Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-04-27
soMH STIRRING

SOME STIRRING INCIDENTS.
A Feat of Unsurpassed Daring by
a Federal Cannonier at h Second
Manassas.
[By C Confederate Captain in Phil. Times.]
TIE most conspicuous act of reckless
courage | ever saw displayed on any
battlefield during II great civil war oc-
Cured at the second battle of Manassas
on the 30th Of August, 1862. 1t was per-
formed by a federal artillerist in the
presence of both armies and was wit
messed by at least a thousand men, many
of whom are still living and can readily
recall the incident when reminded ofthe
circumstances. There had been q great
battle or Friday between the federals
under General Pope and the corps of
S%tonewall Jackson, in which the fed
erals were repulsed. During this battle
Longstreet had come upon the field and
taken q part in the fight just at nightfall.
On Saturday morning, the 30th of August
General Pope's army occupied q 20
sition stretching along the plateau about
the, already famous Henry house, while
the confederate forces were concealed in
the woods and bottoms behind the Chin
house. The whole forenoon wore quiet
ly away except an occasional slight
skirmish along the advanced picket
lines of the two great armies, where any
movements Of troops or change of posi-
ton would cause a rattle OF mnsketry to
break out at times and spread along the
lines for five or ten minutes, but this
would gradually die away into profound
stiffness that would reign for an hour at
l. time.
Thus the day passed on until about 2
o'clock, when General Lee suddenly put
his whole army in motion and advanced
rapidly to attack the federals. Moving
i forward at double-quick across bottoms
anG fields for q mile or more, we passed
the large open field around the Chin
house. Here we came in sight of three
separate lines of federal troops drawn
up i'll line of battle along the bottom just
below the dwelling. There was a ditch
about four feet wide and three or four
feet deep, dug along this valley to drain
it for half a mile and the federal lines
were formed parallel with this ditch
two on the side next to the Henry house
and one line over across on the side
next the Chin house. There was a bat
terry of artillery with the front line
which the federals had moved around
| the head of the ditch half mile up the
bottom. The confederate lines on en-
tering the field were not parellel with
that of the federals and the left, under
Hood. being advanced became engaged
| just below the Chin house, while the
| right of our line was still several hun
dred yards from the ditch, up the val
ley, but was swinging around rapidly to
take part in the action.
Hoods headlongcharge had taken the
enemy in his front completely by sur
| prise, and hearing the heavy voiley of
musketry and fire ofarti!lery on ourleft,
u attention was drawn in that direc-
ton, and although moving at a double
quick we could plainly see across the
open field the bloody work going on and
observe distinctly the rapid movements
and changes taking place there. Hoods
men had come upon the field on a run,
500 came to close quarters with the first
line of federals, which outnumbered
them greatly and extended beyond his
TANKS. Here, then, began a fierce con-
tiict that ragged for a short time with I'M
certain results and the state flag of Tex
as "a large blue silk ground with a single
star in the centre) was seen to 90 down
and up several times. But the federal
line finally gave way and fell back across
the ditch in great disorder, and Hood,
following up this advantage, led his men
over the ditch and charging the other
two lines before they could recover
from the confusion caused by their first
line breaking Into them, he very soon
his front towards the Henry house.
But just as Hoods men charged down
the hill upon the first line, as already
stated, and it became evident he would
capture the battery stationed there, q
federal artillerist determined to save
one of the cannon. if possible, and to
do so he had to take it up the side ofthe
ditch in front of the confederates for a
half mile. How he got his horses hitched
or whether they had really ever been
taken from the piece I never have known,
but the first I saw Of him he was coming
up our front in a sweeping gallop from
the cloud of smoke and Hoods men
were firing at him. AS soon as he es-
capped from that volley he came in front
of our brigade and under range of our
muskets OF the left and as he swept on
up the line o file fire was opened upon
aim. Our line Wasapproaching the ditch
rapidly at q double-quick and the lane
between us and the ditch was getting
narrower each second, but the artillery
man seemed determined to save his
gun from capture nd he flew along his
urs at a tremendous ate of speed.
He had four large gray or white horses
to the cannon and they came up the val
ley i'll splendid style. The man sat erect
and kept his team we'll in hand while
his whip seemed to play upon upon the
TANKS of the leaders and all four horses
appeared to leap together in regular
time. The ground was very dry and a
cloud of dust rolled ont from under the
horses feet and from the wheels of the
cannon es they came laundering along.
Three regiments of our brigade hadal-
ready fired at him as he rushed along
their front and as he approached the
left Of another l ran down to the rea1
rank shouting to the men. "Shoot at
the horses! You are firing too high,
AT this | saw a noted marksman in Com
pany L drop upon one knee and sight
along the barrel of his musket and fire,
but on came the man and the gallop OF
his team IA u%nbroken. Ramming in
another cartridge the marksman was
ready again in a minute and just as the
cannonier swept across his front within
a hundred yards he kneeled down and
taking deliberate aim at the foremost
horse fired again, but Oh went the team
unframed as before, Thus he Dosse1