The National tribune., 1890-10-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What0Br Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
DREWRY'S BLUFF.
An Opportunity Lost Of Capturing Rebel Rcgi-
meat.

meat.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have been
watching The columns OF your valuable paper
for several years, with the hope Of sceug
something from some of my old comrades of
the 18th Conn. "All things come 10 him who
waits, aud in your issue Of March 6 saw q
communication from the pen of q. w. Ford, of
Co. A Of that regiment, describing a htte OF
his experience al the picnic at Drewry's BluG,
May l6, 1864, and telling US Of his failure 10
distinguish himself on that occasion by not
running the man in gray into our lines.
l know Just how 10 feel for him. for too
missed glorious opportunity Of immortalizing
myself there, only my grand opportunity oc-
Cured on the 18th instead Of the 10th, and in
the following manner:
On cur arrival in front Of the rebel works
on the morning of the 18th, the guns on Fort
DTcwry opened so earnestly aud with such good
effect that our General (B. 4. Butler found il
rather awkward to manuver his troops.
lie consequently issued orders 10 Tegimental
commanders 10 cali for volunteers 10 60 out
sharpshooting, and try to silence the guns on
Fort Drewry. Our Colouel-G. 4. Stedmau, as
brave a man as ever lived, and who was after
ward killed in front OF Petersburg called for
two or three men from each company Of our
regiment 10 volunteer.
Davis, Hoffman and myself from our com
pany, and about the same number from other
companies in our regiment and other reg-
mcDts stepped TO the front. and offered our
services and received our orders.
Our orders were TO get as near the fort rs
possible IN the best way we could, establish
ourselves in the best available position, and
blaze away at everything in the shape of a
man we couid see behind the works. / felt
sure that our troops would charge the works
and thought my chances of life Just as good to
approach the fort in my own way as 10 partc
pate in the general charge In line 1t seemed
nix -
il did seem 10 involve an extra risk But l
got left as people often do as our troops did
not charge.
We started, crossed over one line of works
which had been abandoned by the enemy, aud
striking into the brush commenced our zig gag
course toward the fort. Orr tactics were TO
make observations from behind stump, take
5 good look ahead, pick out another stump aud
make dive for it,
On our way out ] captured one OF the greatest
curioslties you ever in The shape OF a rebel
knapsack. The curiosity did not consist in its
being knapsack, Ror in its shape, but in its
contents, which / took a few minutes TO ex-
anime.
As nearly SIS I can remember they con-
sisted Of the tail Of q Goldfish five days
rations for It's former owner, ! SUPPOSE a
WIthered peach, pint Of pegs The must have
been the brigade c0bbler). several pieces Of old
harness. an empty sardiue-bo box, one bareback.
piece Of iron which looked like the iuke OF
al anchor, two sheets OF paper, some old nails.
q small bottle with a rubber nipple (Which
must have reminded him Of his childhood DAYS
every time he looked at it., aud several other
articles too numerous 10 mention.
closed the knspsack and laid Il carefully
against the stump and covered it with some
brush, intending 10 bring it in when / came
back. When came back forgot 1t besides,
was IN too much OF a hurry ! thought the
bOrg were gprffup amviors n eaa no 7
knew Was anxious 70 see them. There were
other reasons, too, why did not bring il ia,
which anyone who has been there can appre-
eiate.
left it there, and there il is to this day for
al know, and continued my erratic and in
teresting course toward the fort Please re-
member hat az this particular iuncture every
man must have been very busy and very much
intereste1 IN himself and his own movements
and consequently would have little attention
70 bestow on his neighbor, except in q general
way. This is Why we can tell so much better
about our own experience than another mans
We finally established ourselves pretty near
to the lort-near enough anyway TO silence their
guns, and the rebels, seeing this, soon sent out
regiment 10 drive as in. / had taken of my
blanket, haversack and canteen and laid them
BESIDE me, 50 that could have free use Of nv
arms, and was firing az one particular portfolio
n the fort when ! heard someone on my left
-TllEinu
my head 10 have another shot sure enough
there they were Beauregard's whole army, |
thought At the time but as ! learned afterWard,
and too late, only 8 single regiment Here
was where ! missed my opportunity. Instead
OF lying in ambush and allowing the rebel
regiment 10 fall into the trap, IN which case I
could have easily commanded them To sur.
render, and on their compliance marched them
70 the rear as prisoners started for our lines.
i started just as ] was. Ny blanket, haver-
sack and canteen left beside the stump. Nv
cap went of before ! had taken six bounds in
the same direction the rebels were headed. /
hated 70 lose these equipments, but their loss
gave ne free use Of my legs. At such times
two legs are not enough; q man should have
40 a. least. / remember that I wondered how
u was that ! couldn't make better time. I
know now that it Was for the lack Of the other
% legs.
As soon as we were dislodged every gun Of that
fort opened fire. / felt then, aud am not sure
now but that every gun was aimed directly at
me- On our way back ] fell in with q Sergeant
OF New York Highland regiment We kept
together until we reached our own lines. II
would be interesting 70 know, in those his last
moments, what HE thoughts were. Even then
traitors eyes were glowing along barrels /
that were 20 send swift messengers of death 10 |
take loyal life On the sumllt Of our breast |
works lie met the fate Of many other good feI. |
the firing bad sackened. His head lay in a pool j
o. water aud blood. That was only one man." 4
bat ms life was dear 70 him, perhaps 10 a wife 4
or mother or sister al home, but he gave il for 4
his country. If any Of his old comrades see 1
this they wall perhaps know his name. never 1
learned Il.
] think the time It took me 10 make that |
Fun ought 70 be counted out Of my time in |
puTgaiOTy. That night our company was on |
reserve picket about 100 yards IN front Of our |
line Of battle. IL seems that our officers were |
expecting that the rebels would charge, With. |
out our knowledge during the night they put I'D |
tflp-Wires on their front and our rear. and on |
The morning q the 10Th, just at dawn, they |
charged. fretty soon the pckets had orders TO /
lAiI i'4ck abd as they came 10 these wires II 4
was quite comic8l 70 SEE them, one after 4
GboiDef, without any apparent cause take a 4
header aud land two or three yards in advance |
OF where they struck. i carry the marks Of /
those wires on my sbins 10 this DAY, SO Won /
must know j was making pretty good time I
when y came my turn 70 70 over those wires /
Pied % sec the joke. the joke lay ia seeing
others 20 over.
IL ls not necessary 70 tell how the rebels got
IN Oh our right al DrewTy's Bluff, nor how we /
went back 10 Bermuda Hundred Everyone
who reads knows all about IL. They know also /
now everybody who was not there could have
oo1e 70 much better than those who we're there
The only trouble ls that they were not there /
and the day was lost ia consequence. / have
oien wondered what became Of those trim
NiTes.-H 3. MAGRATH, 20. @, nth Conn,
Ware, Mass.