The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-23

| battle with sabers drawn, having used up all
our ammunition the day before, and asked for
more men from our regiment for Headquarters
| duty, when Co.'S ID aud were ordered TO fol-
| low Mai. Duncan and Capt Lincoln to Head
quarters.
On the morning of April we followed Gen.
Grant and staff bright and early into Peters
burg, and shortly after we arrived in Peters
| burg, i, as Sergeant of Co. G, was ordered to
! pick eight men and report TO Mai. Duncan,
which was done in quick time. Whom / re-
! ported found Mai. Duncan and Capt. Lincoln
ready TO mount, and an Orderly had one led
horse ready saddled and briGled for us TO take
along.
We started back toward where our army had
been in camp all Winter, and on tho road
thithor we passed ono rebel fort which had kept
shooting our infantry down long after tho other
forts had surrendered. which fact was shown
10y our dead lying where. thny had fallen, piled
one across the other FOR quite a distance all
around the fort. The Ambulance Corps had
taken most all of the wounded ont from amongst
the dead. / do not know what the name of
the fort was but some iufsutryman told me
that during the previous Winter il had been
nicknamed Fort " Damnation." while the
fort opposing it on our side was nicknamed
Fort Hell" Very hard names, to he sure, but
what / saw that morning gave rise in my mind
that those were the proper names for those two
forts.
In the ditch in front of the rebel fort we saw
one of our infantrymcn, who had been one of
those TO charge this fort standing upright.
with left foot forward, the right foot little
behind, his muskct tightly grasped in his right
hand, has forage cap on his head, with large
hole through his cap and skull. He was stone
dead, but being ovcr kneo.dcep in the mud and
mire of the ditch, could not tall over.
We passed these horrible sights (which bad
often seen. but not in such fearful way rs this
last mentioned) and went on To the railroad
which ran from City Point in rear OF our army
10 a station watch, | believe, was Gale Kill
patrick Station, and here Capt. Lincoln tcle-
graphcd TO his father, President Lincoln, who
was then at City Point. to come up that Gen
Grant wanted TO see him in Petersburg. IL
was not long afterwaTd when train came put
ing into the station and President Abraham
Lincoln arrived; but lac did uat come alone, as
was expected. but Col. Shatlurr. his Private
Secretary, little - Tad" his sou, aud Commo-
duTe Porter, OF the Navy, and another gentle
man, who believe, was eithera United States
Senator or Member Of Congress. In cousc-
quencc OF four more coming than were ex-
poctej, had 10 dismount four Of my men aud
give their horses to the other parties. Ou the
road hack To Petersburg little " Tad " com
planning that the horse which he rode was
such rough trottcr we halted and exchanged
fort before mentioned the Ambulance and
Burial Corps had very nearly all the dead
taken of the field; still there were enough
lying around TO show what had been going on
here, also the dead man was still standing in
the ditch. The party made a short halt 10
contemplate this scene. and / saw big tears run
down the Presidents checks. We then went on
10 Petersburg, where Grant was awaiting the
President.
then had 10 send men with the horses after
the men who had been left nj the station, and
not very long allerward We were gaIloping
again after Grant 10 join the army. which was
then redh0t after Lee OF course President
Lincoln did not go with US. but suppose some
other troops escorted him into Richmond,
therefore ] would like some officer or soldier
10 give the finishing touch 10 uhis.-JACoB
BUCH, Sergeant Co. c, 9TH u. ) Cav. Cham
paign, Ill.