Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-31

parked along the road; that batteries OF artillery
| began to rush by US with dull rumble in great
clouds OF dust. Squadrons OF cavalry be- an TO pass
US from the aids and orderliss galloped eNcit-
eddy from the front and stopped in hurried consta-
ton with field officers, and the dull booming OF
cannon could be heard aiar the front and right CT
u.s. The order came to double quick, which means
to move on run This We did as best we could,
! being laden down by our acouterments, our tin
cups rafting at our haversacks We tcmbled
against each other in the gloom of the dust How
hot il was and we hadn't had water since the early
forenoon. The booming of artillery became nearer
and still We pushed ahead, angry, thirsty and half
blinded by the dust. A comrade would beg another
for drink from his canteen. He would be
scolded and reyiled for his improvidence, but
would get the water to the last drop, % he
knew he would for the asking. Soon we were near
enough to hear the puff like sound OF scattering
musketry fire, and the artillery seemed to be get
ting much nearer. The wagon trains were all halted,
and we turned from the road on the left to bill,
on which we found Johnson's battery in position.
We were ordered to lie down. IL was about half
past in the afternoon. There was cessation OF
firing TO right then few scattering shots, then
a constant roar, then cannon shot, then TWO, and
several in close succession and perhaps in different
places. During this time We were watching col.
umn OF cavalry crossing an open field three.quar-
tiers of mile in front, moy1g from our right 10
cur left. General Rousseau rode up and ordered the
battery to open on them. L Is they did VITA mar
ve'ous precision, stopping two of the guns and
scattering the cavalry like chaf This fun for Us
il looked so easy. Lying on our faces and looking
rnder the GU We could scan the field. AT once
booming began on our left, giving us cross
fire of shell and canister. The canister would
rattle on the ground like painful OF
gravel. Shrapnell shell would. come shreking
most horribly and burst among the gunners
ard their horses was terribly scared. The burst
ing of shells around promiscuously isn't triti'ng
matter We had to lie still and take it. One shell
came screaming and burst about hundred feet
above me, fragment striking the second man on
my left on the cap peak with sickening thud He
fell like an struck with an ax large bunoh
of tow that came with the shot case was ignted and
burning in the air, and was sure it was shell and
falling din eGtly on me. Never had weak legs great
need OF strong heart. Ii anyone else had started
to run they wouldn't have gone alone Our battery
was work. away splendidlY, and tie ebemy's fire
sackened up. We thought it was about over for US.
A heavy and continuous roar OF musketry on our
right gave evidence OF work III that direction.
Field officers came along our front giving good adj
vice. All at enee the cum lneers aimed il another
direction directly down the hill. The hill was
sharp and Steep still in their rear could see no
enemy. Only two or three rounds were
fired, tearing great gaps into Their massed
lines, which were splendidly closed up when
they were up to the cannon. We were ordered
up and commenced firing. 1t was load and
fire as fast you could, aiming in the dense smoke
in 'front.' not fifty feet from where the enemy were
dragging our cannon down the bill by hand. In
less time than it takes to tell 1t, those artillery
horses were shot down; our color guard all shot
dosn; our line but thin, struggling skrmish line;
StlIl nrlng away, not knowing NHat else u No. IL
seemed but moment, for our blood was hot We
had advanced and grasped the trail ropes OF the
cannon; we pulled one way and the rc5s pulled the
other. Corporal Drummer, strong fellow of my
company was slashed over the hand by saber in
the hand of rebel officer while pulling at the can
non wheel. The Inys line fell back, and we be-
gan to YELL and then that battery our left began
to give us hail OF grape and canister. musket
that / had in my hands at an aim for parting shot
was struck under the sight by grape
shot and cut in two the butt rolling me
several times, causing me to pause several
minutes for reflection. The firing gradually ceased
on extreme right, though quarter or half a
mile to right they were having it terrible hot
We picked up two rebel regimental coors in our
'front.' and our coor-staff was broken in bits by the
shells and bullets In less than short half hour
my regiment the First Wisconsin Infantry, had lost
in killed and wounded more than half its entire
number, and had come out victorious. 1t was now
dusk and the terrible rattle our right began to
abate. We began TO pick up our wounded and hunt
for water None could be found. Some one brought
up few canteens of whisky, aud the fiery liquid
seemed to sizz on my paiched throat. Later in the
night fresh troops found water and brought 1t to US
in great kettles Duling the night Bragg retreated
and in the morning reached the only running
water in that region. Thus ended short fight
where our loss was 5000 in killed and wounded-the
battle OF Perryville-
all mass over our march to Mtchellville our On.
