The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-02-01
ING CAMP FIRE.


tampdlku on Lttie ROCK. was COM
posed OF the following regiments aud
nai batteries: LIST. 2nd, 3D.. 7th and Sth
No. Cav, LIST and Sd Iowa Cav, 2d Wis.
Iadiey's 25th Ohio battery. and a bat
terry Of 10 l2-pound brass howitzers,
under Capt. Strange; one company Of
Pontoneers with pontoons, and one bat
talon OF the Bed Iowa, as guard for
pOntoons.
The division broke camp at Pilot
Knob on the 1st day OF July. and
marched by the way OF Bloomfield,
Chalk Bluffs and Crowiey's Ridge TO
Clarendon, Ark.
After few days rest at Clarendon.
our division crossed White River ADD
moved out In the direction OF Browns
Vile, distant about 45 miles. On the
26th OF August we first met the enemy
ia force. As the head OF our column
approached the timber In front Of
Brownsville, they found a long line OF
mounted troops formed on the prairie
IN their front, with a battery. Their
guns opened on us at long range with
out doing much injury, and soon with
drew out Of danger. Now, here was the
first chance TO use the sabre, and Gen.
Davidson ordered Merrill's Horse I'D
Mo. Cav.) TO deploy column and charge
the rebe lime with the sabre, which they
did In grand style. breaking the rebel
line and scattering IL 10 the winds.
On the morning OF the 26th our col
umu moved through Brownsville on the
Little Rock road. the rebels falling
back before our advance. After march,
ing about ten miles, with some Skin
mishing in front, we returned To
Brownsville and camped for the night.
While advancing on that day our slSir-
mish.line came TO the open fields OF a
large farm. and in the woods on the
opposite side OF the farm could be seen
the rebel skirmishers. One of our regi-
ment as he came to the fence looked
across the fields, and said: az SEQ
man: I'm going to try shot at him."
Laying his carbine across the fence, he
fired. When our line advanced our
men found captain. belonging TO an
Arkansas regiment, shot through the
body Our men carried him 10 the
farmhouse. | saw him lying there on a
bed as we were coming back that after
noon. He asked 90 see the kind OF n
gun that had been used in shooting
him; and after looking at il dt was
Sharp's carbnel said that he didn't
think we could shoot that Tar.
AS we were halted, just before with
drawing from in front OF the enemy,
some OF our howitzers were standing IN
the wagon road, on n ridge. while sever
nj hundred yards 10 the front, on an
other ridge, were the reqels. They had
q small riied cannon. and they fired
shot, which killed a rider on one OF our
battery. teams. ! was in hospital short
time after this with one OF the men be-
longing 10 this battery of ours, who was
riding IN n team Just ahead OF the man
who was killed. In relating the circum-
stances TO me, he said that lie saw the
smoke OF the gun when IL was discharg
ed, and he said that he could see the
shell coming straight toward him. He
leaned way down 10 one side TO get out
OF range of the she'll and this man who
was killed also leaned down: buthe
Strengthened up again, and just as he
raised up in his saddle the shell struck
him fair in the breast, passed through
him. and struck on the harness Of n
horse in team farther back, the shell
bounding up in the air aud falling TO
the ground near bv Our Chaplain
picked up the shell, and he afterward
sent IL home TO Iowa.
Our division advanced on the morn
ing OF the eth, the rebel forces falling
back before us until they had crossed
about fourteen miles from Brownsville
The enemy had taken position on the
opposite side Of this bayou. with their
artillery posted SO as 10 fire up the road
at our column when we advanced. Our
regiment irst Iowa Cavalry--was the
the first regiment i'm column. and as we
came TO the top OF the hill, and about
one-third of mile from the bayou,
General Davidson, who was with the
advance Of our regiment, saw smoke
rising from the bridge. He turned to
Colonel Anderson and said: Colonel
draw sabers -chargel and save the
bridge, and get position on the other
side OF the bayou" The column had been
moving slowly, occasionally halting,
and the men in the ranks 20 while away
the time. were telling stories and max
ing merry. think IL was about Tor 2
O'clock, while we were moving slowly
up the hill in front OF the bayou. that
we saw the advance company. which
was then at the top OF the hill, draw
sabers Everything was quiet on the
enemy's lines, but we knew what those
flashing sabers meant. The companies.
one after another, in the column ahead
OF US drew sabers and took the trot
Capt. Barnes. OF our company, drew
his saber, turned TO the company and
gave the command: attention.! COM
pany--Draw sabers. Trot!-Marchg"
and afterward gave the command,
"Gallop," and we passed over the hill
on saber charge. From the top OF the
hill 10 the bridge at the bayou the dis
lance was about one third OF mile, and
for some distance from the top the hill
was quite steep nearly up to the bridge.
As soon as the column came In sight the