The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-12
Experience Of a Young ArtIlIerymap.

- A~"n8 NJ ssAAOi mous
We arrived there (Cold Harbor) in
the night, and at once went into. posi-
ton. Wrapping a blanket around me
lay down under my gun and went to
sleep. Before daybreak on June 3,
1864, the infantry massed around us
was aroused; officers fastened to and
iro; staff officers rode rapidly through
the darkness, up and down the lines,
giving final orders. We artillerymen
We're aroused up. Eating our scanty
breakfast, we took our respective posi-
lions at the Napoleon guns. / was No.
on the No. l gun OF the right section
OF the battery. 1 stood leaning against
the cool brass piece with my SPONGE
staff in hand. 1 gazed intently to
where l supposed the rebel earthworks
were, and wondered if my luck would
take me through this fight unhurt, as
1t had through past battles. noticed
that my water bucket for the sponge
was empty. Leaning my staff against
the gun, L unlocked it, and, explain
ing the need to the gunner, walked off
to a swamp and filled the bucket. Re-
turning TO my piece placed the bucket
on the ground under the muZzle of the
gun, and then resting against the can
non / resumed the business of waiting.
The heavy columns of infantry began
to move by. Men recognizing the bat
terry spoke to us as they marched past
In the dim gray light of breaking
dawn. L was asked the questions /:
whats ahead of us? "Are the works
strong?" Us Longstreet's corps in
front o. II how of IT
old, answered as the within took me.
Just before sunrise the troops were
In position and our Captain gave the
command, Commence firing" 1
dampen my sponge, ram the first
cartridge home and step back. A loud
report, cloud of smoke, and the battle
of Cold Harbor has began. l rapidly
sponge out, turn of the wrist, q
whizZing of the sponge staff in the air.
No. 2'puts the cartridge in the gun, L
ram it home and spring back clear of
the wheel. L give hurried glance to-
ward the rebel line, and catch sight of
the smoke of the cannon, and realize
that their guns have just been manned.
1 fairly Jump to and from my gun.
The smoke grows thicker: | am at last
thoroughly warmed up to the battle.
A whistling of bullets among us
sounding as though we were in great
bumblebee's nest, the shrek of solid
shot and shell as they tear through the
battery, the dull "thud" of bullets in
stantly followed by ordinations of
pain, the falling of artillerymen-all
pass uncared for. L simply sponge
and ram and look ahead. No. 2, 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 1 step back L see the man
who is to take No. rs place jerk the
dead body impatiently by the legs to
get it out of the way. Stepping back
/ look over to No. 2 gun, and involun-
tarily smile to see the great piece rap
idly turn summerset in the air. Bits
of wood and iron fly off to the rear, and
the gun comes down with q great thud
on the ground / stop smiling as I see
the poor men in scarlet-trimmed jack
cts. my comrades, lying dead around
the wrecked cannon.
Up through the smoke comes bare
headed officer on horseback. Telling
our officers to stop firing, he disap-
pears as rapidly as he came. The bat
terry is silent; the smoke clears off, and
l see that the sun is not yet up, and
that two long lines of men in blue are
lying on the earth in front of us. Sud-
denly the foremost line springs up.
The charging cheer is heard, and they
go at the rebel works on a run. A
swift, brave charge, and in front of us
(Red Division, Second Corps success
full. We hear the charging cheer way
off to the right, to the left, and / know
that general charge all along the
line is being made. Seated astride my
gun, l watched our Red Division carry
the first line and start for the second.
But / also saw that Barlow's second
line, his supports, did not move for
ward. So l sat and sorrowfully saw
the first line get whipped.
/ had not long to wait. The rebels
had met the swift, brave charge with
their usual courage, and 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 ten thou
sand dead and wounded lay between
the lines of battle, and they were all
in blue.