The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-03-30
"HATCHER'S RUN"

| VIII tue luGSnllOu VI IuTuluS luo SucUuy .
right flank.
Starting out, therefore, early on the
morning of Thursday, October 81, 1864,
with four days rations in our haversacks,
we moved off rapidly by the left, striking
tne enemy's picket line about ten o'clock.
"Pop. pop! popl Boom! boom! boom,
We're in for it again, Boys; SO, steady
on the left there, and close up."
Away into the woods we plunge in line
of battle, through briers and tangled
undergrowth, beneath the great trees
dripping with rain. We lose the points
| of the compass, and halt every now and
then to close up gap in the line by
bearing off to the right or left. Then,
| forward we go through the brush again,
steady on the left and guide right, until
I feel certain that officers as well as men
are getting pretty we'll ''into the woods"
as to the direction of our advance. 1t is
raining, and we have no sun to guide us,
and the moss is growing on the wrong
side of the trees, / see one of our gen.
erals sitting on his horse, with his pocket
compass on the pommel of his sadie,
peering around into the interminable
targia of brier and brush, with an ex-
preston of no little perplexty.
Yet still, on, Boys, while the pickets
are popping away and the rain IS pouring
down. The evening falls early and cold,
as we come to stand in line of battle
and put up breastwork for the night.
We have halted on the slope of a
ravine. MIME balls are singing over
our beads as we cook our coffee, while
sounds of axes and falling trees are
heard on all sides; and still that merry
Zip z-i-p!" goes on among the tree
tops and sings to sleep, at length, as we
lie down shivering under our India rub
Der blankets, to get what rest we may.
How long we had slept / did not know,
when some one shook me, and in whis-
per the words passed around:
"Wake up, Boys! Wake up. Boys!
Don't make any noise, and take care
your tin cups and canteens don't rattle.
We've got to get out of this on double
jump -
We were in q pretty fix, indeed In
placing the regiments in position, by
some blunder, quite excusable no doubt
in the darkness aid the tangled forest,
we had been unwittingly pushed beyond
the main line-were, in fact, quite out
side the picket line It needed only
daylight to let the enemy see his game,
and sweep us off the boards. And day
light was fast coming IN the east.
Long after, Company A Boy, who
was on picket that night, told me that,
upon going to the rear somewhere about
three o'clock, to cook cup of coffee at
Lnlfextinguished fire, calvalry picket
ordered him back within the lines.
'The lines are not back there; my
regiment is out yonder in front, on skir-
mish ~
"No," said the calavryman; "our cav
airy is the extreme picket line, and our
orders are to send in Ell men beyond
u.s."
Then take me at once to General
Bragg's headquarters, said the Com
pany A Boy.
When General Bragg learned the true
state of affairs, he at once ordered out
an escort of FIVE hundred men to bring
in our regiment. Meanwhile. we were
trying TO get back of our own accord.
"This way, men I" said voice in
whisper ahead
"This way, men !" said another voice
| in the rear.
That we were wandering about vainly
in the darkness, and under no certain
leadership, was evident, for noticed in
the dim light that, in our tramping about
in the tangle, we had twice crossed the
same fallen tree, and so must have been
moving in a circle.
And now, as the day is dawning in the
east, and the enemy's pickets see us
trying to steal away, large force is
ordered against us, and comes sweeping
down with yells and whistling bullets
just as the escort of five hundred, with
| re assuring cheers, comes up from the
| rear to our support
Instantly we are in the cloud and
smoke of battle. A battery of artillery,
hastily dragged up into position, opens
on the charging line of gray with grape
| and canister, while from bush and tree
pours back and forth the dreadful blaze
of musketry. For half an hour, the
conflict RACES fierce and high in the
| dawning light and under the dripping
| trees-the officers shouting, and the men
cheering and yelling and charging, often
fighting hand to hand and with bayonets
locked in deadly encounter, while the
air is cut by the whistling lead, and the
deep bass of the cannon wakes the
echoes of the forest. But at last the
musketry- fire gradually slackens, and we
find ourselves out of danger.
The enemy's prey has escaped him,
and, to the wonder of ali, we were
brought within the lines again, begrim-
ed with smoke and leaving many of our
poor fellows dead or wounded on the
field.
Anxiously every man looked about for
his chum and messmates, lost sight of
| during the whiyling storm of battle in
the twilight woods. And I, too, looked,
but where was Andy?
The beauty and color of the hair may
be safely regained by using Parker's Hair
| Ralsan which IL rnnnh adpniroa Cos. lee