The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-01-03
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE SERGEANT.
What lIas Become OF All ihe Regimental Liars

lean and cadaverous, with warriors mustache,
an eve like an eagle-very fierce III Times OF
peace. fer which he received Sergeantey III
the Z0uaye company OF the 23d ny, long De
fore any gunpoWder had scented the alr wlthlh
200 miles Of said troops Some OF the boys
wondered why he WAS not made Colonel at
once: for surely in the first engagement with
the enemy the Sergeant would make such a
name for himself as would make the victories
Of Gen Grant look insignificant compared to
his chance for gore to bis boot-tops was
his desire. The timid ones of the company
dreaded a collision with the Confederate forces,
knowing full well that in case the three com
missioned officers and the Orderly should be-
come disabled this daredevil Sergeant would,
for his country and glory, lead them on TO VIC
tory OF death The regiments first blood was
when Forrest charged them near Woodbury.,
Tenn, Aug p 1862 in which action Gen.
Grose aud piece of artillery headed the Ser
geaut OF IN The way Of command. causing
Forests first defeat. With the assistance OF
tie regiment the dead and wounded were
cared for. The fight was over so quickly thaV
no opportunity WAS given the sergeant 10
mutilate any; nor were any OF tie oulcefs kll!-
cd IN his company whose vacancy ne would LitIl
heir TO- This was a sad disappointment 10
him. but the war went on just the same, and
the languishing 23d Ky. was compelled TO Eooi
il ahead OF Bragg in the hot Summer months
clear 10 the OHIO River, and had nothing 10
live on bat thoroughbred Kentucky cattle
lambs, fresh hog Ia little too fat, bUttered DIS
cult. cheese and pie. No doubt all who par
ticipated in the Buell. retreat will agree with
me as TO my correctness Of the bill OF fare. ibe
Sergeant did not enjoy the rich living and the
daily walk Of . miles 10 create en appetite
and help digestion. His melodious voice ceased
10 yibrate on the morning air as OF old. Had
be been aware that there was so much march
ing and swallowing Of dust and such he would
have taken service on q guub0at-such as pass
ed through the streets of Columbus at the last
National Eucampmeut. Patriotism was fast
evaporafing. lie even envied Aimrod b., who
for the present held the soft position OF riding
on a critter.
Bat better days came when he reached Louis
vile. The regiment was camped Oh Potato
Island Just between the canal and the OHIO
River. We were permitted TO draw new cloth
ing, as there was general complaint OF the
old having so much red sand IN them that IL
caused an itching similar 20 a flea bite. IL
had even been whispered by the Sergeant
that some other regiments belonging to the
brigade had actually gotten lousy.
The morning of the third day in camp the
regiment received four months pay. With
Louisville OF one side and Jacksonville on the
other, TO tempt and lure the soldier who had
been at the front and gathered Tennessee corn
crop, and knew they were liable 10 do u again;
with So IN new gTeenbacks earned by just
pr0menadiug round over the country matter
Of four months-it was too much 10 endure.
So by night abont 200 23d Ky. patriots swan
the Ohio River and landed on the Indiana
shore. But - men remained, at the earnest
solicitation Of the Sergeant No doubt his
timely efforts prevented the desertion Of the
Chaplain. Hospital Steward and Drum-Aaj0r.
However, enc Lieutenant got away, or rather
volunteered to follow the Preachers, with
the view OF organizing the right and LETT wing,
the center still being on Potato Patch. The
Lieutenants efforts succeeded very nicely, he
being the only soldier that had 10 be sent FOR,
the balance ali reporting within 10 days. When
the command was given TO fall IN and march
through the city OF Louisville the - remaining
martyrs made such a forlorn-lOOking appear
ance that the Colonel became ashamed of his
command. de left us then and there Ii
strange city, frleudless and thirsty, 10 battle
ont this war as best We could, with 10 enc 10
assist rs but $4,000 veterans and $4,000 new
troops EmOthered in gray blankets and home
baggage. We never saw the Colonel again.
He had been presented with 500 sword Tor
sticking 10 Us so long. But now, as these 200
braves had left without permission, who could
blame him for accepting the proud position of
Grand Mogul Of Louisville? Still, with al this
change IN the battalion, our chief Sergeant did
not climb one step farther in the line Of promo
tion-he was q slayer all the same
Skirmishes were fought, prisoners captured,
bogus rebel money passed, many miles OF march
4LE bLIDAEl AElNuLhH du0 4GuEGboSE dSSD4l-
plshed and Layergne and Stewards Creek
captured, until on the evening Of the 30th of
December, 1852, the 23d Ky. Doves were placed
IN line of battle IN a cOttonfield. But at day
light il was considered as rather interfering
with the cotton crop, so We changed position 10
the rear just in time to prevent the rebels
from chawiug up the center, as they had al
ready done the right wing. The Sergeant was
Ia his glory. 1t was he who shot Gen. Raines,
with two or three score Of priyates. The order
came TO fall back 100 yards for q new position.
Gen. Rosecrans made his appearance at this
time, and asked the Major in command if this
regiment would charge.
Yes; you bet " yelled the Sergeant.
Then loud cheer was given the General,
who waved his hand and said, " Thank you. /"
he ordered Us TO tx bayonets and advance a
few steps. Zip came bali and struck the Ser
Eeaut down. he yelled, Captain, tell my
wife I.died in q noble cause" This stopped
the charge Tor the present, as neither side adj
vauced on that portion Of the line that day.
Whether Il was the cry Of the Sergeant, the
retreating Of the rebels, or the forgetfulness OF
the General that prevented the charge, l have
not yet learned.
The dead body Of the Sergeant was left with
the hospital gang. The regiment again changed
front and Waded Stone River up 10 their necks
bUt ala nothing In particular, only shoot al
BrecEinridges Johnuics with an occasional
leap 70 the rear. Well, we got through with
out Inc assistance Of the Sergeant The country
was saved. and so were the 23d Innocents. While
at camp near Murfreesboro news was received
that the Sergeant still survived the Stone River
wound and WAS daily growing better. The
nature Of the wound was a broken rib, but thii
did not interfere with his timely presence o.
the battle OF Chickamauga. The enemy haC
placed q number OF men up among the bTanche!
Of trees as shaTpshO0teTs. They made dreadful
havoc ia our ranks and many comrades had
been killed The Sergeant came to the rescue
dc was granted permission to flank the enemy
which he did. Every time he shot a rebe
word was passed along the line lie killed p
Johnuies IN two hours and y minutes by hi
own count and still history is Obliyious IN tint
particular; for it is well known to all reader
who were not at the battle Of Chickamauci
that no one did any fighting but Gems TAoma
and Steedman. Had cur Sergeant belonged {,
some good, bloody regiment, which numbered
$50 or above, and were in an iron or cast-stee
brigade instead OF poor, hungry Kentuck,
mob, his name would have been handed dowI
% fame So thought the Sergeant while b.
was fighting the fire al night Of the 18th Z
keep from burning up, as the woods had beer
fred during the battle. Many a worth,
wounded comrade who was unable to help him
self was roasted alive inch by inch, all to saw
Nation whose President in 1857 named tines
very mems brOtheTs-in-arms coffce-coolers
bounty iumUers etc.