Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-30
mtseellane0ns.
The Fight With Stones.
A FEDERAL SOLDIERS STORY OF TIL
SECOND BATTLE OF MANASSAS.

quick. Bounding over the fence into the
clear ground we we're halted again tor
the line to get Strengthened, and for the
first time | discovered the object OF oul
attack, and laughed outright at what
seemed comical sight. AT distance OF
thirty or forty rods from me was rail-
road grade, perhaps dozen feet high on
our side, at the highest point, and at the
top of that grade was an incessant kaleld.
oscopic popping up of SLOUGH hats and
muskets, the latter OF which were all sue
cessively withdrawn as fast as discharged.
1t did not seem possible that any OF as
could be hit by such firing as that. and al
together it looked ridiculous. My hrst per-
ceptios of its being otherwise was in look
ing alone the line and seeing blue blouse
fall forward and backward to the ground,
or reel and stagger from the rank. BY
that time we were once more IN motion,
and experienced what is probably the
purely animal sensation of bloodthrsti-
ness. Loading and firing as we ran toward
the embank ment, | successfully shouted,
screamed, laughed, swore, stamped and
whooped, although commonly one OF the
most quiet and administrative of youths.
TO see one of my comrades fall made me
as angry at him as at the enemy. Tor he
seemed to be deserving US at the very
point where his assistance was needed.
Before we reached the railroad grade. we
had to face grape and canister as well as
musketry; but three OF US arrived there
together. Farther back the field was
strewn with wounded men and corpses,
and along the railroad cut" at our left,
the men of Porter's corps were contend
ing desperately with their almost nvisi-
BILE. though deadly, foe.
The INTERNAL REGIONS BROKEN LOOSE.
My backward glance which revealed
these things was taken in the hope OF
discovering the approach of our following
lines, but they were still in the woods
behind The sight of the demolished reg
iments in their front caused the second
line to hesitate, and in the meantime the
few of us who had reached the grade
crawed to near the top of it and loaded
as we lay close to its side, lifting our
pieces above our heads and firing over the
embankment as we'll as we could without
special aim Then came the charge of
our second line towards US, and it seemed
as though the Internal regions had broken
loose. The noise was so tremendous that
we could not hear our own voices Of
course our troops were repulsed to the
woods again. where they stopped and
commenced firing at the enemy, who
were only separated from ourselves bv a
few feet of broken rock and earth. Still,
my companions and myself stayed on the
embankment, partly because it was most
dangerous to recross the field and partly
in the hope that another line would soon
get up to us. Our ammunition failed
and we lay with our backs against the en-
bankment, as near the top as we dared
venture, throwing large stones over our
heads backwards as forcibly as we could
among the enemy.
cannot now tell which side began this
method of fighting, but remember dis
tinctly that we very soon got the worst of
it. The big, Jagged pieces of blasted
rock kept falling about us, and some of
them took effect to our sorrow. was
myself hit three times, as find by letter
written to my parents a few days after
ward But orr side of the fight there was
conducted under most terrible disadvanta-
ges. Bullets from our own troops in the
woods were striking around us, and both
my immediate companions were soon IA
tally wounded from that direction. My
own haversack and canteen were de-
stroyed by a fragment of shell and a
bullet respectively, and looking along the
side If the embankment, in both direc,
tons, could see no active participant in
the fight. The men of the First Louisiana
were invisible to us, and they had ne
l.
to them consisted OF one man not serious.
ly wounded, with perhaps dozen Others
so sorely struck that none OF them could
have aimed a musket or thrown a missile
to accomplish any object.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH THE Foe.
The groans and complaints of my
wounded friends at the fall of stones upon
them finally decided my action, and con.
cluded to stop that danger and annoyance
to them by a personal interview with the
gentlemen on the other side of the work
Nv appearance at the time could not have
been prepossessing. Grimed with dirt
and powder, and wearing neither hat nor
shirt had given the latter garment to q
wounded comrade from whom had cut
his own in order to examine his hurt-my
blouse was insufficient to hide the disha-
bile entirely. BY way of Introduction
however. lifted the butt of my musket
into the air. pitched it forward on to the
top of the grade, and presently, drawi 9
an anxiously long breath. followed my
piece. looked down from the top upon
the bayonets and into the muzzles of the
muskets of Company f, Montgomery
Guards. of the First Louisiana. The noise
of the battle was still so great that they
! could not hear my request to be allowed
to jump down among them, but after an
apparently iuterminable instant or two
they understood my signs. made an open.
ing in the line of bayonet points and re-
ceived me with honor and welcome.
The occasion not being adapted for ex
tensive exchanges of the civilties of socia
| life. | was ordered to step down into the
ditch, out of the way. Here were few
Confederate soldiers. wounded about the
head and arms. tor whose comfort | did
what could while the battle progressed
Stonewall Jackson rode along the line
close 10 us, and the cheering "Montgom
cry Guards" lifted me into their ranks fol-
a view of 1.-The greatest general OF the
world" as they called him. But with
Jackson came the order to move forward
and |. as prisoner, was sent with &
guard to q rendezvous on Cross farm, s
mile or two more to the rear
4 ratt IN e.