The National tribune., 1890-06-12
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
Comments and Corrections.

diary tells him. On the night of April z
Gregg's Division, to which the writer's regi.
ment belonged, camped at Prospect Church
some 30 miles from AppOmattox. The morn
ing of the Sth they started out and reached the
station, four miles from the courthouse, about
= p. IN. Hero they captured three trains OF
cars, loaded with supplies for Lees army, and
81 pieces Of artillery, that were in the park
| Near sunset they started toward the Courthouse,
dismountod, drove the head of Lees army back
about two miles by 10 p. M, and tho balance OF
| the night was spent in making breastworks, as
Comrade Suppler says. Just at daylight the
next morning the enemy advanced upon the
ridge and lighting began. Our forces held
their works an hour, but tho rebels being re-
! lniorced they were compelled to fall back.
| There was some heavy fighting, and by 10
| o'clock the rebels had driven us back about a
mile. Two Federal brigadcs Of infantry came
up and formed about 200 yards in the rear and
then lay down. Gregg's Division was ordered
| to about. face and make for the rear, which
! they did, with the rebels close behind. Sud
denly the infantry rose, and after about ID
minutes hard fighting the rebels fell back.
Evans Rush. Co. II, 55th Pa, Evansville,
| West Va, has been a close reader for sometime,
and has not seen n word from any member of
tho o5th, whose old flag bears the marks of
having been in stormy places during the three
years 1T was in service. He would like to in
qulre OF Comrade Brown, whose article on the
battle OF kinston appeared in a recent issue,
why it is that he has forgotten tho s5th Pa,
when It's position in line Of march was almost
invariably between the 10lst and 103d Pa. and
when these three regiments were the only ones
In the battle from the Keystone State. This was
the writer's first battle, and he felt very much
as though no would like TO have the power of
making himself invisible to mortal eyes The
brigade charged through the timber, where
they opened fire and kept IL up until there was
M - L.
Magruder, and this was not till o o'clock at
night. The brigade held its position on picket
all night
Milton Giles Co. A, 18th ILL.,, Olympia, Wash,
in answer 10 an article of recent date thinks
That tho cus.odians of the rebel flags supposed
to have been surrendered at Vicksburg are the
rebels themselves, as he saw tho men of a
Louisiana regiment in front of our line when
they came out and stacked their guns, take
their flag and tear it into small pieces, dis
tributing them among themselves, rcmarking
that the Yankees might have the pole"
Capt. X. &. Rankin, Ripley, o., referring to
tho story OF Frank Foote, 18th Mass, as to the
capture of Fort Gregg, and his claim that the
fort was not taken until Southern men of
Northern sentiments charged it, says that Frank
tootc is himself Northern man born. as his
father was ON the farm which Capt. Rankin
now owns
w. Jones' Co. c, 7th Kan. Cav, Willow
Springs, Mo, declares the rebels did stretch
chains across the street at Independence Mo,
Oct. q, 1864 The writer was there. and took
part in the charge made by his regiment and
the 18th Mo- Cav. They ran against great
chain stretched across the street. This chain
was ioosened by woman, and they went on
through the town, capturing two little brass
cannon planted in the western portion They
fought tho Johnnies until 10 o'clock that night
when they rested upon their arms. The writer
lac ,t..vr . -. i. r
Tor one OF his comrades spread his blanket
over both, and slept thus until daylight, when
he was Mortified to find that his bedfclow was
dead johnny.
Paul Dubic, Co. A. 10Th u. s., Black River,
Mich, would like to inform T. A. Thompson,
Go. +, 10th KY, that the comrades wearing the
uniforms Of Iouaves who fell in tho edge of
the woods close to the breastwOrks at Jones'
boro, belonged to the 18th n. Y. (Zouaves).
The writer wants to hear from the Confederate
who surrendered saddle.bags containing army
records concerning Hardee's Corps. and one
pair gray pantaloons. on the skirmish-line at
JonesbOro. Sept. /. 1864.
Stephen Feather, Co. NJ 4th L. s. Cav,
Panama. Neb. says in regard to the charge ut
Shclhyville that whom the charge was making
ready Mintys Brigade formed on the left of
the pike close to tho battery, and came on the
pike not more than five rods in front of our
guns, and in plain sight of Shelbyville. About
twot thirds of the way 10 the courthouse near
a blacksmith's shop there was n rebel battery
at work on our lines, and this battery was capt
ured. The guns nj the courthouse lmbored
up, and went for the bridge south of il. The
bridge broke in the passage. and more than go
rebels were taken out OF the water below the
bridge, who wero drowned. Many were also
shot in the water
Appomattox
A. Vosburgh, Co. X 10th ILL.,, and Adm.
tant, Fitzpatrick Post. New York City In an.
swer to Comrade f. NJ Meade, states that there
were only two divisions of the Sixteenth Corps
ON the Red River campaign, and neither was in !
the first line at Pleasant Hill Mt the beginning
Of the fight, rs the Nineteenth Corps had
formed its line before they came on the field |
But after the Nineteenth Corps broke, the Six |
teonth Corps charged and drove the rebels from |
the field. Conrade Vosburgh would like TO |
ask Comrade Meade why the Nineteenth Corps |
left thor dead and wounded on the field where |
they fell. il they repulsed the enemy Yos- |
burgh was in that battle with his company on |
the extreme left OF the second line. lilo did |
picket duty that night, and did not leave the |
field until the next morning
h. a. True, Sth Me, il3 Devonshire street. !
Boston, Mass. corrects two correspondents who. |
in recent issue, said that To the Fifth Corps |
was delegated the honor of receiving the sur |
render OF arms, etc, of Lees army. The writer |
says tho Twenty fourth Corps was designated |
for this duty. He was present, with his regi-
mont, aud saw the thing carried out.
The Battery Mt Resaca.
Ed. Clark, Sergeant, Co. !, ll1th Pa. Saw
yer City, Pa, has been waiting for IL long time
for the honor To be properly placed in regard 10
the Rcsaca battery, and says Comrade Hartman
has il nearly in tho right place. The writer's
regiment belonged TO the Second Brigade Sec
Dnd Division. Twentieth Corps, aud was in the
rear Of the division OH tho day of the BATTLE |
having been on skirmsh the day before The
order being given to advance, they came upon
the Fourteenth Corps lying on the brow of the
hill. When Gen. Hooker asked Col Gotham.
Of the nth, if he could place his men under
he brow Of the hill, he replied in tho affirm
alive aud the order was given 10 move on.
They passed over the solid body of men, who
were lying so close together that they had TO
tramp on them. They went on tho double
quick and as soon as they were out Of the way
,he men over whom they had passed rose and
fred, which prevented the enemy from doing
very much damage to the advancing line They
charged right up under the fOur.guu battery,
5he writer's regiment being the first troops
across the valley, They were within 40 feet of
.he rebel breastworks That night the enemy
leaving the battery, as it could only
nave been taken out in one direction. aud that
way was cut OIL The writer had orders To de-
al some men 10 report to Co. A to dig through
he fort and take out the guns. This was done
by the Second Brigade, Second Division men,
md if the troops that Comrade Hartman
speaks of were there, they were in the rear,
guarding nothing, as the rebels had retreated.
Ind |