The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-07-02
In the Trenches at Cold HarbOr.


A writer in the New York Sun, who
was young primer in the Federal army,
gives this incident of life in the trenches
at Cold Harbor, Va, during the terrific
fighting early in June, 1864: By daylight
we had our earthwork finished, and were
safe. The heavy artillery, armed as in
fantry, were some sixty or seventy yards
in front of us. We being on the crest of
the hill, they were below us. Behind us
were a couple of Delaware regiments,
the two having about l40 men combined.
Back of us was a ravine, an alder swamp,
and in the thickets bordering on the
swamp was a spring of clear, cold water.
The men in front of us had to go to this
spring for water They would draw lots
to see who should run across the danger
Gus open grounds. This settled, the vic
tim would hang fifteen or twenty can
teens around him; then, crouching low
in the rifle pits, he would give great
jump, and when he struck the ground,
was running at the top of his speed for
our earthwork. Ofcourse every Confed-
crate sharpshooter in range fired at him.
Some of these men were shot dead {; but
generally they ran into the earthwork
with a laugh. After filling their can
teens, they would sit and smoke and talk,
nerving themselves for the deadly return.
Adjusting the canteens, they would go
out of the works on a run, and run back
over the bullet-swept course. Some
times they would come to us in pairs.
One day two Albany men came leaping
into our battery. After filling their can
teens, they sat and talked of the beauti-
full city on the Hudson, and finally
started together for their rifle pit. l
watched through an embrasure and saw
one fall. Instantly lie began to dig a
little hollow with his hands in the sandy
soil, and instantly the Confederate sharp
shooters went to work on him. The dust
flew upon one side of him, then on the
other. The wounded soldier kept scrap
ing his little trench in the sand. We
called to him. He answered that his
| leg was broken below the knee by rifle
ball. From the rifle pit we heard them
call to him to take off his canteens, tie the
| strings together and set them on one
side. He did so, and the thirsty men in
the pits drew lots to see who would risk
his life for the water. l got keenly in
tcrested in this dicing with death, and
watched intent. A soldier springs out of
the pit. Running obliquely, he stoops as
he passes the canteens, grasps the strings,
turns, and in flash is safe. Looking
out l see the dust rise in little puffs
around the wounded man, and with
quickening breath feel that his minutes
are numbered. | note a conspicuous
man in the rifle pit, and recognize him
as the comrade of the stricken soldier.
He calls to his disabled friend saying
that he is coming for him, and that he
must rise rs he comes near, and cling to
him when he stops, The hero leaves the
pit on a run the wounded man rises up
the runner clasps him in his arms; the
arms of the wounded one twine about
his neck, and he is carried into our bat
terry at full speed. To the honor of the
Confederate sharpshooters be it said that
when they understood what was being
done they ceased shooting.