The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-02
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
sPOTTSYLVANIA.
HoW CarroIrs Brigade Carried the First Line Of
Rebel Works.

army life ever read as there are so many little
touches of nature, aud perfect fairness and
credit TO other officers and troops, even though
they did not belong TO the grand old First
Corps; as witness that description of the work
Of Carroli's Brigade at Gettysburg. Grand
Old Carol, -" Sprigg Carroll, "0ld Bricktop."
mo matter what you call him, we Of the old
blue clubs" take off our hats at the very
mention Of his name. he was fighter who
always faced TO the front, aud his voice could
be heard clear and strong above the crash of
small-arms or cannon.
see the Caunoneer is waking up some Of
those Eleventh Corps writers with his sharp
criticisms on their speed and wind; which we
of the Second Corps think are well deserved,
as the Eleventh Corps had lots of good men in
the ranks but some Of their head officers were
badly Off color; aud il, as some of these Eleventh
Corps writers say they were not driven from
their position on the night of July 2, what
was Carrolls Brigade doing over there, clear
out of our Second Corps line; and why was
Howard so anxious 20 keep them there over
night and all next day2 lie must have had
nearly as much confidence in Carroll as in his
own men, or he would not have let him come
over there and crowd out the Eleventh Corps
and steal ali the glory from them.
But hold! i started in TO make n little con-
tribution 10 your Fighting Them Over"
about the charge az SpOttsylvania, May -, 1861,
where the old Second Corps took the bit in her
party as he long remembered. don't know
that the Second Corps was always chosen for
the hard work, but we of the rank and file used
20 think that if there was any real hard march
ing or fighting 70 he done, we always were in
yited, and staid till the party broke up.
On May we were across the Pc River, and
on the extreme right of our army. paying our
respects 10 I.ongstreet May 10 and II back in
the center Of our position at Laurel Hill, giving
our regrets TO Early. Just before the night of
the llth cold rain set in, aud we stood aud
shivered around our green pine-wood fires, that
EhiTleG and smoked our eyes just as they
always did. The wind was raw and sharp, our
clothing wet, and we were just about as discon-
sOlate and miserable set OF men as ever were
seen. But we've all been there before, many
time, many time"
About 8 o'clock in the evening we got orders
90 pack up and march Immediately, and at this
stage OF the campaign we had our housekeeping
outfit in such shape that IL didn't take long
70 pack Up. Nobody knew where we were
going, but q rumor was started that we were
going back 30 the rear 10 rest and wash our
clothes, and this proved partially true, as il
raiDed SO hard all night that our clothes were
thoroughly washed-but they needed wringing
badly; and think can safely say that of all
our many night marches, this one took the
cake 4 cold, cherries rain. falling in torrents,
mud Ia Virginia, and just as dark as Egypt;
every man followed his fle-leader, not by sight
or touch, bHt by hearing him grOwl and swear,
Es he slipped, splasbed and tried TO pull his
p0ntoons out Of the mud.
But this night came 10 an end at last ard
about o'clock in the morning we halted and
formed line Of battle in columns Of brigade
We waited little while for signs of daylight
and then the order was given TO fix bayonels
and forward march. We knew nothing Of what
was before Us, as this terrible night march had
confused our ideas Of direction. and we were so
tired and bedragRled that we were reckless and
as we moved silently mp through an old field,
partly grown over with pine. the low branches
ladened with water, which the man ahead very
kindly held until you got just ia the right
place 20 receive the bath.
All at once we struck their pickets and cant
uTed them all, but few shots being fired but in
that damp and heavy atmosphere the report was
no louder than the swapping Of caps. but sufii-
Gent 70 tell rs that there was work ahead.
Therefore we began 70 prick up our ears aud
wake up, just a. our brigade commander, Car
roll, shouted "double-quick," and we broke
into run. and all line or formation was soon
lost as each man seemed TO try TO 0utrun his
c0mrade; and We went Up that slope for about
90 yards Just like tornado In less time than
il takes 10 tell il We were in front Of their
breastw0rks, Juggling and pulling al the abatis
crawling over and through IL for il was Ger
taiuiy well built just as the rebel heads began
90 show along the e4rthworks and their leaden
compliments 10 reach as.
As the Second Division sprang upon the
works, glanced down 70 our right and saw the
red clubs " breaking over their iutrenchments
like big sea wave, and have never yet seen
any claim or dispute as 20 who got there first.
for we ali had plenty Of business in our front,
IS the J0hnnies rolled out Of their blankets
and jumped for their guns; but we were on the
e2nhwOrks above them, and they gere quick
70 sec that We had the drop on them.
One hiT f.ttuug u r44rffeular famq I'M
out Of q shelier-teHt, gun IN hand, just bring
ing 10 up 10 bis shoulder as one Of cur boys COW
erred him aud very gently asked: Hadn't you
better drop u " aud IL his gun had been red
hot be wouldn't have dropped il any quicker.
il took US but very few minutes 70 clear out
this line. as il was q complete surprise. Their
position and earfhWOriIs were 50 very strong
that they were TOO self-confdent, and their
strength proved their weakness. As we ran
over tbiE frst line We passed through between
the guns Of heavy battery Of / think, eight
black 20-pOunders. Maybe il was two bat.
teries right close together; and the dim light
aud excitement may have made the guns seem
larger than they really were. We saw ia
horses with these guns, but the harness wa,
hanging on the wheels If the caissons and
their flag was leaning against one Of tile guns
but We were 70 eager 70 get at their second
line, that passed right by it. aud thus missed
tie Only chance ever had n capturing flag
night was giving Us It's deadly compliments Of
canister aud grape, double shotted moving q
sWath right through our ranks al every dis
charge, aud emitting down small trees and
bushes. Shells were bursting right IN our faces
with report quicker aud sharper than light
ming stroke, sending those rough Jagged. death
dealing fragments in all directions The smel
OF powder aud birthstone was almost sufIOcat
ing but on we rushed. Al every step iif,
wa lOst-a man went down. Grand old Car
roll, always in the very thiekest Of the fight
was carried back 20 the hospital and think
lost his arm. Our OWL gallant Colonel CThoma
T. Davis, bis tall form towering ia our midst
bareheaded, his long beard flying over hi
shoulders Ia the wind, with sword ia hand
while cheering and urging as on went down il
this terrible WhinWiud Of death, and gave III
his sword aud life. The very air was thick ant
hot with flashing smoking. wbirliug missile
o. death; the piteOus beart-rendiBg cries an,
eroaus OF the wounded, aud cheers aud yelis 0
defiance from the living. Bat siill we presse,
forward, and there were q few brave spirit
who almost reached their next line. (This lin
Wa tie one that ran across and formed the has
Of that triangle u which the Bloody Angle
was the apex; one side heavily iraversed, Wher
the haDd-to hand lighting, 20 graphically de
scrIbed BY q. Norton Galloway. took place late
"a the day. But we were few ia numbers
and being OHt OF ammunition, we saw GU
efforts were hopeless aud therefore the orde
WIS given 10 fall back 10 the first line wher
replenished cur empty cartridge boxes, an,
found that il was after o'clock
There had been over three hours Of the yer,
hardest kind Of fighting done before breakfast