The National tribune., 1885-07-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
ATLANTA.
A Comrades Personal Experience in the Battle OF
July p.

ATLANTA.
A Comrades Personal Experience in the Battle OF
July %.
To THE EDITOR: S. l.. Coulters letter on
the battle of the 22d of July, at Atlanta and
especially the vacant place in the line, brings
to mind the part the 9th Mo. played in that
DAVIS work. / will describe it according to my
recollections. In moving forward in the morn
ing to occupy the evacuated rebel breastworks
the 9th No. had the right of the brigade. When
in position the right of the 9th Mo. rested on
the RAILROAD, the brigade being TO the left of the
road. Every one seemed to think that the rebs
were evacuating. Some enterprising fellow
fixed tree so il was easy to climb; he reported
the rebs were moving out. Gen. Morgan L.
Smith climbed the tree and watched the column
of dust as it rose in the air and saw that 1T
passed by the left flank of our army. Some
time near noon some of the sklrmISherS came
back and reported that the rebs were preparing
to ad vance, and soon after that the fight opened
of to our left and rear, and the 9th Mo. and
l27th ILL., was ordered away, leaving the gap in
the line which Coulter mentions, and through
which the rebels passed when they broke the
line. We went to the left probably three
fourths of mile and halted iii an evacuated
line of works that had been filled by the Sew
enteenth Corps, which had then gone to the
support of the Sixteenth Corps. The fight was
going Oh furiously in the rear between Hardee's
rebel troops and the Sixteenth Corps, and the
air was full of bullets and they were striking
all around us, so that it was thought best to get
in front of the works; but Hood soon opened
the fight in front so lively that We climbed back
TO the rear of our works. The fight in front
soon eased off and we again went over to the
front for protection, and directly after we were
ordered back TO our position near the railroad
We halted in the rear of our brigade and laid
down, for the bullets were flying thick and the
rebs shelling to the best of their ability. Some
of the boys were swearing because we were not
put back in our line of works. Reckon we
are left here TO utilize the shell and bullets
that come over the breastworks, and stop them
from going back to bother the Quartermaster."
We were ordered of again. We went to the
rear, passed through the works we had evacu-
ated in the morning and double-quicked away
to the rear and left of the army to the support
of Giles A. Smiths Division. As Gen. Smith
had ascended from Captain to Brigade Com
mander in our brigade, we all knew him we'll
He came and thanked us; said he was glad he
would not need us. We were just beginning to
get so we could breathe free when an officer
came tearing across the field. He gave the
Colonel some order and We were soon following
the officer back over the field on the double
quick.
When we got back to the line we occupied in
the morning we met the wounded and demOr-
allied portion of the army hurrying to the
rear. There were wounded men afOot some
being helped by comrades, one on a stretcher
and some in ambulances. One fellow en-
couraged US with the remark, You'll catch
hell in there" One of DeGrasses men had a
horse with several harnesses on. asked him
where his battery was. "Goae to hell" was
the answer. / concluded that the rebs had it.
As we passed ON towards the front saw that
Gen. Logan was at the right of the regiment. He
double-quicked us down the road and without
stopping charged us in column right in front,
our company being second from the right
When was few rods from the rebel lines
noticed that the regiment had all vanished as
it were. have no recollection Of seeing anyone
60, except an officer on horseback, who crossed
to the right of the railroad. i think it was
Gen. Logan. Being all alone, jumped in
hole by the side of the railroad cut, and found
an Irishman, who belonged to some other COM
pany, in there. As soon as we could breathe
without gasping, for the heat and dust had
nearly overcome us, we commenced to load and
fire as fast as we could. We would kneel and
load, and jump out and fire. 1t soon became
apparent to me that we were the only men near,
and several hundred rebs were watching US
and firing at US every time we raised up to fire.
Their bullets would dig up dit that would fly
in our eyes and cut our faces. My comrade got
shot in the abdomen, and could not raise up to
fire again. They were then so hot On me that
for a couple of shots / held the gun over my
head guessed at the aim. and fired. My COM
rade's advice was better skip" 1t WAS very
plain that had to skip or surrender. As Ander-
souville was a synonym of death, / concluded
to skip. dropped all but my gun, cartridge
box, and canteen. l jumped out of the hole,
gave them parting shot. and struck out for
the rear on the best gait at my command. 1t
seemed to me there was thousand rebs shoot
ing at me- / remember seeing the bullets
knocking off the bark and making white spots
Oh tree that was passing.
j had the good luck to get through safe. /
went clear back to the first line of works before
] saw man. There / saw an officer, who had
lost his hat and sword, and a man (E. p. Good
win, 55th ILL., wounded in the hand. Goodwin
told me there was a line being formed in the
old riie-pits. / went down and struck the
right of the line just as they were moving out
to charge again. In this charge passed within
q few rods of my wounded comrade We got
the works, and warmed up the rebs as they
skipped for Atlanta. l was then at the right
of the line, near the railroad cut. As soon as
all was quiet passed along towards the left of
the line, and found our regiment, or rather the
flag, aud q couple of dozen men and officers
and my two bunkmates. soon got excused,
and went in search of stretcher-bearer and
got my wounded comrade taken care of. Got
my traps had left in the hole. As darkness
settled over US got back to the regiment, and
without supper rolled in my blanket and was
soon asleep. The next morning we found
wounded reb back of u.s. struck in the top of
the head He seemed to be insensible. He
laid on his back, but could draw up one leg and
shove it down again, and would take his tobacco
out of his pocket, bite off piece, and put it
back. My bunkmate and / gathered brush and
made shade over him. 1 never knew what
became of him, but i have often thought of
him.-JEFF, of Co. i, 9th Mo-, BUSHNELL Oak.
Ter.