The National tribune., 1885-07-30
AN 1RRIrABLE COLONEL.
An ABecdOte About the Commander of the
9th III

9th Ill.
| To THE EDITOR: In THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE of July 8, 1885, saw an article from the
| pen of G. L. Childress, Co. l. Goth ILL.,, which
| regiment, / think, was formerly the 18th Mo-
| Western Sharpshooters In his article Comrade
Childress imparts to me bit of information
| that have wished for many times. That was,
What became of Gel. Mersy, of the 9th ILL.,?
Now, the Colonel was, no doubt, a good and
brave officer, and perhaps loved his men next
| to his beer, but his threatening to shoot me
| twice during the battle of Cornth, Oct. 3 and A,
1862, without any provocation, impressed him
upon my mind as an unreasonable passionate
and vindictive officer. The circumstances were
as follows: On the forenoon of the Sd our regi-
ment (S1st Ohio was on the extreme left of the
Second (ThOs. A. Davies) Division, and occu-
pied position in the outer trenches, about two
miles northwest of the town. Being detached
| from our brigadesome distance, without support
| OIL either flank, we were charged by brigade
of rebel infantry, driven from the breastwOrks,
and cut off from our brigade. After two or
three unsuccessful attempts to rally, and find
ing the whole division was retiring, we fell back
still farther and intercepted the division at
point where We had halted as we went out in
the morning. Here we formed in line to await
the enemy, our regiment on the left and across
and at right angles with wagon road. Run
ming parallel with and about $50 yards from, this
road was branch, at which had filled my can.
teen while hating as we went out, and having
given it to Lieut.. Hughes while fighting in the
trench, he left it, with his haversack, when
We took our unceremonious departure. Obtain
ing permission from Lieut.. Hughes, ran down
to the branch to get drink, and there met
Serg't Charlie Brannan, of our company, getting
a drink. We drank hastily and started back
to the regiment, but found the whole division
falling back, but not in line of BATTLE and the
enemy advancing. To avoid being shot or
n,,f rod pbI rnnl0y fhax dc
tervening between the branch and the road,
and reached the latter just as the 9th Ill. came
up, Col. Mersy and staff in advance. We halted
to wait for our regiment, which was next in
the column, and l heard Col. Mersy say:
"Where you pelongs?" but his manner was so
excited and his language so extremely German,
and, being unable to speak or understand any
language but United States" did not know
whether or not he was addressing US, but
looked at him without making any reply
when he jerked revolver out of holster
and, cooking it, pointed it at me, saying: Ply
Ct, und you don't tell NIT wat company
you belongs, shoot your d-dt het OFF," At
that instant Sergeant Brannan cooked his gun
and brought it to ready" and afterwards
told me that had the Colonel shot me lie would
have killed him, if the whole 9th Ill. had rid
died him with bullets. Well, think, if the
Colonel had spoken dead language that had
been decayed for million years / would have
understood him, and said: "We do not belong
to your regiment; we belong to the S1st Ohio"
With the command, "Fall in, mint" his regi-
ment moved on, and we fell in with ours.
That evening l was wounded, and had to
leave the field. The battle closed the next
day, and the following morning all the troops
started in pursuit of the Johnnies. That night
l went on picket with number of wounded,
and fell in company with Oliver Hayes, of
Co. /, 9Th ILL.,, who had been sent back that
morning with some prisoners and, being quite
sick, was detained by the Provost Marshal and
placed on duty.
Next morning Hayes and I went to bakery,
where spent my last dime for small loaf of
bread, and learned that our brigade had re-
turned, and was camped out near the Seminary.
Thither we went, and found the 9th Ill. max
ing coffee. Hayes says: I'VE must slip into
Co. quietly, or the Colonel will see US, and
then he will be hot; +" but the Colonel did see
us, and he was hot too. Jumping to his feet
he says: Where you peen, Co. II" when
Hayes began to explain that he had been sent
back with prisoners the day BEFORE and being
sick, was kept by the Provost Marshal, and had
been on picket all night. "Peen SEEK" says
the Colonel II see vedder you peen seek.
Surgeon come see vedder Co. peen seek
Ct TN; hat my revolver here / shoot you
bot" ! then said: Colonel, / guess you
wouldn't shoot me. I belong to the S1st Ohio,
am wounded, have been on picket and am
hunting Aor my regiment, anu, turning,
walked away, leaving the Dutchman to appease
his hunger and his wrath with his steaming
hot coffee, without telling him that was the
second time that he had threatened to shoot
me.
Poor Oliver Hayes! I never learned how he
got of, as soon went to the hospital and never
got back to my regiment; but know that if
either he or Sergeant Charlie Brannan ever
read this they viii remember the circum-
and verify my statementS.-J F.
McGINNIs, Co. E, S1st Ohio, Bellefontaine, o. |