The National tribune., 1890-01-30
STORY OF A CANNONEER.
Continued from 1st pago.)

ACC ever got commission, but the best of my
| recollection is that he did not. At all events
| remember seeing him some time in the Winter
OF 1861 90, and he was still Sergeant then.
THE RESULT OF THESE OPERATIONS
from the 18th to the 25th Of August was to
prolong our main line from the Jerusalem
plank at the Cheever house TO Globe Tavern,
aud thence down along tho Weldon Railroad to
tho White House," where Fort Dushane was
| built and named after Col. Dushane who was
killed there in command of the Maryland Bri-
gade
The Ninth Corps was now left in charge of
the whole old main line from the river to the
Jerusalem plank, and the Fifth and Second
Corps held from the plank TO the Globe Tavern.
This extended line was intrenched during the
remainder of August and September, though
not quite so heavily rs the old main line How
ever. 1t was a very strong line; its length was
about three and a half miles on the front from
Fort Davis to Fort Wadsworth mile and a
half along the railroad from Wadsworth to
Fort Dnshane aud the reverse works extended
from Dnshano back TO the Jerusalem plank
near Firms House." distance of about four
miles. The front line embraced Forts HAYS
Howard, Wadsworth and Dushane, wi th several
rcdoubts, aud there were four or five small forts
in the reverse line, and one that was quite large
Fort Stevenson. These works were built in
the same manner as those hitherto described,
but as they were generally at q much greater
distance from the cnemy's works than the old
main line was and we always kept n strong
picket-line well out in front of tho working
parties, IL was by no means so perlous. The
Military Railroad was extended TO connect with
tho Weldon line at Globe Tavern as rapidly as
the covering works were completed, the Fifth
Corps made new camps, aud the routine went on
about as before until October. In the latter
part OF that month q strong movement was
made by portions of the Second Fifth and
Ninth Corps to extend our left, with Wow of
completely encircing Petersburg south of the
river aud cutting the South Side road. This
operation resulted in the battles of tho Boydton
road, Burgess's Mill and Hatcher's Run, and to
hold the ground thus gained, our main lines
were extended about three miles west of Fort
WadswOrth. terminating in the tremendous
works of which Fort Fisher was the key and
which inclosed altogether nearly mile square.
This was the last extension of our main line,
though numerous fcldworks were thrown up
from time to time away out TO the left reach
ing, at the beginning Of the Appomattox cam
paign, as far to the westward as the BOydton
plank road, and To the Vaughan road on the
south. During the Fall Of 1864 and Winter of
1864, '65, the Artillery Brigade was comfortably
camped near Fort Dushane and its duties were
similar to those previously described in the old
lines. AsWinter came on log huts were built and
the troops took as much comfort as the severity
OF their duties would admit That Winter was
colder than usual in that climate, but there was
not . great deal OF snow. and altogether the
season was not uufavorable, though the oc-
casional cold rains were pretty trying.
Among the curiositics Of the skill of our men
was good d-szed chapel or small church,
which the Engineer troops built near Meade's
headquarters. This was in the Gothic style,
aud was constructed entirely OF poles with the
bark on. placed vertically like battened"
house. lt was fine piece Of work, aud the En-
s.,.I- IL.
that the coOred people OF that region used 10 as
place for their simple worship after the war
The great signal tower near Fort Fisher was
another monument Of the skill and industry of
our troops | do not now recOllect its hight |
bot 10 commanded the country for miles around
and from Its summit every movement OF the
Confederate troops in their lines or in the city,
and away mp toward Richmond. could be dis
tincty observed
Most of the men who did this marvellous
work and suffered these unexaDpled tolls are
gone now. OF the Notifications themselves,
only tho rounded outlines aud half filed
bitches, rank with weeds and grass or grow
ing full Of small brush, with crumbling para
pets fall Of rotting logs remain now to tell the
story OF what our soldiers did and dared and
suffered. But their fame can never decay
their glory cannot fade
LNorE.-T have received the following letter,
DEAR SIn: think can settle the dispute that
seems TO have arisen between Stewards Cannonoer
and dear old Comrade T.! iiah Bish. of Go. X Ilth |
Pa. Reserves. as To whether Wadsworths or Craw-
foTti's Division broke first" the first day OF tho
Wilderness May 5, lc6I
belonged 20 the lst Rifles e. The Old Buokta
and wish Co say thht our ComTRde Of Stewards !
battery is wrong when he says that "Crawford's |
Division gave way exposing Wadsworths s flank" |
etc. and also that ComFRde Bish is wrong when |
ho calls the "CanHoueeF" to account aud states !
that "WadswortIs Division gave way enabling |
lP q Ia VTt tu th, Fitrll and nF
Caudesz's Brigade etc
The facts that neither division gave way" |
The two divisions ad yauccd the morning of MAY
ia sort OF fan. shaped alignment separating as
they moved forward, until wide gap was leil be- |
tween the lcft OF Wadsworth and the right of Craw
ford, aud no provision made tn guard this gap
] will not undertake. To say whose fault this was |
but It certainly OF tactics that the
life Of many brave and boy ia both divisions
before the day over.
WadswoTth had Stewards battery and other |
artillery with him that followed him through the |
brush, and when lac had To retire they materially
aided his retr0gFnde movement by checking the |
enemy, who tried to flank him. But the two bat |
teries that were told Oft with Crawford's Division
could not get through tho brush that We had TO 1
penetrate, aud we had to- go IL alone"
Nhdsworth Division, moreover, Was exposed /
only ono fank--its lefl-where the gap was be- |
tween its left and our right; whereas we were ex- |
posed on both Aanks. for the reason that we |
separated from HHdsworth on our right we also !
failed to- connect with Hancock troops who should
have met us the left, aud hence la the forenoons
battle OF May our division OF Pennsyiynnin Re- |
serves (Crawfordsi WAS " in the air." tAeticians
say. exposed to attack In front, on both TANKS, |
aud, as IL proved, ia rear, stated by Comrade |
Bish.
The result was that the enemy came In on both |
our iianks unmolested in the two edges of tho |
Chewning clearing farm, which was a narrow /
clearing at that point and little bTigadea
were practically surrounded before got orders |
TO fall back. We were then compelled to- cut our |
way To the rear and in doing passed down the |
rRviue OF the Wilderness Rum with the enemy on |
both sides of us Glen. McCundess WAS captured |
bat was rescued or escaped and reioiued There |
iUw Of the " old boys" still living who will |
remember when he came down the rayine through |
which we made escape. He had lost his hat, |
and when we saw him riding for his life and his |
gray hair flying in the air, we gave him hearty |
cheer
think ComTade Bsh speaks the truth when he |
says that the Reserves never broke in any bat |
tie"
estng and accurate. His reports very truthful;
but, like many other historians he is liable to ba
mistaken and know he Is mistaken la thinking /
the Reserves broke on that any other occasion; |
neither do believe that Wadsworth's Division |
broke at that time. | think the movement was /
made for tho purpose of ascertaining the position
of the enemy.
IL was doubtless what the Generals would call a |
Reconnaissance in force but il So il was costly
one. involving as it did fighting which made even |
veterans OF Gettysburg bite their HIPS aud w here
tho musketTy OF the opposing lines almost niuzxIe |
to muzzle, whipped tile dense brush into " broom
stuff" The Pennsylvania Reserves were veterans |
of many battles but that Wilderness fighting was |
new kind of murder TO them. The same |
WAS true of Wadsworths troops, the Iron Brigade,