The National tribune., 1885-07-16
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE ARTILLERY AT RESACA.
A Late Member OF the 9Th Wis. Battery Blows
His Buglc, and Blows 1t Loud.

A Late Member OF the 9Th Wis. Battery Blows
His Bugle, and Blows 1t Loud.
To THE EDITOR: The communication of the
comrade Of the 10th ILL.,, under the caption of
"The 5th Wis. Battery at ReSaca," has not only
ELECTED some comments from members of the
Indiana brigade referred to therein, but has
also induced several members of that reliable
battery and standby of JEFF c. Davis's Division
to write me touching the affair, asking me 10
blow my bugle little and at the same time to
blow a blast for the whole command.
Touching the affair referred TO and the arti-
Gle have to say that ] have no criticism to
make, except that think Gen. Judah's troops
instead of Hovey's were the men who charged
on our left BY referring TO Gen. jeff G. Davis's
official report of the Atlanta campaign, which
is published in Conduct of the War Supple
ment, Part l." find he makes the following
reference TO the fighting at Resaca on page $50
of Report:
"In compliance with instructions, after a
few hours rest. the division took position in
line on the left of the corps in the general ad-
vance upon the enemy's position near Resaca.
During the night of May Is the division Occu-
pied position little in reserve of the left of
the corps and connected pickets with Mai. Gen.
Scho1ield's right. On the 14th, conforming to
the movements of troops on the right and the
general plan of advance, the division moved
forward from one position to another until the
enemy's main lines were reached. The troops
on several parts OF our lines had become warmly
engaged during the forenoon, and his main line
of battle was well developed. In the afternoon,
in compliance with orders, i sent MitchelPs
Brigade TO the support of part of our line,
composed of Brighten. Judah's command of
the Twenty-third Corps and Gen. Turchin' s
Brigade OF the Fourteenth Corps, which was re-
ported as being hard pressed by the enemy.
This brigade moved promptly and CALAMITY
into position and relieving these troops they
sTall. int no fiph
batteries were exceedingly well posted on a
high ridge overlooking the enemy s works, and
were well manned ali day. Their conduct was
very conspicuous on this occasion. The effect
of the projectiles was unusually severe upon the
enemy's lines, driving him several times from
his line of works"
/ desire to call attention to the fact that
Davis had two batteries oniy-ours and Battery
i, I'd H., commanded by Lieut.. Coe; and while
! recognize the efficiency of Battery to have
been second 10 none in the service, and the
fact that no more gallant or capable officer than
Lieut.. Coe (who was killed in front of Savan-
nah, Ga, by cannon BALI wore the blue, L
claim the honor for the 9th Battery of being
first in position on the ridge mentioned by
Gen. Davis, and of having done
MOST OF THE DEADLY WORK
referred to- / distinctly remember our bat
terry being in park in rear of the hills named,
and on the afternoon designated awaiting or
ders, while there appeared to be desperate fight
ing but short distance TO the front. Desiring
to ascertain why we were kept idle, accoMpa-
MED by Bugler Alfred Bintiitf, proceeded to the
front. i soon found that to get there horses
would have to be abandoned. owing to rough
ness of ground. l reached the top of the hills
and saw that the infantry along the line had
been beaten back, but there were indications of
preparation for further assault. / was aston
ished that no artillery was in position on our
side, as, from the edge of the bluff, we could
plainly sec the enemy, including light batteries
and infantry, behind the works. Noticed that
immediately in our front there appeared to be
~ anglein their works, IN which stood battery
fully horScd and the guns pounding away at
troops Oh our left. Their works also appeard to
trend TO the rear from their right thus
presenting to US the opportunity for an enfiad-
ing ire upon them. On the fats, between the
bluffs and the enemy's works. could see hun
dreds of our poor fellows lying dead and
wounded. Many of them were endeayoring TO
crawl behind something TO protect them from
the deadly missiles perfect storm of which
was sweeping from lire 20 line.
remember conversinS with Gen. Davis and
his stat about the artillery, and receiving or
ders to select a position aud TO use all possible
dispatch to bring and locate the guns Owing
TO the nature Of the ground the boys had
devil OF time' getting TO the battle front.
We could not possibly bring up the caissons,
sad, if am not mistaken, the limbers were left
considerably in the rear. ] know that we were
forced to establish long line Of men to pass
ammunition up the hills to the guns. We
finally got the faithful and 12-pounder Ma
pOleons in position 10 rake a Confederate bat
terry and their infantry line: but our guns
owing TO the nature OF the ground, were very
close together. In fact there was not much more
than three or four yards interval between the
guns. In sailor parlance, THE decks were soon
ofta
and / can now the animated faces of our
boys as the scene before them was disclosed to
view. Never before had they finer oppor-
tunity TO test the quality of their guns and
ammunition and their skill in handling their
weapons. At Perryville they fought till their
guns became SO hot the steam issued forth
when No. rammed the dripping sponge home;
but it was simply load and fire as rapidly as
possible during fierce battle between troops in
close combat in an open field. At Stones River
it was the same. At Chickamauga the oppor-
tunity for deliberate, effective work was want
ing. Here everything was most favorable, and
the boys seemed to take it all in; and, besides
while in Winter and early Spring quarters at
Rossville plenty ofammunition had been issued
for target practice, and cur battery had i'm
proved it TO the best advantage. AS Corps
Ball and Srayerleaned forward on the gun trails
sinister smile rested about their mouths.
think every member will remember how up
IlSnG kOTp Jaitl6S All A1atrc 10 SIT aStrlde
the gun trail when he sighted his gun, and
how he
WOULD ROLL THE TOBACCO
to the larboard side of his mouth as he arose
and said, Ready frei" l remember how
the gunners appeared TO me as they sighted
their guns for the first time at Resaca / waited
until everything was ready. and then gave the
command, Commence firing" and took posi-
ton in the center of the battery, where I could
observe the effect Of the shot and shell aud
case shot,
was in the service three years and half
and witnessed the effect Of great deal of srtil-
lery firing by both sides, but during the war
never saw case-shot and shell used with SO
deadly an effect against the enemy behind
earthwoTks Our projectiles just riddied the
battery and severely punished the infantry. A
Confederate battery was soon located on a
high point at our front and right, aud its guns
trained on u.s. The balls and shell were high
at first, but they soon came low enough 10 an
noy us. The tall form Of Lieut.. Mcknight
about this time could have been seen trimming
the guns OF his section on the new enemy. and
1t was perfectly astonishing TO witness the re-
suit of his work. The fire from that quarter
was made to cease. and his guns returned To
their first love.
Now comes the part to which some Of the
Indiana boys object. Just as there lad begun
70 be signs of commoton among the enemy.
resulting from our fire. we discovered adyanc-
ing from our left, across the plain, mass of
Union soldiers, and IL was evident at once that
theY were CHARGING the works we were hou.