The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-11
SP0NGE-STAFF IN HAND.
EXPERIENCE OF A YOUNG ARTll-
lERYMAN AT COLD HARBOR.

Resinning the Eighth u Great Rumble
bees Nest-A Cannon Turns a Summer
set in the Air-Death and Destruction
Dealt Out on Every Side.
We arrived there Gold Harbon in the
night, and at once went into position. Wrap
ping "A blanket around me | lay down under
my gun and went to sleep Before iaybreak
on June }, lSil, the infantry massed around
us was aroused; officers FASTENED to and fro;
staff officers rode rapidly through the dark
ness up and down the lines, giving final
orders. We artiIlerymen were reused up
Eating o,T scanty breakfast, we took our re-
spective positions at the Napoleon guns.
was No. | on the No. / gun of the right Sec
6on of the battery. ] stood leaning against
the cool brass piece with my sponge-staff in
hand | gaaed intently to where | supposed
the rebel carthworks were, and wondered if
my luck would take me through this fight I'M
hurt, us it had through past battles | noticed
that my water bucket for the sponge was
empty Leaning my staff against the gun,
unlocked it, and, explaining the need to the
gunner, walked off to a swamp and filed the
bucket. Returning to my piece placed the
bucket on the ground under the muzZle of
the gun, AMI then resting against the cannon
! resumed the business of waiting The
heavy columns of infantry began to move by
Men recognizing the battery spoke to us as
they marched past i'll the dim gray light of
breaking dawn. | was asked the questions:
Whats ahcal of u.s." Are the works
SfrD.tp~4N ssIs | ao,-,s, f,,nt ~
as" And a boy of Il years DID, answered
as the whim took me.
just hoiorc sunrise the troops were in posi-
ton and our captain gave the command
commence firing | dampen my sponge,
ram tie first cartridge home and step back
\ lond report, IA cloud of smoke and the bat
tie of Cold harbor has began rapidly
sponge ont, "A turn of the wrist, u whizzing of
tin sponge staff i'll the air, No 2 puts the
cartridge IN the gun, ram it home and spring
hack clear of the wheel | give a hurried
glance toward the rebel line, and catch sight
Of the smoke of cannon, and realize that their
guns have Just been manned, | fairly jump
to and from my gun. The smoke grows
thicker am at last thoroughly warmed NJ
to the battle.
IN A GREAT BUMBLEBEE'S NEST.
a whstlinC of bullets among us sounding
as though We were III great bumblebee's
nest. the shrek of solid shot and shell as they
tear through the battery, the duh 'thud" of
bullets instantly followed by EXPLANATIONS OF
pain. the falling Of artIlervmen- pass un.
cared for. | simply sponge and ram and
look ahead. No. > just opposite me, standing
with cartridge in his hand, suddenly
pitches forward dead As | jerk the sponge
out Of the gun lean over toward him and
pick up the cartridge and place it in the gun
As | step back | see the man who is to take
No. rs place Jerk the dead body impatentlv
10y the legs 60 get it out of the way. Stepping
back, lool, over to No, , gun, and involun-
tar'ly smll" Ia see the great piece rapidly
turn slnnmerSUt in the air Bits of wood
and iron fly off to the rear, and the gun comes
down with a great thud on the ground
stop smiling rs | see the poor men in scarlet
trimmed jackets, my comrades, lying dead
around the wrecked cannon
Up through the smoke comes a bare-headed
officer on horseback. Telling our officers &c
stop firing, he disappears rs rapidly ms he
came, The battery is silent; the smoke clears
Oft, and ! see that the sun is not vet IN. and
that two long lines of men in blue are living
ON the earth in front of us. Suddenly the
foremost line springs up. The charging cheer
+ heard and they 90 at the rebel works on
ram swift, brave charge, and in front Of
Us Red division, second corps successful We
hear the charging cheer way off to the right
t. the let, and know that a general charge
all along the line is being made Seated
astridc my gun, ! watched our Red division
carry the ii line and start for the second
But also sw that Barlows second line, his
supports, did not move forward So sat ano
sorrowfully saw the first line get whipped
| had not long To wait. The rebels had mts
the swift. brave charge with their usual cour.
age, ;tnd the assault was repulsed. In twenty
minutes from the time that the men cheered
and charged they were back where they had
started from; but some 1900 dead and
wounded bay between the lines of battle, and
tipy were ali in blue-Cincinnati CONNER
cial Galrttc