The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-02-18
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
SALERATUS PLAINS.
sCui Bono" Tells Some OF the Marvellous Doings
of the 10th Oshkosh.

Of the 10th Oshkosh.
To TIE EDITOR: For two years ! have read
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE with great interest,
but among the numerous accounts of battles,
battery recaptures ag-planting episodes, who
fired the last shot, and who stole the goose, l
have not found an authentic account of the
battle of SaleratUs Plains, and Will say right
here that i am greved beyond expression at
the lack of attention displayed by our
photographers in not giving this sanguinary
affair place in history. Graphic dcscrip-
.ions of personal valor may become slightly
distigurcd, but i am satisfied that there is
nothing under the sun that SO beautifully repre-
sents that gentle touch of nature which makes
the whole world kin. With your permission
will describe the naked facts in relation to the
battle of Saleratus Plains, imparting that rich
flavor and peculiar poignancy best betting the
historian.
That no one may have reason to complain or
charge me with displaying partiality toward
any particular army or branch of the service,
will venture the assertion that the regiments
in our brigade were the best fighters, foragers,
fast and long marchers in the service, and as
gritty as piece of liver rolled in sand.
On the morning of Feb. %, 1865, the sun
melted the mist out of the atmosphere as the
kiln dried bugler of our regiment crawled out
of his dog-tent. Posing his battered bugle
with proud mien, he sent forth an ear piercing
blast which echoed across the valley and was
hurled defiantly back from the Threats Of a
thousand mules. Scarcely had the last notes
of the reveille died in the distance, when firing
was heard in the direction of Polecat Ford,
where Capt. Q. Cumbcr's battery was stationed,
lust 10 miles from our cantonment. The 10th
Oshkosh and l41th Kalamazoo Immediately
hastened to the front Three miles from camp
they came to a cross road. The General was
undecided, not knowing which road led to the
Ford, but finally our regiment turned to the
right and the other regiment to the left con-
sequently the 10th Oshkosh arrived on the
field at the same moment the 147th Kalamazoo
did. There always was great rivalry between
those two regiments.
We established line of battle facing the
front, our right resting on Widder Winekoops
hen-house. The 147th formed on our left,
well protected behind an ant-hill. Our Skin
mishers were ordered to advance, climb tree,
and throw up intrenchmentS. The 1l1th
Tiskilwa Cav. guarded our extreme rear.
From this concise statement the reader will
readily see that our position was more or less
impregnable. We charged with feverish haste,
before which the rebs quailed rapidly but
naturally. Strong man as | am, am not too
proud to say that we reveled in the gore OF
motherless orphans. After that the battle
ragged with incessant ferocity, strewing the
plain with CHASTITY fragments of carnage, from
which the very earth shrank with dread.
During the hight of the engagement the
color-bearer Of our regiment was hit several
consecutive times, and every time he sprang
forward and planted the colorS on the enemy S
courthouse. While leading a charge over a
bridge burned by the enemy, the Colonel of
the I17th Tiskilwa Cav. was blown through a
crotch of a whiteoak tree and landed in the
bosom of woodpecker's nest terribly mutilat-
ing his feelings. / assure you, gentle reader,
that was mighty warm fight.
Col. Won Unocker, who commanded our bri-
gade was a hustler He was as gentle as a
child, very modest, and possessed of an unique
military intellect and sedentary habits all OF
which he acquired at West Point
see that Comrade Metaphor claims that if
more of our men had been killed or wounded
at Saleratus Plains, the list of casualties would
have been larger / fail to discover his object
in thus disappearing the facts. / am 10th
to accuse the comrade of fasehood, but will
simply say that he prevaricates.
] shall be pleased beyond conception to hear
from any of my comrades who escaped from the
bloody vortex of Saleratus Plains-CUI Bono,
10th Oshkosh V. ", Detroit, Mich.