The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-25
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
"REMINISCENCES.
- Ennnr SO ID ArmE LIfe.


FDrToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Many Incl
dents occurred during our terms Of service in
the late war that are both sad and amusing.
The former we eDdeavor To forget, while the
latter assumes greater brlliancy as our memory
is refreshed and we polish il up and so over
old-time associations.
The S3ih \. Y. was composed Of rs fine n
body OF men, perhaps as any other oTgauiza-
ton in the service. There were many Undoubt-
eddy as good, but ] think none better. Co. q
contained boys from the country, who had LETT
the fam 20 shoulder the musket in defense OF
their country. Their hearts were in the cause
for which they had enlisted, and they were
anxious TO confront the enemy, which they did
on many Well-cOntested Ield. and their record
proves that they got there, Eli"
A custom was early established in our organ
ization 10 nickname each c0mrade, and cannot
recall one single instance where even one
missed a s0ubriquet of some description. Livery
man being thus re-christened. made Il difficult
for visitors to our camp 10 tel TO whom CONVEX
sation was addressed, as the nickname was
almost invariably used.
One member Of our company, whom we Elll
call Stearus, was as genial and gOQashearted
a fellow rs ever fired an acorn at a pigs nose,
aud IS manly, gallant. and brave as the best OF
them. Atthc battle Of Autietam the regiment
was ordered into line jnst at the left Of the
Burnside Bridge made historic by the gal
liant and heroic charge of the two 5lsts Of
Pennsylvania and New York, and but short
distance from the stone wall behind which the
enemy were In force. s rebel battery OF SIX
guns was upon our immediate 'front.' and they
were belching forth, threatening our entire
destruction We were ordered TO lie down,
after getting into position, when the battery
redoubled its ezertions. throwing the whole
contents of a blacksmiths shop, judging from
the uuearthly noise which il made screeching
through the air. This was a puzzer to
Stearns, snd completely beWildered and non
piussed him. de arose and, looking TO the
rear which direction the shot had taken re-
marked. 4" What IN the DIS name IS that,
BOYS? I'll be hanged If l don't believe they
are throwing wind-mills, by the racket they
make" All of q sudden something sounding
like a Whitworth bolt passed IN close pTox-
Unity &c his head, when lie took of his cap, as
Tito ascertain the extent OF the damage. We'll,
1 viii be everiastngly WOodehucked II those
Amt anchors and chains coming now TO hold
the wind mills down" He then dropped to
the ground beside his comrades, when chunk
OF railroad iron came TiCOchetung along on the
surface Of the earth IN front Of him, singing
Which way, which way" and striking In
knoll completely covered him with earth.
Crawling out aud rubbing the dirt from his
mouth. nose eyes. and ears, he remarked, Gen
IlemeE, i is seldom that man is honOred with
two burials and resurrections during q life
time"
Soon after this the regiment charged. At
the stone wall a tall North Carolinian whom
SteaTns tackled refused 20 surrender. The
boys had used the buttends If their muskets,
not having received orders to SIX bayonets.
StearDs gave himself the necessary order and
said, Ny tar-heel friend, l demand an uncon-
ditiOn2l surrender; but the rebel refused to
comply, and, without giving the order to charge,
ran his bayOnet through his antagonist, who
was IN the act Of drawing bowie knife, COM
pletely asphyxiating him. The boys asked
Stearns why he didn't try and capture. not
kill, the Johnny. His reply was that the
terms were not satisfactory; and, besides, he
thought his opponent would make the best
looking corpse.
Another prisoner whom Stearns had captured,
and who surrendered upon the demand for him
TO do so, handed over what few valuables he
had IN bis possession. Stearns at first refused
TO receive them, but as the prisoner told him
we were nothing but band Of robbers and
thieves, he eagerly grasped them. saying as We
had the name We ight as well have the game,
and so be was enriched by the addition of q
jaek-kHife, some Confederate scrip, and piece
Of tobacco. The latter be refused to receive
upon any condition. The boys reprimanded
him for returning the tobacco; but Stearns
said 1t was pure thoughtlessness on his part.
Still, gentlemen, you can hardly expect me
TO act as your Company COmmissary and do
other duty besides"
Previous to the battle Of Fredericksburg, on
the night Of the 18th Of December, 1862 the
regiment was ordered to the banks Of the Rap
p8hannOck River to support the 18th n. T..
Eugs. in building p0ntoon bridge at the lower
end OF the city, where the railroad bridge, then
destroyed, spaHned the stream. Nothing IN
usual occurred until just at daylight On the
morning Of the 18th, when the rebel skirmish-
ers opened FIRE upon and forced the pontoniers
70 abandon their work By simply shooting each
81 crsrtr mt 7e 1a1I 1--fre aFs
night on the cold, frosty ground, no fires being
allowed, and their very teeth chattering like
casiinets. All at once Stearns called out
Boysi1 OF course all attention was centered
upon him, as The silence had become oppressive
How Uoaid you relish a dish Of ice cream?"
As We lag on the bank with nothing TO screen
Us from view Of the enemys sharpshoOters, we
were 2 tempting bait FOR them, and the firing
became euite general on both sides. Stearns
was conspicuous for his share OF the business
A comrade named Hall, lying alongside o.
Stearns, received a wound and commenced
searching 10 ascertain the extent Of the damage
done The ball had struck and demolished Z
briar-w0od pipe in bis pocket, glancing from
thence through his leg. just grazing the bone
stearns looked quietly on for moment, anC
II voice 81 sympathy remarked, " Ii is bad
n fact d---n bad, 10 spoil the pipe
comrade asked, But how about the leg?
Oh" he replied, that is only secondar,
consideration"
On tile afternoon Of the 18th the left wing O
the regiment, which included Co G, was OF
dered 70 cross in pontoon boats and drive tn
enemy from their position. This was success
fully accomplished; Stearns being one of tn
foremost in the eight, and, as he stated IT, th
way we skinned out the butternuts fror
the basement Of the building was caution I
snake ~" COMMODORE" Delaware, Iowa
PEMBERTON PRISON..
How Prisoners Forased from the Enemy.