Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-12-18
WAR "REMINISCENCES.

Charging and Capturing Rebel Battery
at Night.
Written for the NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
Yes. / will tell you about q battle in
the night, or rather night charge. It
was In the battle of L., in Mississippi,
in '63. The battle opened little before
ten o'clock in the forenoon, but did not
become general until about l d. m.
There had been cold, drizzling rain
falling all day and most of the night
previous. and it seemed as though every
man on both sides was sullen and ugly,
Tor there was scarcely any cheering. and
when either side gained littls3 advant-
age they did not waste any breath in
cheering, but set their teeth and pressed
forward with sallen determination
that was incOmprehensible. Then the
lines that had been slowly giving ground
would seem to become fairly exasper-
ated, and seem determined as one man
not to yield another inch of grou nd, and
then the tide Of battle would change for
. while, beth lines giving and taking
such blows as none but the American
soldier ever gave and took without yield
ing the Geld. But such fighting could
not last very long. and about four o'clock
there was lull, as both sides were sx-
hausted. The supporting columns were
ordered up and we were ordered to the
rear, where we managed to make fire
enough to make coffee, and with our raw
bacon and hard bread we made our sup
per. It continued to rain, and the night
was very dark. After dark we brought
off our wounded that had been left on
the field. Almost half our entire COM
mand was either killed or wounded. We
scraped mud off the surface so as to have
comparatively dry place to lie down,
and bivOuaced for the night. The groans
of the wounded and an occasional shot
on the picket line. together with the
tramp of columns changing positions,
were the music that sounded in our ears
as we lay down to sleep az only exhaust
ed mon can sleep.
We had man in our company who
was thorough specimen of the York
State Yankee. He never seemed to want
to sleep when others slept, but, as we
termed it, was sternally on the 60. He
was an enigma to officers and men. He
seemed to have way OF always finding
cut what was to be done, how it was to
be done and who was to do it. Well,
about one o'clock at night Tom, for that
was his name, aroused some of US with
tho pleasing assurance that if we want
ed to drink any more coffee in this world
we would have to make it right away.
We asked him to explain, but that was
out of his line; he seldom explained any
thing. Some of the men cursed him
loud and strong, and others thr eatened
to brain him with a musket if he did not
dry up" His only reply was that the
fight would be all out of them in an hour
or two. The Lieutenant finally threat
ensd If he did not ''shut up" he would
place him under arrest. He replied "All
right; I'll be in the guard house and yeu
will be in hell" He finally said: WELL
if you must know, the JOhnRies are plac-
ing battery in that point of timber and
we have rot to charge it,"
The most of the enemy's lines were in
TIVE blocks of tim Der, or wood lots. There
was point of one of these lots that pro-
jscted beyond their main line, but by
frequent Smelling during the day the en-.
envy had been prevented from placing
any considerable force in it, and it was
natural that if they could place a bat
terry in there and get reasonable pro-
lection of earth and logs it would give
them an advantage the next day, bat
how he learned of it or that we in par
tieular were to attempt Its capture was
more than we could induce him to tell
His only reply was: THAT'S all; If yor
want to drink any more coffee in thi:
world just make it right away. Well, WI
did not feel much like sleeping, and al
the next best thing we commenced prep
arations for making coffee. but before
We had progressed very far staff Officer
came cropping through the darkness en-
curing for our rsgimental headquart
ers. Our Lieutenant escorted him few
rods away to where eur old Major wa
biyouaced in the mud ths same as tn,
rest of M. except he had saddle for