The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-08-21
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
FORT GREGG.
q One Armed Comrades Description OF It's Capt



EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: IL is remark
able how some mem. T. Harding, for in
stance, Corporal Of Co. X. 10Th w. Na.-Cau
tell Of the movements Of their regiments and
actions Of officers while they themselves were
hundreds Of miles away.
Now bark 10 one who was thar and lost his
good right arm at the shoulder by grapcshot
in that charge on Fort Gregg. To begin with,
] will say Gen. Canby's eagle to tho contrary
notwithstanding, that the 10Th w. Va. did not
charge on Fort Gregg on the rebel line at Pc
tersbuTg Va, April > 1860 j have no doubt the
above named regiment was i'm a charge on that
line in that immediate vicinity, for think the
entire Twenty fourth Corps was in action that
day. Gregg WAS an immense fort on an angle
of the rebel line, fanked with heavy earth
works. About ID rods in front OF the fort was
an old washed-out waEon-road, and about 20
rods farther away was little marshy slough
with few scattering small trees and brush.
We formed just back Of this, on high ground, in
full view OF the fort and works. / have often
wondered why the enemy did not annihiiate
uswhile forming in column closed en- masse, for
this IS the way we charged but instead there
were but few shots fired, one Of which / think
struck In the ranks Of the 9th Ohio Near the
col0rs. Don't know just what casualty from
this shot, but think one man was killed and
several wounded. We were standing at or
AGE arms. ne Sueil musN nave Struck Ill
rectly under the butt of a musket. for il threw
one into the air at least 80 feet Had the Can
noncer been in that fort with his Battery b
he would have wiped us all out of existence.
The fort was rs full of men as ever a dog was
OF fieas. They must have been scarce Of am
muuition, or why did they not kill half Of
rs while waiting orders 10 charge? For we act
ually stacked arms and ate lunch. As ! re-
member now, after % years. the charge was
fol srafl svctD 5t-iC
Iwcnty-fourih Corps, Brig.-Gen. 7. o. Osburn
commanding, composed ofthe veteran remnants
Of the seth H., about $50 strong; 62d and 9th
Ohio. each about same strength; S5th Pa, abOut
100 strong, and l99th Pa about 700 strong,
they being new troops II may be mistaken in
the number Of this last-named rogiment), fol-
lowed by the Second Brigade, composed,
think, Of the 9th Nc, 10th Conn, Tooth y.
y, and Think one other small regiment, prob
ably 4th n. III. These were all old troops, not
probably numbering over 500 mussets in the
brigade. Now these were the troops that
charged Fort Gregg and took IT, ] write these
things from memory, and i want to say there
Is not a day Of my whole life the events of
which are preserved so wildly in nv mind
as those Of that day. As stated before. ] was
struck with Grapeshot, when about half way
between the old road and the outer ditch OF the
fort. Grape were being planted, not as far
mers plant corn, two 10 four in a hill, but by
the bucket full, perhaps barrel, for two Of the
men OF my company who were killed each
had three grapeshot through them.
moment before being struck, the color
guard Of the ed Ohio had been swept away.
Being az my side ] seized the colors, but hardly
had them erect when a cd man seized and was
bearing them toward the fort. By this time
We had lost our formation, and every man was
intent on the fort and a Johnny.
IL was at this moment / was struck, but
being 50 close 10 the ditch, ] only had 70 make
few lively bounds and IN ] went, one Of the
first men, If not the very first man, TO enter
the ditch. II was deeper than j had antici-
pated, consequently landed hard, but man
aged % get up and out Of the mud, and lie up
against the fort comparatively out OF danger
although when ] revived from my first faint
] found myself almost buried In loose dirt,
kicked down by the men climbing up over me-
Al this moment ] recognized a comrade of my
company, Ernest W. Iateburg, climbing over
me, caught him by the pants-leg, and gave him
3 shake. Recognizing me, although covered
with blood and mud from head to foot, this
Doble-hearted boy stopped in the midst Of the
din and tumult Of battle, laid his gun By nv
side, and with . penknife cut my equipments
from my body and coat-sleeve from my arm
and tied my handkerchief around the arm, the
knot being placed over the artery, which had
been severed, ana my life was thus saved. IL
Comrade Ta'eburg is still living, would be
very pleas hear from him.
At the or south end Of this ditch was
sonsider water, in which many of the
WoBnde we're drowned ] could see them
sstIosg = in the water from where lay help
The events sc they occurred for the next
four Gays would be interesting reading but
my letter is growing too long. After four days
my life seemed one long night Of suffering.
Tor SIX Weeks-eLcepting the receiving Of the
news Of the assassination Of President Lincoln
which stirred the blood Of every patriotic
heart 70 It's very depths-it is impossible for
tongue or pen 70 describe the scene in that
hospital ward. / tell you, comrades, though
we may not be able 70 tell Just why and how,
but that scene told just how much we had
come % love our President
Bat ] must return 70 my place In the ditch,
and SAY bad any troops except those men
stoned charged Fort Gregg would have Seen
them. IN discussing this Fort Gregg matter,
Il should be remembered that this line Of rebel
works was one immense fort, but Fort Gregg
proper was ~ ] have indicated As 10 "plant-
Ing the first flag On Fort Gregg" there was
none planted. The first flags 70 yet On I'll.
fort went into it-Over the ramparts and into
the enemyg Eanks-the colOr-bearcrg carving
e0iOFs N one hand and fighting with the other
There was no time FOR planting anything bat
heavy blows. The enemy was determined
and fought 70 the death. As / learned after.
wards, only e Of the 500 who manned the fort
were able 70 walk out alone. Had the golden
sagle been offered 20 any one Of the regiments
Of the Western Brigade" rs we were called,
that regiment would have said, "Give US each
enc, OF give us none; We equally shared the
light" There has been much said about that
Eagle Regiment" il is not 10 be wondered
az that they have trouble in retaining bosses
tlon Of H. Come easy 60 easy" you know
IL was even Whispered that the horse ma.
Tines and recruits pretty generally under
stood the eagle had 70 be taken of the stat
every mornIng.-M WETZEL Go. /, 18th III.
OEEal0osa, Iowa.