left and know that general charge all along
the line ia ''>,"~ nl"i', oo"''u "s'rlue my
gun ""''neu our heu DIVISION carry ihe hrst
.no' ""r s.rt iol ,'ic sv'ohd' b"' H'so saw
'n"' D"ilo" svCoIu ll"e' MS suplor'S' ulu not
No. 'oi ""'u' 90 s"' "nu so'I0"4u'S ""'V"eu
"T - M - "NIpp'V
n''u ny ''nN - wat ne tco''s nuu met inc
"I't e',.'' ~ WIN ul''' TSuu courage
"iu ''0 "99"u' ""s i''"iSou' Al "eht5 min.
o'n ''o '''o ',n VHVoIeu anu ch"'so'
~ w 90 "''lo ''Vs SU''''u from nut
sO"'o 'ou "o"7""H "r"u anu "Vuhueu Jay ne
W." .no ""'s " Oau'o' "nu 'lcy were hll IN
uiuo' ino mon o' lnc H'Veh'h ~ l. Heavy Arul-
"lS 'o"'c ua'N "'.Hou' 'h''I Co'ohci' some oil
"ui 'rc'uS roy "u' Oh tlelr RANKS hhd sea- 'hem-
ScNos III our u"'.'rE' iheY t'' uo'eiul tales oil
u'o s'renE'n VI inc 'coc1 vatlnWotKs' ana seem
Us utterly u'scouIot'u we uraw me guns
DUCK o'yohl 'uP crest oi inc mus anu there lie
III tno suhu' hou'e 'nN INC sun Is now up
eo'no nan nouF hlsh' N'W ana thoh we load q
gun, run II pY h"nu 10 u'e cirst oil the mn ana
suuu'h,5 sno.' ol--pouhd pan mo the reoel
nhes, more @, our Hciua'htahces drop in-men
huhuhs Ior 'her r'siheh's-regIments tha'
az p'"V"0u"' "''""""'ou' no anu smoke
uHh llh 10 SufH men rs arc lltlllel 10 tnIk