The National tribune., 1883-06-28
A Gallant Captain Of Tie Third OhIo-in Incident
of Styeight's Raid.
To the Editor NATIoxAL TR1BUvE:

10 Ine EDITOR NATIONAL 1RIRUEE.
Boom! Boom! rang ont our two mountain
howitzers, awakening the echoes Of the little
valley at Days Gap and filing the bright
spring morning with the fire and smoke of
battle. Boom Boom and the leaden Inessen-
gers of death sought the opposite slope. where
the dewy grass, glistening in the early sun
light soon became stained a crimson hue. The
shrieSing shot and she'll from the magnificent
battery of the enemy soon filed the air over
and about u.s. and ploughed great burrows be-
meath US. The wounded and dying lay where
they fell, but the brave squad at the guns
worked on, never faltering for a moment, but in
quick succession ringing out, sPitafully, boom
boom! and sending their shOrt-flse shell away
on the mission of death across the valley in
our front. Once we raised from the ground
to repel an assault, and In the brief moment
that we We're on our feet the hurting shot
tore through our ranks with dreadful effect
and seemed literally to sweep our line from the
face of the hill. The Gr0ans and piteOus ap-
peals of the wounded, the shouted commands
the vicious ping! ping! Of the minie-baIis.
the dull s1ckening thud as the balls found
Judgement in the quiyering flesh OF your next
comrade, the bursting OF shell and the h0TFid
confusion of that hour formed dreadful spec
tacle indeed; and, amidst it ALL those two
howitzers kept up their ineessant boom boom
at last, the long-expected charge of the enemy
was at hand Their battery had ceased firing,
and we could hear their hip hipl hipI-so
characteristic of the rebels when on a charge
as they came on a sharp trot across the smoke
concealed field. At the command we sprang 10
our feet and rushed forward to the support of
our guns that had been doing such noble work
We had taken but a few steps forward how
ever, when l was stunned, as with an electric
shock, and went down like lead Just beside our
little battery. did not lose consciousness at
once, but seemed paralyzed and helpless. l
faft tba
throat, but had not power TO lift hand to
staunch the flow. 1 believed I was dying, and
thanked God that / was permitted to die so
near those guns whose boom boom. seemed
music in my ear.
just then l heard, in clear ringing voice
the command given to Double shot with grape
and canister" and the commander himself
stepped over me and stood beside the piece lie
was tall and straightforward hatless and coat
less. and ali powder bagriIned. His gray eyes
seemed TO have caught some of the fire from
his guns, and blaZed with the fervor of "a soul
ready to do and to die. TO my fast recediRg
senses he was the very embodiment of nobility
and grandeur. As the sound of the rebel adj
vance drew nearer, l heard him In a ringing
voice cry, Firel" and with the boom boom
OF the guns, seemingly SO far away, became
ooilyious to all around me but the form of the
gallant captain. His grand, though powder
blackened face, and the ringing command to
fire I" went with me into oblivion, and were
my constant companions through days of fever
ish delirium; and tonight, after more than
twenty years | recall wildly the experiences
OF that hour, and the picture of those guns and
their gallant commander comes up in memory
like a living and present reality. A few days
later, after numerous running fights. upon
May Sd, 1863 the Independent Provisional
brigade, forlorn hope at best. three hun
dred miles from our base, with famished aud
WORKOUT horses, capitulatel to General Forrest
The commissioned officers and the rank and
file, OF which was a member, were separated,
and had no opportunity of again seeing my
hero whom learned was young captain of
the Third Ohio
At the close of the war business engage
ment called me to a small town in southern
Ohio, where | afterwards located. Uoon several
occasions / passed upon the street a still young
but apparently aged man, with bowed head
and sunken chest, and found myself looking
back after him with strange interest and de-
sire to know him. His appearance had faseina-
ton for me that / could not shake off, and
made bold to form his acquaintance To my
surprise found that ne was the same Captain
T of the Third Ohio who had commanded
our battery that day at Days Gap. After that,
we often fought our battles over again. and
learned of his long imprisonment in rebel
prisons, Of his naturally strong constitution
breaking down under the strain, and Of his
return, finally, to his little family complete
physical wreck.
Poor Charley he fingered along year or
so, hoping against hope, and, finally, unable
longer to bear the ills of life, took up arms
and, opposing, ended them"
In the Soldiers Lot in Greenwood ceme-
terry, little slab with the simple inscription
Charley T, Captain Co. +, Sd Ohio"
marks his last resting place. He has struck
his tent upon the shore Of time and now biv-
ouacs upon that other shore where, let us trust.
he will have pleasant campaigning throughout
all eternity. d. Fl. II.
HAMILTON, o.