Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-08-13
A Boys Battery,
BY FRANK WILKES0N.

bank of the North Anna, and had seen
at glance that the rebel line could not
be taken by assault. So we, the rank
and Gle of the Potomac army, were pa
tlently waiting for our generals to dis
cover this truth. Lying behind oul
earthworks, eating hard tack, playing
cards, and smoking, we waited. At las'
the order came to march. We recross
cd the North Anna, and the flank move
ment to Cold Harbor began. We ar
rived there in the night, and at once
went into position. Wrapping blank
ct around me, lay down under my CUR
and went to sleep. Before daybreak or
June 3, 1864, the infantry massed arount
us were aroused the officers hastenec
TO and fro; staff officers rode rapidly
through the darkness up and down the
lines giving final orders. We artillery
men were reused up. Eating our scan
ty breakfast, VIC took our respective po'
sitions at the Napoleon guns. L was
No. on the No. l gun of the right Sec
ton of the battery. l stood leaning
against the cool brass piece, with my
sponge.stafl' in hand. gazed intently
to where l supposed the rebel earth
works were, and wondered if my luck
would take me through the fight unhurt,
as it had through past battles. no.
ticed that my water.bucket for the
sponge was empty. Leaning my stat
against the gun, unlocked it, and ex-
planning the need to the gunner, walk
ed off to a swamp and filled the bucket.
Returning to my piece, L placed the
bucket OF the ground under the muzzle
of the gun, and then, resting against the
cannon, I resumed tue business Of wait
ing. The heavy columns OF infantry
began 10 move by. Men, recognizing
the battery, spoke to US as they march
ed. The Seventh New York heavy ar
tllery passed, and in the DIM, gray ligh:
of breaking down l recognized many oil
the men. l was asked questions
What's ahead of us:' Are the works
.trong?' is Longstreet's corps in front
of us?' And l, boy seventeen year;
old, answered as the whim took me.
Just before sunrise the troops were in
position, and our captain gave the com
mand, Commenced firing 1 damper
my sponge, ram the first cartridge home
and step back. A loud report, clou(
of smoke, and the battle Of Cold Harbol
had begun! rapidly sponge out a turr
of the wrist, a whizzing Of the sponge
staff in the air, No. 2 puts the cartridge
in the gun, ram it home and spring
back clear of the wheel. A give a hur
RED glance toward the rebel line, and
realize that their guns have just been
manned. 1 fairly jump to and from Tho
gun the smoke grows thicker. an
at last thoroughly warmed up to the
battle. A whlstling Of bullets among
US, sounding as though we were i'll
bumblebee's nest ; the shrek of shot
and shell as they tear through the bat
terry +; the dull thud of bullets, instant
ly followed by exclamations OF pain
the falling of artillerymen-all pass un'
cared for. simply sponge and ram ant
look ahead. No. 3, just opposite me
standing with cartridge in his hand, sud
denly pitches forward, dead. As l jerk
the sponge out Of the gun L lean ovel
toward him and pick up the cartridge
and place it in the gun. As step back
I see the man who Is to take No. Q:
place jerk the dead body impatiently by
the legs to get it out Of the way. Step
ping back | look over to No. 2's gun
and involuntarily smile TO see the grea'
piece rapidly turn a somersault in tht
air. Bits of wood aud iron fly off to tht
rear, and the gun comes down with
great thud on the ground. 1 stop smil
ing to see the men in scarlet.trimme(
Jackets, my comrades, lying dead aroun(
the wrecked cannon.
Up through the smoke comes a bare
headed officer on horseback. Tellin!
our officers to stop firing, he disappear
as rapidly as he came. The battery is
silent, the smoke clears of, and SCI
the sun is not yet up, aud that two Ion.
lines of men in blue are lying on thu
earth in front of US. Suddenly the fore
most line springs up. The charging
cheer is heard, and they go at the rebe
works on a run. A swift, brave charge
and in front of US (rsd divisions, Secon(
corps), successful, We hear the charg
ing cheer away of to the right, to th
left, and l know that general chars
all along TIE line is being made. Seat
ed astrid0 my gun l watched our re-
division carry the first line and start 70
the second. But also saw that Bar
lows second line, his supports, did No
move forward. So 1 sat and sorrowful
| ly watched the first line get whipped.
| had not long to wait. The rebel
had met the swift, brave charge wit
their usual courage, and the assault wa
repulsed. In twenty minutes from th
time the men cheered and charged the
were back where they started from
but some ten thousand dead and woun(
| ed lay between the lines of battle, an
Ithey were all in blue. The men Of tn
1 cayantb Nsw York 'heavv artillery cam