The National tribune., 1889-05-09
BATTLE OF PERRYvILLE.
Terrible Casualties of the 1st Wis., in that Action

Terrible Casualties of the LIST Wis., In that Action.
EnIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Seeing an
article from man on "the other side" who
was on their right, and knowing that he must
have been on the same part of the line that l
was, being on our left, thought it might be
interesting to some of the old boys who were
there to review the little picnic from my stand
point.
By the time we got to Maxyille on the night
of the 18th of October it became evident that we
were crowdng Bragg pretty close, and as it
was MeCOoks day on the right we expected
some music, as that intrepid leader could never
lose an opportunity to stir them up whenever
he got in sight of Them but we were hardly
prepared for the reception we met with. We
got up at about a. M. on the morning of the
Sth and had breakfast, and then moved out
about daylight. 1t was our first chance in
regular battle, though we had been in the sery-
ice year, chasing John Morgan's " critter COM
pany over the best part Of Tennessee, and the
boys were so eager for the fray that the usual
order of steady on the right" was changed
to steady on the left" as there was at all
times danger of the line getting doubled up by
the left getting ahead
But, Notwithstanding our haste to get to the
field, they kept us marching and counter
marching back and forth and lying at rest
until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, so that
we began to fear that we should not get into
the fight at all This fear was suddenly dis
PEELED about that time, when we were marched
TO the extreme left and placed as support to
Bush's battery, then attached to our brigade,
and at that time engaged in Smelling some rebel
troops over on hill about half mile Oft. In
front of us and the battery, below the brow of
the hill, lay the 2lst Wis., who had been but
about two weeks in the service, and had been
nearly all the time marching, and had conse-
Quently never been drilled.
Between 3 and 4 o'clock thu. rebs debouched
from piece of woods a little &ay in our front
in column of regiments and made charge on
the battery. Before this sudden and impetu-
Gus charge the raw troops in our front were
thrown into confusion, and came back through
our ranks pell-m This was no more than
was to be expected of undisciplined troops
under so fierce and sudden an onslaught. They
rallied quickly in our rear like old veterans,
and still took a hand in the "scrimmage
About the time we arose TO our feet | was
struck in the head by piece Of shell, and, like
"Abner Dean OF Angels" the subsequent pro-
ceedings interested me no more | learned
from the rest of the boys, however, that the
battery was silenced in less than minute
nearly all the men and horses being shot down
in their tracks, and it became desperate hand
to-hand melee over the battery, they being
repeatedly driven back, and as often rallying
and coming to the scratch, until at last they
of the hill. After paying their compliments
to them until well out of range the boys took
hold OF the drag ropes and drew the battery
back into safer position. ! remained uncOn-
sclOus near the stone wall spoken of by our
Southern friend, until nearly sunset, when /
came to, and, though my geography had COM
pletely gone back on me- | went TO the rear
guided by the direction of the shot aud she'll
that occasionally came from the enemy My
wound proved TO be slight, and after washing
OH the blood, with which | was well smeared,
lelt about rs good as new, except that | was a
little groggy. l slept in field hospital yard
that night, aud was on duty the next day.
The next night was on detail that went out
TO bury the dead, and the sight saw that night
l shall never forget though it made but little
impression upon me at that time.
Out of our little company that numbered
about so men when we went into the fight, we
buried seven that night. | have made the
claim, as yet undisputed, that we lost in that
battle heavier than any regiment in the serv-
Ice III one fight. will give it about as | re-
member 1t, and any of the boys who read this
can correct me If | am wrong Number who
went into the fight, 319; killed on the field
60; died of wounds within week, II; left for
duty second day tthe rest being wounded), co.
And now here want to say something have
always meant 10 say in print, but have always
neglected; 1t may be OfiInportance to someone
Just as we were going into the fight in the
afternoon an Indiana man came along who had
got lost from his regiment, and asked to fall
into our ranks, and did so, and we buried him
that night on the field; at least that is as
heard 1t. / only know thatwe found strange
man on the field, dead and one of those on the
detail with me told me the circumstances. If
there is no mistake about it, he is among the
great army of the missing" that sleep in un-
known graves on Southern fields We captured
the battlefiag of the LIST Tenn, and had our
colors shot into ribbons, but were subsequently
presented with beautiful stand by the 4th
Ind. battery, which was afterward a bond of
union between the two commands-L. L.
KNOWLES, CO. G, LIST Wis, Ness City, Kan.