eagemcpt there and the muddy tramp back to
Nashyil and the move to Murfreesborc. 1t wa
the last of December, 1852, nineteen years ago,
when were lrampllg 1nuu UOWdIu StODe river
from Nashville The weather was cold, wet and
cloudy J he roads were terribly cut up by heavy
wagon trains and artillery On every side we passed
dead mules that had dropped in the harness and
were abandoned. Many lay in great pools of yellow
water, and we did not hesitate TO fill our canteens
there. Bragg had swept the country clean There
were no pigs and chickens to forage, no milk nor
hams and no nice dry rails for camp fires. Nothing
but low scub cedars growing on the barrens. About
II in the forenoon orderes began to tear down the
road with orders to commanders, and we began to
think there was something up. Soon some batter
les cam punging along through the mud, and then
sotiadrons OF cavalry on trot. Their horses bore
evidences OF the spur, but not OF forage They were
poor, showing hard service. One, quite weak,
stumbled and FELL landing a disguised trooper
fiat in the mud. At thu! the whole regl-
ment set up most internal "Caw-caw
cav as much as to intimate that his horse was
an old crow bait or fit food for buzzards. The
troop rode on, and the disguised soldier picked
himself out OF tie mud, shook his fist at us. and
wi soon be food for buzzards." We moved on, q
great army OF co,0o0 men, with miles and miles OF
wagon trains-an army having nearly three times
the number of people you have in Sacramento.
Soon we heard an occasional boom OF siege guns
long way off. We didn't evince as much curiosity
TO know what it was ali ut as We did at Perryvlla
We hurried on, still he airing the roar of an coca
sional cannon, until late at night in a driZZiDg
rain we halted, wet and hungry, in the scrub
cedeIs for the night. Few te Is pitched, but
we cut down the cedars for sheds, using blanket
for tent, and maize cohee. Try TO burn green
cedar in a rain and you will weep FROM vexation
and smoke. In the night 1t cleared and
sharp frost enerusted our clothes to the frozen
ground Az daylight were Weakened by
heavy roar OF artillery to our right front, which
RACED over an hour Falling back to our right, it
came nearer and nearer. Two or three rIdetless
horses came tearing through the thicket. An aid
de-camp rode up, and We reluctantly abandone our
flee fires and dismay moved over the crisp frozen
earth Some battery long way off having seen
our camp smoke began TO heaye shells in among u.s.
cannot express The intense disgust we felt at
being shellcd with tuch accuracy by an enemy two
and a half or more miles away. They would come
with slrieking swish "a wish, the most impudeEt
things bursting in top or tearing the earth:
They always produced in me feeling Of fear and
reyep9ful anger We soon learned that our right
wing had been surprised at breakfast by success
full charge ard that the Johnnies had eaten their
breakfasts and called them good cooks but poor
fighters. Our right had suffered terrible los and
had fallen back. We were set to digging trenches
in the W. t, soggy earth. At noon we got word
that Wheeler's cavalry had reached our rear, cap
ture6 cur baggage ami supply trains, our hospital
and ambulance corps, and burned them all.
In the afternoon, during dripping rain, severe
engagement lasting two hours took place hall
mile to our right. The rosr was terrific. We tried
to make lit lie fires to boil coffee and beans, but
fire made great smoke, which attracted those
COMPOUNDED Shells that seemed to have our range
exactly. We had orGers TO not show ourselves.
Ait n dark we moved quarter OF mic TO the
front, and got wan digging another trench We
dare not make fires IL fr re again, and We sui
fered terribly. Men eougbed all night lorg ana
groaued from RI, unatic paiGs. Our overcoats were
burned in our baggage wagons, and we were might
marching order. On New Years morning many OF
our weaker comrades had to be lifted aud torn from
the frozen ground. Many were found liteiess and
ssiff. | WAS sent with squad to make coffee half
mile to the rear, TO return if an engagement should
in the meantime come on. We got lot Of yellow
water made fires I'd boiled the coffee IT oie
c1nfouuded shells again cane over amoaS US,
as If from pure cussedness. II those gun
ners could have been sent where We con-
signed them they wouldn't have wanted overcoats.
We did nothing all day but dodge shells. There Wi
lighting alcng the line all day; but Only Grille y
coqueIry about Cur rations gave out We had
nothing TO eat. An attempt to boil a few beans
brought on such concentration of artillery fire that
We were severely reprimanded Tor characterization.
In the afternoon we were issued an ear vi corn
each the artillery horses going without. That
New Years night will never be forgotten. slaut-
sleet cut US t. the bone. We dare not MAXI fires,
and were so u terIy wretched and hungry Men be-
gan To be suen and desperate. said they were
willing to fight but not to freeze ard starve Our
officers looked hollow. eyed and anxious. l in the
darkness put my head on my knees, with my back
TO the Storm aud, for the first time soldier,
wept tears OF genuine suffering and agony 1t was
terrible New Years 6ay. Daylight on slow
and gray Men were ordered up but the blue
bundles along the trenches showed the work CT the
cold, and shells OF the night stony-look
OF dumb brntes had come over our faces.
General Starkwcather, Colonel, sat de-
loo. edly nj the foo. Of scrub cedar