Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-03-03


owed them closely, and captured and
ient to the ree. O rebel battery, and the
part OF O Tennessee regiment,
hat had been semi to its support.
Breckenridge lost iTG0 men killed and
wounded N one short hour. Dur
ing the height of this terrific struggle,
,nr division WAS ordered in on Che lett GO
n reinforcement. We had to pc s in ths1
of the cannon, massed on q high
river bank; the volieys of musketry were
ln~cessant, but above the tumult could
30 heard the thunder of the cannon
the earth as with IN earthquake.
Down in those dark woods IL seemed rs
il ell pandemonium had been let loose,
and fallen angels we're trying to ex-
each other, using heavens
thunderbolts as weapons OF destruction.
These were moments engraven on the
memory TO! G lifetime, AS the battle.tide
loud cheers of victory
were given by Milier's troop and
were taken up in urn By the
and lett Of our whole army.
We crossed the river ct the ford, dashed
through ct o galiop, the water lashing
into foam, eannoneers mounted on the
ammunition chests and drivers cracking
their Whips and shouting to their horses
and occupied the very lines our troops
had been driven from but q short time
before. After the infantry had posted
their piokets, we lay down in line of bat
tie in the dark, and slept all night by
the guns, hungry, weary, in q chilling
rain, bit gloriously revived in our hearts
by the victory just won. Some of our
men went back to the river for water
and to water their horees, and it was
with difficulty, they could pass over
the ground, the dead. dying and .ound-
cd lay 30 thick. The rebels lay in win
rows, poor fellows, and our own men
were not few. Near n of our guns,
against q tree, reclined o man abont
forty FIVE or fifty years Of age, dressed in
the garb of an Episcopal minister, shot
through the body, and who resided in
Marfreeaboro, l think and that morning
joined his regiment as major. Our boys
conversed with, and felt very sorry for
him. He desired to be sent into the
rebel lines, SO that he could go to his
home and die, but of course that could
not be done, and We 80 notified the
bearers who conveyed him to an embul-
lance. ! learned that he died soon after
January Sd the rain continued, and ex.
cept sharp shooting by our skirmishere
bota armies acted on the defensive. A few
small fires are allowed our troops, owe,
which they bend their wet and shIvering
frames.
Immediately in our front; midway
between our line and the euemy's, is O
small frame house, in which our skirm.
isheSs discover q lot of delicious hams
The fcrsgers in our battery immediately
smell them, and risk their lives to ge,
them, They have to crawl on theis
hands and knees through the corn field
enter the smoke Eouse, secure a ham
and crawl back, at the risk OF getting {
bullet put through them. Geo. Shafer
into our battery with immense southern
sugar.cured bans, and every SOLDIER
knows what kind o. food that is. The
slices off that ham broiied were fit for G
kings
The infantry built breast.works o
logs and rails, o few scant rations Q
distributed among the half etarveo
troops, and then night sets in with q
lSRVy COEullUoUb Ibll.IaIl
About l a. m. We are ordered to mogt
back silently ACROSS the river and return
to onr former position on the right
other batteries follow, and then the In
fantry. Many OF the men fenr that th.
movement O retreat, but, thani
God, it did not. On the 4th. ii was dis
covered that the enemy had reiterated
and given us thevictory so hardly carr
ed and dearly bought.
In this battle Gen, Rosecrans hat
about $4,000 troops end his losses dur
ing the seven days Of battle amount
ed to about fourteen thousand men kill
ed wounded and prisoners. Gen. Bragg
forces exceeded $4,000 men, and his losse
amounted to. over 10000 men killed sn,
wounded. His cavalry were numericail
greatly superior to ours, which CAV
him q great advantage over as IN th
way of information IS to our movements
the guarding OF his wi communication
the cutting of our and whipping an
driving our cavalry back upon the il
fantry for protection.
Our victory has been called an il
decisive one by most military writer
but to my mind it was very decisive
as proved by subsequent events-tc
every one knows that eight month
elapsed and all middle Tennessee, an,
that key of the southwest. Chattanooga
fell into orr hands, before Bragg dar
take up Gen. Rosecrans' wager of battl
land not till he was reinforced by Ger
Longstreet's corps from Lees army. an
by other forces from ell points in th
south till his army ontnumbered our
by full twenty thousand men, did b
dare pause in his retreat and confron
the glorious old army OF the Cumberland
WIN. q. BALL, Yankton, Dak.
MOTEL forgot to say that while on our II
turn from Kentucky. which was then consider
cd q union state, . negro slave ran away frci
preston is-'.made . break for his freedom
and begged to go with us. ana save him fror
slavery. Nothing 10th, we consented an
covered spring, wagon) covered him up wit
blankets. Not long. Afterwards his msate
came into camp hunting for his escaped cha
out our brigade camp. Nobody had seen hi
of conrse, and he could not be In our oamp-h
could search for himteif-he did-but withou
where our sick and wounded were. carried. 8
after a fruitleaa search for hours, he gave it U
snd Z turned to his plantation minus q goo
field hand. We continued our march sever.
days before VIC released our duRky friend {
permitted the captain to know We had stolen
slave from o s'uuion slave HOLDER or b
msster. When he did see light and freedom
wan too late to return him, for VIC were mile
away from his former home and no communi
cah n between the two places. Jordan. as th
slave eaid hia name was, was a happy man an
ever afterwards our friend. He cooked an
washed for the boys and made himself use
iui generally; was ready 70 dance and sing 9
work L r hts northern friends and staid wit
the battery for months. I havs fer5otten hi
after history.
The Coming Comet.
1t is fancied by a prgtefnj netron FIN