The National tribune., 1886-06-03
PITTsBuRG LANDING.
The Part Taken In the Fight by the lFt ninu.
Battery.

Mo-, quartered in Benton Barracks first. and
sbout January, 1862, transferred TO the United
States Arsenal, whore il received Its guns,
horses and whole outfit, and whence it was
shipped to Cairo H.. and thence up the Ten
nessee River TO pittsburg Landing, arriving
there in the later part of February. We were
assigned 10 Buclslands Brigade Of Sherman s
! Division, aud were encamped within short
distance Of thes0-called Shiloh Church until the
evening of April 4, when orders were received
transferring Us 10 Prentiss's Division, about two
miles to the left. On Saturday we moved camp,
and struck our tents in full sight of Prentisss
headquarters and alongside of portion 1.-TWO
sections) of the 9th Ohio battery Chicken
loopers). Being bent on putting camp in as
] good shape as possible for Sunday inspection,
we were out and at il bright and early. 1T
must have been soon after o'clock in the morn
ing when we heard the first firing in what we
then supposed was the front, but little atten-
tion was Paid to il, everyone supposing that the
pickets were firing of their guns on being re-
lieved.
About o'clock we noticed a commotion
nj the headquarters; the General and his
staff mounting and riding of in the direction
whence the firing came. The 18th Wis, arrived
the day before fresh from Madison, Wis, and
were camped little TO the left and front of us,
left their camp and marched in the same direc-
tiOn, while we had orders TO be ready TO move
at a moments warning. For about 10 or Is min
utes all was hurry and hustle in camp, then we
stood ready, waiting for the order. Without
rstiOns, without baggage of any kind. leaving
our knapsacks packed in our tents under charge
of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and the wagon
| master, who, by the way, had six baggage wag-
ons under him. we finally left the camp under
orders 10 proceed TO the front, following the
four guns of the 9th Ohio. We had not pro-
ceeded over three-quarters Of a mile when the
latter pulled out TO the left Of the road and
commenced 90 get into battery. We formed
on the right OF the road, but before we had un-
lmbered, the rebels, whom we saw skulling
through the woods, opened on us, and one man
(Stinson) fell shot through the neck, while three
Others - LammeTs Davis and Blood - were
wounded. (The two first named subsequently
died Of theirwouBds, although il is the writer's
opinion that either Of the two with proper
care would have recoyered.) Our Captain soon
perceived that the rebels had discovered two
batteries firing on them with not solitary in
fantryman TO cover them, and determined
on taking them in. He gave the order TO
Timber 10 the rear, and owing 10 his sound
judgment and good sense shown in the manner
in which we had formed into battery, we re-
tired without leaving any Of our guns, although
The left piece Of the center section had become
disabled, the trail breaking in two at the ele-
walton screw. Ia our retreat we did not see
anything more Of the four guns Of the 5th Ohio,
but understood that in trying to timber up,
their limbers were upset and they became en-
tangled in the underbrnsh, SO that TO save men
and horses they cut the harness and left their
guns in the hands Of the rapidly following
rebels.
When our battery, retreating, passed our
camp, the writer made a flying visit 10 il
sna found TO his asionshment that our gallant
teamsters had left camp with empty wagons,
never attempting even to take our sick along,
much less anything else. While directing a
couple Of sick comrades who were still in the
tents unaware Of the condition Of things, what
direction 20 take. the rebel bullets commenced
TO dy about, indicating that they were closing
up pretty fast When ] reioiDed the battery
il had just taken new position - a small ele-
walton, with open field 20 our left, and was
awaiting the enemy. de came, and while we
were cOntesting has advance Capt. Aunch's
horse received bullet In his head and fell, and
In attempting to remove his saddle the Captain
himself received a ball in his thigh, disabling
him for further service on that field He was
placed iD an ambulance and his last words be-
fore he left US, were: "Give 'em 'sheollW or
words TO thst effect. The command Of the bat
terry now deyOlved upon senior First Lieut..
Wm. Piaencer, who soon after was directed TO
! Timber 10 the rear again. Here we met the
first organized body Of troops coming 10 our
Euccor i think il was a brigade Of either
1 Hurlbut's or Wallace's Division. Our battery
became separated; the writer's gun. the re-
naming one OF the center section, under Lieut..
4 Fisher, soon was placed in position within a
4 few yards of an open Geld, on the other side OF
which a large log house and barricades built
/ by the rebels were taken for our aim. We
were lringpercussiOn shells al them. The guns
: had become dirty, the water in the sponge
4 bucket had been spilled and no other water
could be obtained the consequence was that
I one Of the shells, the lining of which had been
loosened IN some way, stuck about hallway
down the piece. We were in a dilemma what
10 do; ramming was Of no use, but even dan
1 Eerons 10 ourselves. We did not dare to FIRE il,
for fear Of exploding the piece and iniuring
some Of the men surrounding u.s. Finally IL
was decided to 90 back 10 the landing, where
we would find the gun with the broken trail,
dismount The piece, and mount it on our car
/ riage.
When we arrived on the edge Of the hill
I forming the landing we found 10 covered
with soldiers, who had taken refuge there from
the rebel shot and bullets. who had given up
sll hope and turned deaf ear TO entreaties OF
officers, asking them for Gods sake 10 rise and
90 out 70 assist their brethren, who within a
mile OF them tried 30 stem the onslaught OF the
victorious foe. This crowd was 50 panic
/ stricken, 50 discouraged and disheartened that
/ nothing but a miracle seemed 10 be able 30 re-
/ vive them. The most blO0d-curdling stories OF
4 Southern cruelty, murder. and vengeance
passed around, and had the Tennessee River
not formed such efectual barrier 10 their
/ retreat many Of them would never have stop
ped until they reached their Northern homes.
Fortunately the steamboats, lying at the land
ing had been ordered 10 move out into the
stream, otherwise no power on earth could
have prevented those desperate fellows from
crOwaing on 10 them, overlooking and sink
/ Ing them It took IA more than an hour "a
reach our broken gun, down at the foot Of the
landing, as we had 10 use all kinds Of means %
move the men out Of our road. When nj last
we had 6eryiccable gun again, aud wanted
70 return 10 our position with the rest OF
I the battery, all trace Of the same had been
lost and we were compelled 10 remain where
1 we stood.
il was about o'clock p. "a. when, 10 oul
great joy tie other four guns made their
appearance, but in what plight. They had
been with Gen. PrcBtiss and W. III. i. Wallacs
IN that botly-cOntested fight at the so-calleC
Hornets Nest IL was the lst Mimi. battery
one section under Lieut.. Pfaender, the o'hel
under Lieut.. PEBBLES which, together with .
Missouri battery, stood there for hours, repelin,
charge after charge, aud receiving, after All, bu
little praise for their action. WhyY Gen
Wallace, the man who had supported our gum
with his regiments who had stood alInos
among them, watching the execution Of thei
shots, laid down his life upon the altar of hi
country few minutes after be had give,
Lient Pfaender orders 20 try and get his gun