The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-08-27
DE GRASSES BATTERY.
The Par. the nth iii. Took Tn It's Recaptur

The Part the 111th III. Took In It's Recapture.
To THE EDITOR: Please allow me- through
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE to tell the comrades
what / know about the 22d of July and De
Grasses battery, and to correct some statements
of Comrade Coulter, of the same regiment, and
state the plain facts as / saw them. On the
2lst we marched into Decatur about II beleve)
six miles east of Atlanta; had some lively
skirmishing, tore up the railroad for short
distance and went into camp for the night
The next morning VIC struck out for Atlanta,
with the report that the Johnnies had gone
We marched some distance, think about four
miles, and came to Il line of works that had
been evacuated by the Johnnies. Here we
halted and formed a line in these rebel works.
l think all of the Fifteenth Corps moved up at
the same time-thc Second Division south of
the railroad and right up to the deep cut, and
then De Grasses battery right on the north
bank of railroad cut; next came as l under
Stood the First Division, Fifteenth Corps. So,
you see, the two divisions had the battery be-
tween them, with a gap OH the south of it, in
the railroad, nearly go feet, and, as l under
Stood one on the north of the battery. When
the line was formed skirmishers were thrown
out. In few minutes the whole 111th Ill. was
ordered ont on the SIX irmish- line,-not, as Com
rade Fink of the 55th ILL.,, says, as d reserve,
but we were put on the very advance skirmish-
line. We were armed with musketS and spades
We We're soon set to work throwing up works
| to plant battery. We worked away for some
time with Il royal good will and all the time
the Johnnies were sending solid shot at us from
one gun in the city. One man would stand
guard, and when he would sec the smoke from
the gun he would say clay down." and every
one would drop as if shot When the ball struck
in the ground near us with thud, every man
would jump to his feet and go TO work. About
this time VIC heard tremendous cannonading
-tn
short time the news came to US that the noble
Gen. Mcpherson was killel. 1t made the cold
chills run over me to think we had lost such
valuable officer in such desperate struggle as
we We're having. We went OH throwing up our
works. After the firing had ceased on the
rear and left Of us (Which lasted several hours
we did not have to wait long till it came our
turn to try our hand in front. Some one of the
boys said, Look yonder; they are coming for
u.s." Lines of battle began to form in front of
us. 1t looked like the whole rebel army was
coming at once. With their bayonets cleaning
in the sun on they came with rush. They
were soon on us. The l11th and the skirmish-
line stood bravely to their works fighting. and
held the first line till the second line came up.
At this time the rebels were on one side of our
works and the 1llth on the other not more
than 10 feet apart. Then they began to flank
us both right and left. About this time the Ma
jOr in command of the regiment was wounded,
mot, as Comrade Coulter says, on the retreat,
near the lumber pile,) and ordered us to retreat.
| heard him give the order He was at this
time in rear of the company of which l was
member. We started for the rear All this time
the JOhnnies were killing, wounding and tax
ing prisoners. We had not gone far till Lieut..
A. j. LarimOre, of Co. II, ordered a halt saying
that the whole regiment would be captured if
we did not. The center of the regiment did
not give way as soon as the TANKS Myself,
w fyyo Mt he priy atp hal ted 10
tenant and gave them one y0llcy. They gave
us one in return, and the Lieutenant fell with
both legs broken, one private a ball through
the leg, the other shot through the left breast.
/ alone of the four escaped without scratch.
made for the rear, you bet. When got to the
main line all was exctemcnt,-all were anxious
for the fray. In very short time they came
bouncing down on the main line. They were
held for a very short time. When they came
filing i'll the gaps left in the lines by the Dlvis-
ion Commander, Gen. Morgan l.. Smith, the
whole line had to give way. Now for the charge.
The 1llth Ill being scattered, as it WERE to the
four winds of the earth, could not find the
regiment till after the charge l saw the line
formed by Gen. John A. Logan. l heard him
give them their orders. The line he was at the
head of was north of and ri ght up to the railroad
He formed double line the front line had 16-
shooter Henry rifles. He told them he wanted
them to do the shooting and the rear regiment
TO nallOW WIN all tnclr MI nt ana tneu he Slu,
Forward! dOuble-quick, march," and the
JOhnnes were driven back to Atlanta quicker
than you can say Jack Robinson" The troops
that John A. Logan led to the charge on that
day was the First Brigade, Second Division, Fiji
teenth Corps, OIL the north of the railroad. The
balance of the division charged on the south of
the railroad. Now, whether any other corps
charged and helped to recapture De Grasses
battery am not able to say. stayed with the
line of battle. l was one among the first at the
battery when it was recaptured. 1t was now
near night. The 111th began to look around to
see how many men they had lost. They found
that $50 did not answer to their names-dead
wounded and prisoners. Our flag that day,
after being shot full of holes, and the flag bearer
riddled with bullets, was carried away by the
JOhnnies. 1t was beautiful silk flag, presented
to us by the young ladies of Salem, Ill. When
they presented it they told us to defend it to
the last; never allow it to be trailed in the dust
and when we returned to return it to them.
We promised We would; but, alas we could not
fulfill our promse.-ALEX. RALsToN, Co. Ii,
1l1th ILL.,, Greensburg Ind.