The National tribune., 1886-09-09
KELLY'S FORD.
6rsphie Account OF that pesperate Battle.

Confederatcs under Gen. Lee fanked our Gen.
Meade'sl army back from the Rapidan TO Fair
fax Courthouse, and with raiding forces de-
stroyed the Orange & Alexandria Railroad.
Gen. Meade soon got twist on the foxy Con-
federate, aud in turn drove him back toward
Richmond and AS we advanced we rebuilt the
o. &. A. Railroad. This was no little task |
assure you, for there were large trees felled
whole into most Of the cuts, with old stumps
and other rubbish inieTmiziug with Virginia
red clay and gravel rendering our Iabors to clear
them irSsomc indeed
It was bright morning when our advance,
the Berdan ShaTpshOoters, of DE Trobriand's
Brigade, reached the RappahannOck River at
Kelly's Ford. The COnfederates we're sur
prised in the act of drilling some recruits on
our side of the river, but made good time across
TO their works, which consisted of five lines of
rihe-pits, one over the other, cut into the face
of the precipitous bluff on the other side of the
river.
l was in our sIirmish-line which advanced
TO the river bank. There had been several
dwellings along the river OH this side. but now
only the cellars and foundations remained.
These served us well as cover in sharp-shoot-
ing, which at once became intensely interest
ng;-yOu see the game shot back. We had
about 400 yards range to their rife-pits. At
first their men changed about uneasily from
pit TO pit as if they had not learned their right
places but soon tired of this, as many of them
were shot while so exposed, so that ut last quite
intervals would pass without our getting shot.
There were several of US in one cellar near the
brink. We heaped the stones in the two cor
ners toward the enemy and stationed two Of
our best shots there, and the rest Of us busted
ourselves with loading rifles and handing to
our two champions to fire. they handing down
the empty guns; thiswhe the work was warm.
At one time the left man shouted, There goes
two! Sam, you take one and I'll take the
other" and muttering " allow about eight feet
for wind drift of the ball" The two rifles
cracked together, and the left-hand Johnny
fell, while the other, OblivOus of all except his
own safety, FASTENED to cover, leaving his COM
rade lying at full length OH the slope. I've
fetched him !" shouted Sam. "Did you fire at
the one on ~ side?" said the left of the
two sharpshOOteTs. Sam insisted that he had
done just that thing. The two men belonged to
different companies and were not well ac-
quainted. Each doubted the others claim to
having aimed at the now PROSTATE Johnny.
Later, after etlecting crossing, il was found that
both shots hit him, he stating that both came
together, one through the right thigh, the
other through the left hip. The shots were
about Is inches apart in his anatomy. But to
our recital. Presently the bugle sounded the
assembly opposite the ford, the slOYer-mOying
columns of infantry had come up, and forlOrn-
hope column was formed to charge through the
tlNcTt slulLl Tue anu tucCl u ulNtIolOu
from RappahAnn0ck Station, which stronghold
of the enemy was being attacked but few miles
away. We were placed in the third line of the
attacking column. / remember feeling tick
lish," as while waiting the order TO advance all
manner of leaden missiles whiZzed and sang
about our ears. They did not all pass. Some of
them found Judgment in the bodies of our COM
rades, and more than one good, tall fellow sud
denly threw up his hands, whitened in features
and Cauv IN ri fUosa m tkosa paUz m
the line! Close up! Close up there!" was the
stern order of our commander. Soon the adj
vance sounded. The first and second lines in
the attacking columns seemed 10 fairly melt
away, and were swept OF by the swift rushing
waters, which were about three feet deep in
the center.
did not feel the water OF realize if it was
hot or cold. They made il boil with bullets A
feeling of rage incomprehensible, overpowerng,
at sight of our slaughtered comrades seized
upon US. Only about dozen OF our line sue
ceeded in crossing and rs We climbed the first
rife-pt our Brigadier General, Beforehand,
galloped battery to the bluff behind us and
opened over our heads upon the enemy in the
pits above us, leaving US only the one in hand TO
battle with. As we looked down on this there
| lay about so las we were afterward iniormed)
| of them packed in the bottom Of the pit like
sardines. One of them, Sergeant, who seemed
! to be in command, seeing our scant number,
shouted " Pick up your guns, men, and drive
them back There are but few Yanks over
yet" One of our officers called out to Corporal
| LYMAN, of Co. F. "ShOot that mani" He
was instantly shot, and his command marched
| back through the river the way we had come
as prisoners. i remember the rush up the
steep through thick sitting smoke to the next
| line of pits, the fOrked jets of fire splitting
| through the smoke into our faces, the shouts of
officers and men, the groans and shrieks OF the
wounded, impaled bayonets or blown
| through from the muZZleS of opposing rifles.
At first time seemed long-an age, but soon
the fever of battle cast all thought OF time aside
Men who at home or about camp were quiet,
peaceful gentlemen were transformed into de-
| mons with white faces and blazing eyes. They
| cut and thrust and shot and stabbed and
charged until the last line of pits was carried
and the last of the prisoners in gray marched
sullenly down the steep under the Provost
Guard. About 90 rods from the bluff, in the
center of the plain, was an earthwOrk, which
we soon had in our possession, and stationed
ourselves on its reverse, facing more formida-
BILE line of works of earth and timbers along
the edge of the forest beyond. We tried three
times TO drive them from this, but they were
too many aud too well covered, so we sullenly
swapped shots with them from this last work
Lead and iron lewcarelessly about A huge Swiss
sharpshooter belonging to Go. A turned his side
long handled frying pan fastened on the back
of his knapsack and knocked the bottom out o.
il. Then q strain of profanity in the Swis:
dialect filtered through the dropping shots anC
covered us like a pail. The poor fellow re
fused TO be cOmforted. and ever aud anon would
gnash his teeth aud lift up his voice in what W,
knew from his gestures and the way the gut
teral tones chOked him, were not blessings OF
the Johnny Teb who fred that shot. Some
cavalry came out of tine w. about 800 yards
10 our left and showed desire 10 sweep around
our rear and cut us Off from the river but
dozen of our best long-range shots were ordered
10 our left and soon scattered them. One o
our boys who, until this day, had never shirkeC
any duty assigned him, hung back when w
charged over the river, but came over with thu
fourth line and laid down in the first rifle pi
after its capture; so followed us a little benin,
until we were at the last earthwork where h
lay sheltered from the enemy's fire. i saw hin
start up when the men were called for the lon
range firing on the cavalry, but that he imme
diately dropped bach under cover, as if afraid
Later as passed him, he sat cross-legged at tn
front of the work, with his rifle across his legs
Presently, muttering 10 himself /" / may as wei
[ try u 900-yard shot, too" he half rose with hi
rife to his face, looking toward our left. Tn
instant the side of his head appeared above TIT
works bullet passed though it and he droppe,
at our feet. The light died out of his keen blu
| eyes, the rich ruddy color out of his cheeks, tn
cold, steely blue settled in, and he was dead
Poor fellow all day he had a premonitiOn o
this, and had struggled in vain to overcome il
His record in the past had been so good that N
: one, officer or man, had appeared to notice hi