The National tribune., 1889-12-26
STORY OF A CANNONEER.
Continued from Ist pageJ

compimented Serg't Thorpe who was gun
ming his piece himself, aud spoke TO the Can
noneers, calling some of them by name, and
saying You arc doing splendid work to-day,
boys; the General shall hear about you !" He
remained standing between the two guns dur
Ing about threo rounds and. so far as | was
concerned, his example and cheering words
had most bracing effect. But would not be
candid If | failed to admit that | was badly
scared Mt Spottsylvania, and that / never had
my nerve tried in any kind OF fighting, even
hand TO hand, as it was by the slow, deliberate
d-blooded business of that cannonade at
least, during the first half of it. | never want
to feel that way again.
would like to know the experience of other
Cannoneers on this point. | have been much
interested in studies of what you may call the
psychology OF battle " in these later years and
i would like to hear from other men who have
been in similar situations. For my own part
will say that, though near enough TO the enemy
TO be bayoneted in The left arm aud side in q
later battle, when was connected with another
battery, aud in other fights where the casual
ties were greater than Mt Spottsylvania never
before or aftcrward, felt the oppressive, almost
overpowering, fear or desire to shrink or finch
that felt under that slow, cold -blooded, cruel
cannonade.
have searched the histories in vain for
suitable mention of the services rendered by
tho Fifth Corps batteries in this battle of the
oth OF May at Spottsylvania / have been told
that when the War Records come out full
justice will be done them in Gen. Warren's
Report, and also by Gems. Hunt and Vain
wright
THE KILLING OF GEN. sEDGwICK.
During the 9th of May we remained quiet In
our position near Alsops House The only
great event of this day was the killing OF Gen
Sedgwiek by sharpshooter of the enemy The
Ind 80
brush nearly abreast of the forks of the road
to reconnoiter the west face Of tho enemys
salient in that direction. He was lust about
four or five rods to tho left Of our position of
the day before. and was engaged in selecting n
position for Mcknights battery on, 5th u. 81,
or McCartney's (AIass.l battery, of his Corps,
or perhaps both, when he was shot through the
head, aud expired almost without groan
Aitcrward | beard one OF the Sixth Corps
gGnncrs describe this. He said his battery was
IN narrow wood road just across the ravine
from our position. when the General came along
and said to one OF their officers, want sec
tion or two to go out here and amuse the enemy
IN those woods over across there, while the in
iantry intrench the edge Of this brush"
30 they pulled out two sections and put one
in battery IN the edge of the clearing In two
minutes five men were hit in the section. two
or three OF them in the head. The rest law
down. and OF course ceased firing Then the
General came out Of the brush on foot aud
mounted TO the top OF the open ground the
Cannonoers of course rising up and resuming
their posts rs he appeared. Pshaw, boys"
he said. 20 Mt them again; they couldn't hit
an elephant at this distance -; raising his glass
to hiseye as he spoke. Just then half dozen
putis OF smoke came out of the ride pits conceal
ed ia the sashing outside of their main works
and Gen. Sedgwick fell. He was noble man,
and has excellence rs officer is best attcsted
by the fact that tie veterans of the Sixth Corps
than whom non6 were better or bravcr-al-
ways spoke OF him, living or dead, as Uncle
John" .
During the 10th of May it was quiet on our
part OF the line up to noon or after, but we
heard heavy firing all the morning from the
direction OF the Sixth Corps, which was on our
lett. About 3 o'clock one section was sent
through the brush on our left Of the Brock
road, and after difficult haul got out into the
edge OF the east clearing. and halted short
distance from where Gen Sedggick had been
killed the day before.
Sections from other Fifth Corps batteries fol-
iowed--fonr IN all, or eight guas. To our left
was pine grove, more open than any woods
we had yet seen in these parts, and We observed
that
HEAVY LINE OF BATTLE
OF the Sixth Corps infantry was massed In this
grove. lying down. There was hollow in the
front of us, and in this were two batteries of
tho Sixth Corps-Mcknight's On of the 5th u.
81 aud Rimbals (4th Me- In front of these
there was rising ground just high enough to
shut out tho rebel works in our immediate
front but We could plainly see their heavy
works on the hill beyond-whieh was the
famous Angle"
In course OF about halfa an hour these two Sixth
Corps batteries were thrown forward TO the ton
os the rising ground IN our front, where they
unlimbered and opened furiously. The sound
OF the enemy's reply showed that they were close
up to bis works, and his shot aud even bullets
which passed over them reached Us. So we pulled
down little TO the left and into the hollow,
where We found shelter from their droppinp
hre. We took no part in this action, being
simply held there in reserve. Suddenly the
batteries in front of US ceased firing, aud then
the infantry that was ia the pine woods TO our
lett broke cover aud in magnificent style swept
past our flank out into the open ground. over
the little rise, thence down upon the rebel in-
aud out OF sight from where we
were. Their right marker passed very close 10
u.s. aud j saw the coloTs Of the 5th Me and
i2lst n. y. regiments. We now moved quickly
by our right ilRnk up the little hollow. and
soon emerged from IL on 20 the high ground and
halted mt The end ofa littlewood road which there
came through the brush from the Brock road
Here we could sec the whole of the west face
OF the enemys works, and we instantly dis.
covered that our infantry had gotten into them
and were advancing rapidly through the open
ground toward SpottSylvania Courthouse But
they encountered desperate resistance and rs
II was now almost dark, and no Que appeared
To DO supporting or cooperating with them in
the assault, they fell back and before il was
quite dark resumed their position in the pine
grove.
This was Uptons celebrated charge-an on
Grafton which accomplished nothing except 10
demonstrate the gallantry of his brigade which
did not need any demonstration, and cost about
1000 of tho best troops in the army. At dark
we were withdrawn by the wood road above
and returned TO our old position near
Alsop's House.
MOTE. Noticing recently description of an
old wnr-horse up somewhere Ia Orange County
n. Y, II occurred To me that "A biography of the
famous Old Iartar" OF Stewards battery might
DE Interesting. But as he veteran of the most
pronounced type when was n raw reeruit-bcing
in inoi one oil the oldest of the Old Regulars In
the baltery-l was not familiar with his earlier his
tory Ut should be explained that Tartar" was
the horse mentioned in No. of the "Cannoneer's
story as having had his tail shot of at the second
iiull Run. aud then serving through the war)
So, by request. Capt Stewart him self furnishes the
following biography of this remarkable old equine
warrior:
CARTHAGE, o.. Dec. 6, 1889.
DEAR CoaRADE; Yours of Nov - at hand /
would have replied sooner but have not been we'll
You mex Tor larlhrs biography" His military
record ~ az tolows lie entered the service nj Fort
Leavenwofh, Kan, in July, 1857, just before Bat
terry B started on the Utah expedition and WAS
then four years of age
Before reuchng Green River Utah he was taken
sick with distemper of malignant tyue sn we had
4 "a "A hfftaR han IaFs M