Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-08-10
A War % Accidents,

ITS all bcsh, said Mr., Lamar TO New
York Sun correspondent, ITO call me alb
sent minded. was never abscH,. minded
or bewildered IN my life, except in battle
In osicial life can keep rs straight and
regular as clock, But I'll own up 10 get
ting bewildered in battle. l never knew
Where I was nor where The enemy we're.
After had been in two or three fights l
concluded that must lay down some de-
finite rule OF conduct in a fight TO which
/ could hold myself, for il / did not,
could not tell where NY bewilderment
might some day take me and my regiment
i decided that no matter what happened,
would always go ahead in a straight line
Just rs far rs circumstances and the enemy
would let me. At the battle of Williams
burg followed this rule so far that it
nearly cost our people the services Of my
self and regiment. II ii had not been for
A. P. Hill my first extended Acquaintance
with the north would have been made from
The slender sign Of vantage to be had in a
military prison. charged ahead SO hot
and 80 fast that when halted my enii1e
regiment was through the enemy's lines and
In their rear. Hill, however, came up on
each side of my regiment and drove the
enemy back. AS lie rode up to me he Sid:
"Col. Lamar, do you know where you
are2" had 10 acknowledge very linn
ited amount OF information on that point,
and was never more surprised in my life
than 10 learn that had gone through the
enemy's lines. Gen. Hill told ME to take
my regiment TO the rear and let his men
60 on, but ! begged 10 be permitted to go
on, and 80 my regiment wac put in line
with Hills brigade and went on.
81 used to think" Mr.. Lamar went on
to say, "before saw much fighting that
the slaughter must be frightful. / could
not see how, where so many bullets were
Tying, there was any chance at all ior men
to escape being bit. But | soon wandered
how anybody was hit at all. My men
TINT day at Williamsburg shot themselves
all ont Of ammunition twice. When we
went into hivon.e at night l went about
asking the boys how they felt. / met one
big Mlssls-lppian from my home town.
"Joln, did you FIRE of all your pow
der?'
NO." lie said, Il tried hard all day, col.
onel, to do my best, and didn't fire but
twice. I've got my ammunition here,
and he tapped his Cartridge box.
"'You fired twice p said. Did yor
hit 'em those lines ?"
"Well, colonel, 10 tell the truth,
missed one Yank, and I'm in doubt nbou
The other
"Thai illustrates war, said the secretary
"A lot Of men march out and proceed Il
creaie lot Of accidents. The side iha
can produce the most accidents for III
creates, number Of consecutive hours win
the day"
[Why, Col. Lamar was about as mucl
dazed rs was that Government muie dow
in the Mexican war, that took its ride
right through the ireaser's lines and kei
on TO the rear. BY the way we remembe
Ferry with his division at 3 A. NJ. on ih
morning alter ST. Andrews Day had bee
celebrated on the evening prevous by Il,
officers Of the 9th and 7Ih o. V. l., an
but short distance beyond Charlesl"w
he came very near having the two Hill
come npon each side Of his command, vii
the view of getting in his rear. One I
these Hills was labeled "a. r." Gel
Geary was anxious to know II Gen. Lee
: command was at Winchester, but learne
just in time that there was two man
HillH to climb between C,arle-town an
WinchesIer--'nd lie reported to Gen. Slt
Z cum quiIe promptly