The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-01-31
Crossing the 0ostanaula.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Some months
since a comrade of the I'd Iowa gave US an
interesting letter on carrying the boats (pon-
toon) down to the 0ostanaula River during the
battle of Resaca, May Il, 1864. The comrade
appeared TO think that carrying the boats was
about all he needed of that kind of work.
There were more of US who would have been
satisfied with that kind of work. The S1st
Ohio was not put into the line when we had
reached the river, but was marched by the
flank down Snake Creek and halted, the right
resting about 80 yards from the river. Col.
r. n. Adams came to the commanding officer of
Co. and ordered him to put his company into
the two boats lying in Snake Greek, right in
our front. The order was Obeyed, the Colonel
standing and talking TO the company COM
mander When the meG were all in, the order
came TO cross the river and drive the enemy
away from the bank. Now there were no other
boats in sight of US in the stream. There were
only IS men present in the company, with two
officers. No, cOmrade of the ID Iowa, don't you
think you had rather carry boats all night
than to have been in one of those boats? l
should. The orders were given to the company,
and II pulled down stream. The river was
very swift at this point, 50 when we struck the
main channel it was necessary to pull at the
oars with good will The first boat was in
the channel, and the second coming into it,
when an order was given 10 halt. The second
boat halted, but the first boat did not hear the
order and could not have halted If it had. The
stream was marrow but swift. The south side
was covered heavily with timber and each tree
had an enemy behind it.
The remarkable fact about the rebels is that
they did not know we were in the river until
the first boat landed, when one of the oarsmen
took OFF his hat and cheered as we landed.
Then they opened on the other boat, woundiug
several men in it. Then other boats followed
ours closely. When the first boat landed we
formed a skirmish-line and drove the enemy
back short distance. When they saw so few
men, however, they rallied and drove us back
to the bank of the river. Five companies went
over, four from Slst Ohio and one from Goth
III. We drove them away from the river, took
20 prisoners, and then pulled back over the
river again, with the loss of several good men.
The Goth III. was stationed along an old fence
on the right of Snake Creek. They were
armed with Henry rifles. When they opened
on an enemy he hunted for low places in the
ground IN pretty quick time. We owe to the
good old Seth big debt for the way they
pumped lead while we were in the river. Their
good work saved our little band from annihiIa-
ton. The battery and the other regiments did
all they could do, bat the Goth was right in the
rear of our crossing and kept the JGhnnies
down In our front. / will say this, that this
is the only time during three and half years
service that ] should have sold out very cheap
/ was in the front of the first boat, and the
Orderly sat beside me. After we started ]
glanced back over the balance of the men, and
graver set of men / have never seen. Every
one of them appreciated the situation. / had
hoped some other comTade would write this mp
! but as they have not thought / would answer
the comrade of the ID Iowa. At this distance
of time / can tell him that if he was the right
/ forward oarsman of the first boat he dis
obeyed positive order-that is, that no talk
/ ing or cheering should be INDUCED in-and ht
was liable to be shot.-GEO. w. DIXON, Co. B
| SIst Ohio, Lima, o.