The National tribune., 1889-06-13
Ar ATLANTA.
Carrying Ammunition Under UnfavOrable Circum-
stances

stances.
EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: While the
boys are fighting their battles over, will you
allow an old vet a little corner in your noble
paper? 1 want to tell of my experience in
front of Atlanta July % 1854 The Iowa Bri-
gade, composed OF the 18th, 18th, 18th and 10th
Iowa, had been placed on the extreme left of
Sherman's army on the evening OF the 2lst,
with the evident intention of overlapping the
rebel right But gap OF nearly two miles was
left between our left and Gen. DOdges Corps
(the SiXteenthl, which was at Decatur. inns
gap the rebels were not slow IN discovering. L
was on picket duty that night and all through
its lonely hours would hear the rebels march
leg; and we reported the fact to Gen Blair,
who thought il was Gen. Dodge or some of our
cavalry moving. But the eventful 22d dawned,
and with it came the dashing Hood $4,000
strong. and struck our brigade about noon,
rolling US up like pie-crust. Our left was en-
tirely exposed, and we fell back fighting over
every inch of ground until We joined the Third
Division at Bald Knob. Here was done some
of the hardest fighting of the war. The rebs
came on like drunken demons, moving on our
lines with fixed bayonets without firing shot,
and kept coming until scarcely man was left
to guard the coors In one instance rebel
line had been shot down, and Colonel and a
small boy seemed to be left. This man Gen.
Belknap pulled over the works by the scruH
VI tue DtCh.
Now TO my part of the affair. In the after
noon some Iowa and Ohio troops had run short
Of ammunition, and an ordnance wagon, in try
ing to reach our line, had all the mules shot
down, and the wagon was lett half mile north
Of us in front OF the Second Division, Fifteenth
Corps. In order to get ammunition a detail
was made mp from the different regiments to GO
after ii. think Gen Loggett made the de-
tail. However, we were put in charge Of Cap
tain and set out 20 strong, for the wagon. /
never expected to get back, for the rebs were in
front and rear; but after our batteries had
sheled the woods for few minutes we started
on the run. A man fell every few rods, but oil
we went and finally reached the wagon, and
grasping box apiece, we started back, still on
the run, with the thermometer at 100 in the
shade. We had got about half way back when
they saw us from Atlanta, and opened upon us.
A pOBderous shell came directly for US, and the
Captain called cut, Lie down." We did so, and
just in time, for the shell fell right among us
and buried itself and exploded. Some of the boys
were literary buried in sand. / got up and
could not hear a note of anything, and was
badly stunned. In few minutes 1 felt the
warm blood running down my face and heard
nothing more until | got back, when | sank TO
the earth aud knew more for some time.
am almost deaf in that ear. and | would like
TO know if the officer is living who commanded
the squad. Ii So would be very glad TO hear
from him; and l also would be glad to know
whether Gen. Leggett remembers the circHm-
stance or not. If the comrades see this they
Will please let ne know their address.-JoHN
:. STRAIN, Co. B, 18th Iowa, Niobrara Neb.