The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-03-25
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Oar Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
A Spirited Account of One of The Last Battles
AVERYSBORO.

Spirited Account of One of The Last Battles.
To THE EDITOR: Much has been written by
the boys about the bloody battle of Rentonyille,
but nothing as yet has been said about its
immediate predecessor, AveTyshoro. March 10,
1865, three days previous to that of Bentonvllle,
our brigade composed of the 10th Ind, l02d,
105th and l29th H.. and 18th Ohio, was known
as the First Brigade Third Division, Twentieth
Corps. We moved out Of Fayetteville, n. C., on
the morning of the 18th Of March, 1860, and
after going about 10 miles we found the enemy
under the rebel Gen. HarGcc at place known
as Silver Run. They had here stopped and re-
fused to be driven any farther by the foragers
Early on the morning of the 10th we moved
and soon stirred up big nest of hornets. The
Second Brigade, under Gen. Daniel Dustin, was
drawn up across the road, and we were drawn up
behind them aud ordered to load. Looking
away across an open field we could plainly see
the rebel works nearly three-fourths of mile
away; then we lett-laced aud moved around to
the left until we had passed the enemy. Our
regiment was on the right and the 10Th Ohio
was on the left. The l29th H. was thrown out
as skirmishers. When we moved TO the front
we had made detOur TO the left, and was
then in a position at right angles with the
Second Brigade, which we had left in line of
battle. The skirmishers soon found the enemy.
We pressed forward and waded small creek
waist deep. Then we saw how well we had
flanked the enemy's position. About % rods
ahead we could see, by getting down and look
ing through under the limbs, the rebels iii large
force facing the Second Brigade with three
small black cannOn-six Founders. 1t was Gen.
Rhetts Brigade of Charleston artillery, armed as
infantry, that we had 10 deal with. Some of them
wore Yankee blue, and some of US, who had been
raiding so long, were in gray rags, and we were a
little undecided as TO whether We had not made
q mistake in taking them for rebels. But soon
a shell from one of our batteries near the Sec
RTipaUp of lhar-p CHI
and the explosion that followed killed every
one of the battery horses attached to it. All
doubts were then expelled as to their Identity
and Maj. Clay, who commanded our regiment
ordered a charge, the 18th moving with US
We rushed with wild cheers firing we adj
vanced, and the rebels, completely surprised
and outlianked, broke and it seemed to me as
If never saw any set of men that could run
so fast. Yelling and shooting our brigade
swept down the enemy's works, in rear of and
parallel TO them, gobbling the three guns re-
ferled TO. At the instant of our charge the
Second Brigade also charged and came over the
works like cyclone but we had passed and they
came in behind Us, and making right wheel
were our support for the rest of the engage
ment. We got good many prisoners at
the battery we captured they did not have
time to get out of the trench behind their
works. The flying rebels left guns, blankets,
and knapsacks in their flight. Reaching heavy
timber we were halted and the line reformed,
and again advanced. The second line of works
was nothing but old logs and brush, and was
found abandoned; but the third line was more
substantially built. For some reason we We're
not allowed to charge, but kept pressing them
ali that afternoon, and some fierce fighting at
times took place. We crowded up TO within
20 rods of them and built strong line of
works. Just before night cold rain set in,
and the boys will all remember what misera-
BILE night we passed. In the morning the reb-
els were ali gone. We followed them as far as the
village of Averysboro, and three days later the
battle of Bentonville took place.-CHAREs N.
CASTLE, Corporal, Co. ID, l02d ILL.,, Yorktown,
Iowa.