The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-12
SP0NGE-SIAEF IN HAND.
EXPERIENCE OF A YOUNG ARTiLr
IeRVaAN At COLD HARsoa.

bfSfnhAnk the htsht AZ ufeat builcto-
bees Nest-A Cannon turns = summer
set in the Air Death and Destruction
Dealt Out ON Every Side.
We arrived there Cold HaIbori IN the
night, and at once went into position. Wrap
ping blanket around me lay down under
my gun AMI went to sleep. Before daybreak
on June :, lsi4, the infantry massed around
Us Was aroused; officers FASTENED TO and fro.
staff Officers rode rapidly through the dark
rs, up All down the lines, giving final
orders. We srtillerymen were reused up.
Eating our sranty breakfast, we took our re-
,lective positions at the Napoleon guns. |
was No. On the No. gun Of the right >sc-
tion Of the battery stool leaning against
the oool brass piece with INV sl"ng' staff IL
hand | gazsrl intently To whare J aft"'>sd
tie rebel earthwotk, were. AMI "'lfhrtd Il
my Luck would take mr. through thu t,elt I'M
hurt, a. il lal through past haiti -'i'it.d
that nv water bucket for the II -. vas
empty leaning my staff against i. ,lit.
iulhookesi it. and explaining the st..,l ia the
gunner. walked I'll 10 II swamp and tiiled the
bucket Returning Ia NY piece PLAYED the
bil rtOuipu TUT ilillit "
the gui. end then resting against the cannon
resumed ,ils business of waiting The
heavy columns OF infantry besan to move by.
Nc8 recognizing the battery spoke to US As
they marched past in the dim gray light Of
breaking dawn Twas asked the questions;
What's ahead II VS. Are the works
,trongf' is Longstreet's corps in front Of
usf' And boy Of II wears Old, answered
q the whiin took me
Just before sunrise the troops we're in posi-.
tLon MN, our captain gave the command.
Commence firing" dampen my sponge,
ram the first cartridge home and step back
\ LDld report. cloud Of smoke and the bat
tie 1t lold llarbor has began. rapidly
sponge out, tarn Of the wrist Q whizzing VI
the sponge staff 10 the air, No. 2puts the
cartridge in the glln, Tram II homc aud spring
back clear Of the wheel ] give hurried
glance toward the rebel line. and catch sight
If the smoke Of cannon, and realize that their
guns have Just been manned. fairly jump
70 and from INV gun. The smoke grows
thicker ! am at last thoroughly warmed up
n the hrttle.
iS A GREAT NJ 9BLEBEE's NEsr.
\ whstling ii bullets among us sounding
20 though we were in a great bumblebee's
nest. the shrek OF solid shot and shell ~ they
tear through the battery, the dull "thud" OF
bullets instantly followed by saclamations Of
pain. the falling Of artillerymen-all pass I'M
cared for. simply sponge and ram and
looh ahead. M. 2, Just opposite me, standing
With cartridge in his hand, suddenly
pitches forward dead As jerk tho sponge
out Of the gun lean over toward him and
pick up the cartridge AMI place il in The gun.
As I step back see the man who y " take
NO 2's place jerk the dead body inipatiently
ny the legs TO get il ont Of the way. Stepping
back, look over to no. agun, and involun
tarily smile 10 SEQ tue great piece rapidly
turn "a s,i,nnHrsct in the DIR Bits Of wool
snd iron fy of To the rear, aud the yum comes
town with great thud on the ground. ]
s,op smiling Us see the poor men In scatist-
trimmed jackets. my comrades, lying dead
pro,inl the wrecked cannon
rpthrough the smoke comes bare headed
officer on horseback. Telling. our officers 10
stop firing ,@ disappears as rapidly As he
came The battery Is silent the smoke clearv
oi,. and soe that the sun Is not yet up, and
that two long lines Of men IN blue ore lying
On the earth in front Of u.s. Suddenly thu
to,,nos, line springs up. The charging cheer
j. heard md they 20 ut the rebel works on a
run A sn.f,. brave charge and In front OF
It's Red division, sccond corps successful. We
hear the charging chces way of to the right.
81 ,Le left. AMI know that general Charge
al! along the line is being made. Seated
as,riie my gnn. watched our Red division
carry the first line ANIL start for the second.
Bat also saw that Barlow's second line, his
supports, did not move forward. 50 sat and
.orrowfuly saw the first line get whipped.
had not long TO whit. The rebels had met
the swift, brave charge with their usual cour'
age and the assault was repulsed. Intwenty
minutes from the time that the men checretl
ami charged they were back where they had
started from, but some 10000 dead md
woundcd lay between the lines Of battle, and
they were all in blue Cincinnati CONNER.
al Gazette