The National tribune., 1883-05-03

the screams, groans, yeIls and curses of NV
companions told me that some great eatastro-
phe had occurred. The cause was soon known.
The bridge across the Platte River had been
fired during the day, but only the timbers al
the eastern end had been burned through when
the fire was extinguished by the fall of the
burning portions into the river, and so, with
out warning, the train plunged through the
bridge at such rapid speed that the engine
leaped half way across the gap made by the
missing span and crashed through into the wa
ter below, the ears piling on and over it in a
mass of ruin. My story has nothing 20 DO
with details further than they concerned our
own little company; but viii say here, that
there were about one hundred persons on the
train, including train men and passengers, and
all of the former, except one and 4 number OF the
latter were killed, while many were seriously
wounded At no time that night, indeed, were
more than ten or twelve men in condition TO
render assistance to their fellow travellers.
Twenty-three dead were taken into St. Joseph
by the wreckiug train-among them two Of our
own number, viz: COppich and FOTding It
was about 10 o'clock IN the evening when the
accident occurred, and l saw none of my COM
rades for several hours afterward. As for my
self, was on the ground at the foot of the east
ern abutment in a few minutes after the shock,
but could never recall fully hoW I got there.
/ have a confused remembrance Of going
then, finding myself unhurt, joined the few
men able TO work and busted myself all night
long in getting out the wounded and caring
for them as best | could. Towards daybreak
saw Joseph Westfail on the bank, near q fire
that some one had built. He had broken
ankle, broken Jaw and a fractured shoulder.
Smith was also terribly bruised and cut about
his head and shoulders. Tom Westfall and
Montgomery had been sitting IN the front end
Of the car, and having been buried under the
debris were not released until it was almost
day. Both We're bruised and scratched but not
seriously injured. Thus we got our first taste
of rebel malignity. 1t was our first battle and
our loss was heavy-four out of seven. Some
of the wounded who were carried out and
placed on the bank, insisted that in the fire.
light they had seen men moving through the
woods that surrounded us, but I saw none my
self and am inclined to belive there were none
there.
REPORTING FOR DUTY.
The next day, when the wrecking train came
down from st. Joe, we carried our dead and
wounded comrades with US, and were fortunate
enough TO get passage by the first train for
Weston. On the way down we made the ac-
quaintanee of a Leayenworth man, whose name
l cannot recall, who assisted us greatly in many
ways and at whose instance a company Of
eitizen-soldiers took us into their care. This
company afterWard acted as escOrtat the funeral
of Coppich and Fording, which took place the
day after our arrival, at Pilot Knob cemetery
near the city. After the burial my two unin-
jured comrades and myself went to Fort
Leavenworth and reported to the commandment,
Major Prince, of the Regular army, who treated
US with great kindness and listened TO our
story with apparently deep interest He told
US that we should have landed at the fort first
with our dead and wounded but assigned US to
quarters, and, directing US to report for duty
and ratiOns to Captain Swoyer for the present,
sent an ambulance to the city for Smith and
Westfall, and had them removed to the post
hospital.
We remained at Fort Leavenworth three
weeks, performing our regular allowance OK
guard and other duties, when a company OF
men Of the Fifth Kansas came in and we were
Immediately ordered to join them and proceed
to Fort Scott. Previous to this Smith had re-
turned to Iowa. Joe Westfa1 being still in the
hospital, however, when we received our orders,
we called to bid him goOd-Dy, but we had no
sooner told him where we were going than he
/ declared that there was no gO0d-by in the
case, for he intended to so with us, and in spite
of all remOnstrance he got up from his COT, and,
/ taking French leave of the post hospital, hob
bled out and across the parade ground, where
the company was in line, and started with Us
/ on a march of one hundred and fifty miles.
/ OF course he never could have accomplished
/ the distance but he had the pluck to try it,
1 and would have marched until ne dropped had
we not got him into an ambulance as soon as
possible. Without further adventure we
reached our regiment in the field IN South
| western Missouri early in October, 1861, and a
few weeks later Lanes brigade" was in
/ Springfield, Mo-, and part OF FremOnt's army.
/ Such is my story. comrades. To me there is
nothing so fascinating as the plain and simple
narratives recited or written by the common
soldier. As General Logan is reported by The
| TRIBUNE 10 have said: THE soldier can give
better account of march or battle, than
any man who was not there"
E. II. GREGG,
Late First Serg't, Co. G, 10th Kan. Inf.
OTTAWA, KAN.