The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-15

Nhal Oar Veterans Have 20 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
CHANCELLOR sVILLE.

but have not seen a Huru from any comfade OF
the 18th \. J. With your permission / will
tell the comrades some things / saw and heard
at Charlottesville. We crossed the Kappa
hanocl River with the rest of the Third Corps
nj United States Ford on the pontoOn bridges.
and after some delay we marched out a road
toward the Charlottesville House, and when
near the house we filed TO the left in the woods.
where we stacked our arms and rested. Ii was
quite warm, and the trees did not afford much
shade. A number of the men stretched a half
shclicr-tCnt by tying the corners 10 trees or
bushes % keep the SUI of. and sat or lay down
Ia the shade OF them. There was some artillery
firing, but none near Us; we seemed 20 be back
DO reserve. Along IN the afternoon L went
over 10 the Charlottesville House 10 get can
teen OF water. As came back passed through
GO. q. ] think il was. The men were lying
around on The ground some asleep and others
passing the time in different ways.
passed one liItle tent where a colored cook
was sitting On tue ground making hone ring.
] stopped aud looked at him a short time, and
paSs-,. on 10 my company, and about the time
] arrived where they we're, 4 stray round shot
came over through the woods, passing through
a ball-tent over two men thar were lying under
IL. and into the tent where the cook was sitting,
hitting bis legs aud then went into the ground
under man that lay asleep One of the cook S
legs was amputated and / DO not know what
became Of him. 4 few more shots came over
=
10 our regiment.
Near night of the same day, which was sat
Urday The Eleventh Corps brokc and we were
ts,kon down the plank road in a hurry. When
down the road about half mile from the
hHuCe,arsvlile House our regiment flied 10 the
right in The woods. When orr regiment was part
OF the road Gen. Berry rode up. The troops
behind us were the Excelsior Brigade. He
took them and charged down the plank road,
checking the advance 81 the rebels.
We were in the woods all night changed
position suumbeT OF times. and then lay down.
j was q beautiful moonlight night. There
was some artillery firing over Us. We were in
the second line Of battle. Ii got a little quiet
toward morning and ] went 10 sleep. / woke
about daylight, and the mimic balls were
coming over Us. We lay siil for short time.
For some reason the regiment in front OF Us
went Of 10 our leii, and then we were ordered
% get ~. and some Of our men began 10 fire.
while Others cried out Don't fire; YOU are
shooting into the 10th Mass" Our men were
falling fast. aud soon the rebs were so close that
we could see who WAS in front OF u.s. Then we
opened on them win buck-and-ball al short
range.
fred so fast that my gun-barrel was so hot
] could not hold MY hand around il while
loading. Bat what weapons Of war those old
Harpel's Ferry muskets were. Soon they were
50 foul inside that saw men with the cartridge
hallway down punching the FamrOd against a
tree trying TO ram the cartridge home. We
made d so bot 10. those IN our front that so0n
they left. The next thing was big racket at
our right The Tebs had tried to get on our
right flank but line Of battle raised up aud
poured IL into them and back they went
through the woods. We could see them and saw
their dags. aud fired al them. They were soon
gone aud we ceased firing again, and then we
fcll back up the plank road, the same road we
had come down the night before. But we did
not ali 20 back; two Of my terminates were
left dead in the woods besides many more dead
and wounded, who fell into the hands Of the
Tebs.
The enemy had battery that was firing up
the plank road. So We thought II safer 10 walk
each side Of the road IN the ditch. / wanted
10 cross the road, SO watched the fash Of their
gun, aud then / crossed over. When we got up
tie road near 10 the Charlottesville House
there was al officer there trying to rally the
nien that were falling back, 50 fell in with
tie men that were IA line aud soon VIC made a
charge down aud across the field to some re-
doubts that had been occupied by artillery, and
there we stopped. ] could see the rebs down
ln the woods only a short distance In front Of
~. They were coming toward u. firing as
they came. ] fired few shots. and a. most Of
IT, men had gone back By this time thought
u tlme Tor me % be going, ] did lot feel like
fighting tie whole rebel army alone AS
went up across the Geld the balls were flying
th.cE around me, and there WAS some artillery
oH or LEFT that had q cToss-fire Ola the field.
liow / escaped being hit while crossing that
Lele 90 not know. / went along the board
fence by the Charlottesville House and uiIe
balls hitting that fence sounded like haiistOnes
o. 2 sO0i.
did not know where man Of my regiment
Was 50 ] went Ont the road past where VIC
had left Our kuaps4cks Ia the woods the night
before and along that road found the Orderly
befgraDi o. our company, bat he did Tot know
where the regiment WAS. i also saw Gen
Hooker aud stah Oh this road going toward the
iJ0ut- Orderly Cummings and / went still
Farther 70 the rear down 80 the Taviue beside
small stream. We took good drink Of water
and lay down and took good sleep. soldier
VIII sleep DAY or nigbt when be gets chance
After having good nap We started again tc
hult our regiment There were lots Of men
wandering around, lost from their commands
the same a. We were aud 1 saw a number o
wounded men Els0 We tramped around unti
near ug nt, but CId not find any Of our regi
EIeut - NC made some coffee over a burning
log, and lay down ior the night and slept uut
morning. when we got ~ ate some brcakf fast
aud started again, and Ia a short time found
what Wa left Of our regiment This was 81
Monday. IN the Afternoon we were taken Ou
~ front o. our breastWorkE across a large field
10 Tic edge Of tae woods, 70 support Berdani
kllITsI8oiers, who were ia the woods w,
wee cut there but short time when Their,
Was quite Z sklrmlsh, snd tbe rebs opened Will
some aUl.lcIys firing over Us AZ our breast
works. We " re lying down aud soon our ar
L.cTy began ATIHR, aud lt looked like the rc!E
were about 70 make charge on our works
hrEc Of the shots from our work. began u f;il
among ouE men, aud " seine mistake we dix
not pG Tie order ~ fall back when our guB
opened from tue Wgrks. we were not firing
aHa some VI our men we're getting bit from ou
works. lt seemed ~ be tile impulse Of eyer,
nan about tic Same time - 90 back 10 th
bIeaeJHoIE5. 81 We jumped up aud started, an,
such q scattering a. there was across that field
About Tire center Oi the field there Was a sf,Tifp
aud some low ground around IL, aud near ii,
fIarng two on three large wildwood tree.
hiLug behind one Of tiose trees was Marshal
Love, u our company, and be said Boys
better lookout you'll get bit," and / must con
fees there MAS some danger Of il as we were be
tween two lres, but did not tarry long there
knew j. the rcbs charged across the field
would De taken prisoner Or killed 50 / starte
for the works, aud as ! went up across the fell
IL SEEMED ~ j! al Kinds Of shot and shell yyer
Striking around me- but j went over 20 Ia
works without q scratch. The tsOrks were fuI
81 men ready 10 receive the charge, aud some q
Us rolled down on them as We went oyer: bu
the charge did not come After the racke wa
over some 81 the officers tried 70 gather IN ia
men 70 take them out 70 the front again. bu
the men were ali scattered through the wood
and they only found part Of them. Ii 500
grew dark, aud did not know where the req
Lneut was, 80 j lay down behind largs "a