The National tribune., 1884-08-28
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
BEFORE PETERSBURG.
Diary Of New York Carairyman-Stirring Ex
periences.

To THE EDITOR: j was a member OF Co. III,
30 n. Y Cav, Kautz's division of Buffers
army and was stationed in May, 1854, near
Fort Darling. holding portion of the works
near the signal station. TIE following tran
scripts from my diary, describing our expert
enccs about that time, may be of some interest
tony old comrades:
May 80, lS64.-At o'clock this afternoon
the rebels charged on our center. They did
not do so with the intention of taking our
works bas only 10 see if We were still in force
They found out that we were TO their cost
They were driven back faster than they came
We did not lose many men, but / could see a
good many rebels lying on the ground between
ours and the rebel skirmish-line and all the
way up TO our breastworks. The weather is
awfullv warm and we can't get the wounded off
the field until night for the rebels fire at every
one who shows ms head. Our skirmishers have
little places scooped out and the dirt thrown in
front of them. and they have to lie down in
these pits all day in the sun. We cannot re-
lieve them until il gets dark, for the ground
here is level, and if ventured over our chances
Of escaping unburt would be small. Just as
we relieved the pickets tonight and brought
in most of the wounded, the rebels opened on
us with all their artillery. We ran for the
brcastworks and laid close to them. Quite
number OF shells burst among the tents, aud
some struck on the other side of the works and
bounded over. / have often heard it said that
artillery firing at night is the prettiest sight
s. soldier can see. / do not see anything pretty
shout it. The shells scream and shrek like
ten Thousand devils, and when they burst you
never know where the pieces are going. If
shell should take person about the breast
plate it would be hard to digest.
June 81 was on picket last night Ii was
quiet along the lines and we had quite chat
with the Johnnies They say Lee is whipping
Grant. Those in front OF Us look pretty hard
they are very long and lean, which is one reason
they areso hard to hit. They look asifthey never
washed or combed their hair. But they appear
cheerful enough, considering. Then came the
CRY. Get TO your holes lanks; get to your
holes J0hnnies;" and soon not a head was 10
be seen and the firing has once more begun. /
guess the officers don't like TO talk, for fear
we might become too familiar. This after
noon at 4 o'clock an awful fight Gold Harborl
is going on on the Peninsula. The cannonading
is very heavy. Every now and then it stops
for few minutes, and in the interim you can
hear rife volleys. When these lulls occur we
know that either one side or the other is max
ing charge Then the artillery begins with
tenfold fury and we know the charge has been
unsuccessful, for were IL otherwise the artil-
lery firing would decrease in volume. 1t is
Grant trying to turn Lees left wing, while
Lee is trying to cut of Grants communications
with the James River. ] listened all the after
cheers Of our men or the yells Of the rebels,
but have not heard either side. The armies
seem like two bulldogs-all fight and no bark.
Neither side will give way. Richmond will
fall If Grant wins but Southern pride viii
make the rebels stay as long as possible. The
firing grows heavier. and the boys say they
cannot sleep tonight and it would not sur
prise us if we were attacked before morning.
cannot help thinking after each heavy roll
of artillery that there must be some killed on
both sides, and j wonder if, as the traitors fall
10 the ground, the scales of prejudice fall from
their eyes. Ii may be that their spirits and
those OF cur boys march on side by side toward
The great eternity. j know you will think this
foolish, but often when / have seen both lines
firing / wonder how the spirits of Yankee
and rebel could meet, as meet they must.
June e." Boots and saddles" sounded at
shout 3 o'clock in the morning. Our division
was soon in the saddle 1t was composed of
the Sd \. Y, 11th and 5th Pa, LIST ID. C., and
another regiment whose number and State ]
have forgotten. which was principally en-
ployed IN carrying dispatches for the various
headquarters. We passed the infantry of Gil
more, which took the nearest road TO Peters
burg and went in the direction Of the Jerusa-
lem Plank-ro2d When within one m1e OF
Petersburg we came upon some rife-pits
There was no ditch worth speaking Of in front
Of them, but they were held by the rebels
and was drawn up In line OF battle within 90
yards Of the works, when two pieces of artil
lery opened fire on us from the left. The
shells burst in front of and over us. One shell
struck log about 40 feet in trent Of our com
pany, turned it completely around and
then bounded over. 1t was trying time
The minutes seemed hours! We had K
stand there and be shot at without being
able to reply. The rebels called for us e
"cone OF" by every name they could think
Of lt was too much for human nature Il
stand, and some one gave the order TO dis
mount and charge them. Every man sprang
from his horse-that is. Nos. j, 2 3, No. 4 held
the horses not very desirable job at thai
time eitherb-and marched forward in what
would be called heavy skirmish line WEHr
within 200 yards Of the works ] looked down
our line and saw Col Simon Mix, at least q
feet in front or the center Of the regiment
holding his hat alOft on the point of his sword
his long gray hair streaming in the wind He
was conspicuous object, and when the rebels
opened fire on us the Colonel fell, struck by st
many balls that his heart was literally torr
out That part Of the line suffered most, fol
it seemed as II the Colonel drew most of the
fire. Lieut.-Col. George Lewis then sprang t.
the front and IL seemed as IL every man had
determined 10 take those works OF die. Tn,
rebels in front Of where was discharged on,
voliey and fed. Our led horses were brought
1OTNafo 4Du We pressed the rebels so CLOSELY
that they did not stop until they were in tn,
town. They were then re-enforced by Beau
regards division. Thus attacked on all sides
we were compelled to give way, which we diC
slowly, expecting the infantry 10 advance ant
give us their support. As we gave ground WI
fell back, so as 10 form junction on the left O
the infantry that was advancing on Peters
burg. The infantry had taken two lines @
rihe-pits and had then stopped While W
were hghtng In town, we still held the frs
line Of pits which had been taken that morn
Ing. About 5 p. n. the advance of Hancock
tbecono) corps came up and relieved u.s. w
fell back about quarter Of mile, to hill i
srye-held, and let our horses harvest the cror
While here saw the grandest sight had We
seen. Looking across the Appomattox, abou
10 miles distant, we could discern Ia one plac
the advance Of Lees army coming to Peter.
burg. Where we could not see the glistenin
of the bayonets in the sun, we could detect
line Of dust raised by the march. Back towar
City Point was the Army of the Potoma
They were marching by plstoons with the
emhulances, wagons, and artillery on eac
flank, towards the Weldon Railroad. Thei
was but little fighting done this night but tt
artillery firing continuous, and our troo-
marched up and took their positions for an q
sault on the morrow.
June live have been very busy the la
few days. The failure of the infantry TO pus
on the first day and support the cavalry, cause
two-days fight, and we were once drive
back from the Weldon Railroad. The who
Of the Army Of the Potomac is not here We
The Second Corps has advanced again almo
an he IL D.sr. l,.s a. ~.