The National tribune., 1886-04-15
MONOCACY.
Terrible Experience of a 18th n. j. Boy In thu
Battle.

To THE EDITOR: July 9, 1864, is day that
| will long be remembered by the surviving
members of the 14th N j., and particularly so
| by your humble correspondent. 1t was on that
day that the Third Division, Sixth Corps, under
| Gen Lew Wallace, was attacked by the rebels
| under Gen. Early at Monocacy, Md. About II
! o'clock the rebel pic1ets drove in our cavalry
outposts on our left, and took position with
strong skirmishline on hi gh ridge west of Mr..
| Thomas's house, and south of the Washington
| pike. Our regiment was placed in position in
| Dir. Thonass lawn, north of the house, behind
| a large hawthorne hedge, from which position
| we charged the rebel line and drove them to-
ward the river, killing and capturing many of
| them, among the latter a Colonel badly
| wounded in the groin. We remained quietly
| in this position till about 3 o'clock, when we
| discovered the enemy advancing on in two
| lines of battle mostly on our left flank at least
half mile away. without tree or obStruc-
| ton of any kind to hide them. 1t was GER
tainly grand sight as they advanced, in good
order, with their numerous battle-fiagS waving
| in the breeze. We began firing at once, but 1T
made no difference On they came with quick
! step until they got within 800 yards of us.
| Then our regiment and the S7th Pa. was moved
| by the left flank and changed front to prevent
them from thanking us. At the beginning of
| this movement | was hit in the left ankle by a
mimic ball. completely crushing the joint. l
/
SO l stood there until two of my comrades
placed me on their gun, and, with my arms
around their necks, started to the rear with
me- But ere they got 20 steps / was struck
! with another minie-ba under the shoulder
blade just to the right of the back bone, pene-
trating the right lung, stopping just under the
skin in my breast. 1t felt about the size of
cannon-ball. Idon't know how long l lay I'M
conscious, but when l came to the rebels were
all around ME. Our men had retreated to the
| Washington pike, and were making it hot for
me as well as the rebels. Although very weak
| / managed to crawl about 90 feet to the fence.
| The rebels were now badly demoralZed, and
were skulking behind everything that afforded
| shelter. Their officers were compelling them
| to get up and move forward, and they used
their swords freely. ! heard several of the men
say they had no ammunition, and with horrid
| oaths they We're ordered to take that dead
lank's (meaning mel. l never heard mines
fly so fast sound so spiteful as they did there,
cutting the weeds and throwing the dirt all
! over me- Behind the rail fence were a good
| many rebels firing at our men. Two of them
were right behind me, and as they fired the
| muzZleS of their guns were within few inches
of me, and, to prevent burning my face, put
| my hat over my eyes. j had just taken my
| band away when ball from our men struck
| the hat and came so close that it burned my
! forehead passed on, and killed rebel stone
dead. / thought at the time that the ball had
struck the rail, but after the fighting was over
| saw that it had hit one of the rebs just over
| the eye Now my worst trouble began. l was
! dying with thirst, and, to make matters still
worse, big rebel came along and pulled off my
| shoes; the pain caused was almost unbearable.
| When he discovered the bullet-hole through
| the one, he threw it down in disgust and said
it was a d-n shame to spoil so good shoe.
The next one that came along took my watch,
telling me that | wouldn't be able to see what
| ms III 1nno plC cIrafh
! empty though knife and picture album; but
when l beseechingly held out my hand and
| asked for the latter, he threw it back with an
oath. & have the album and contents YETI My
| next visitor was mere boy, whom asked for
drink of water He placed his hand on his bay
onet and said: Il would rather give you this"
But he gave me neither, but passed on about
| 10 steps, turned, and walked briskly toward me
| with his hand still on his baynnet. / thought
| then my time had come, but did not care much,
| for thought it was impossible for me to live
| long anyway; but, instead of hurting me, he
| handed me his canteep, saying Drink, Twill
| let you see that we are not as bad as you think
u.s." But he took good care to give me a severe
| lecture for coming down there to fight I'VE uus."
! During the engagement the rebS put battery
| in position close to where ! lay, SO that could
| hear every command given the gunners. This
| battery staid there all night, and to one of
! the gunners | owe what comfort | got that
| night, but that was not much. This man found
| Inc when he was returning from the river with
water for his horse, pr0pped me up on KNAPP
| sacks and blankets and left his bucket, half
| full of water, so | could reach ii with my hand.
| He also sat and talked with me long time.
! When ! told him what regiment belonged to,
| he looked over toward our old campgr0und of
! 1862 about a half mile away, and said "That
was the regiment that guarded about 900 Of us
| to Fort Delaware after tho battle of Autietam.
! You used uswel, and will do the same for you"
| lie came to me several times through the night
and changed my position. At sunrise he came
| and got his bucket and babe me good-by.
/ lay on the field until 10 o'clock July 10.
! All through the night the doctors of both sides
and their assistants called on me frequently.
! The rebel doctor gave me drink of liquor,
/ but the Union doctor had only a little for
/ his own regiment. This same rebel doctor,
with two strctcher-bearcrS, came after me and
/ carried me down to the big buttonwOOd tree
! and put me in the ambulance with two wounded
/ rebels aud started us for Frederick City, where
| we arrived about ii o'clock, II hours after |
! was wounded.
! AT the beginning Of the engagement our
! pioneers burned the bridge, which made it
/ necessary for the ambulance to ford the river
/ As the front wheels assembled the steep bank
| was nearly thrown out III the water; both legs
went IN up to my knees ! only saved myself
/ by grabbing the hoop at the side of the anbu-
/ lance. On the hill where the block house stood
/ the TeDs had two guns firing at the railroad
bridge 10 destroy it. They burned all the depot
! buildings, water-tank, etc. On way to
/ Frederick we passed vast number of cavalry
/ each man with three or four stolen horses
| loaded with plumber.
/ When we reached the hospital we found that
/ all the nurses had been sent away 10 prevent
| their capture, but the citizens of Frederick
/ came nObly TO our assistance especially the
! ladies'. One young lady, Miss Lizzie Off, was
/ the first to come 10 my assistance with basin
Of water and soap. After about 80 minutes
! hard scrubbing | began to look like white
mau and to feel very much better For II
! long weeks Miss OFT was untring i'll her efforts,
! bringing nae every dcicacy that could be
/ Thought Of, and sitting by me hour after hour,
| tanning Inc and speaking words Of cheer. And,
comrades, do you blame me for falling in love
with her and marrying her? l think l hear
you say you did just right! My good old
mother was also with Inc for four weeks, and
nur5cd me as only mother can.-RoDERICK
A. CLARK, Corporal Co. i, 18th n. j., Com
nandcr Post =, GAR, Department of New
Jersey, Point Pleasant, Ocean Co, II. J.
Missionary Ridge again.
To THE EDITOR During the last month sew
! eraI of the boys have been telling, or trying to