The National tribune., 1891-07-30
THE WILDERNESS.
Heavy lrllllcrymau's story or the big h

Heavy Artillcrymau's story OF the Big Battle.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: wish TO tell
you that :" all Of the Cannoneer's" articles
interested me; even Russia" and the German
quotations contained ia il. and the incidents
10y the wayside with the young ladies, because
IL is SO natural. ! understood all, for am Ger
man born.
In his Battle Month he explains many
incidents and positions which ], then private
soldier in the ranks. never could explain 10
myself especially as regards 10 my regiment
which belonged 20 that Provisional Brigade,
Gen. FerrerOs Division Fourth OF the Ninth
Corps, which he mentions.
Ia the issue of June IL the "CannOneer "
mentions that During these days, viz, May
10 and lG, 1864, at Spottsylyania, the army re-
received a reinforcement of heavy artillery
regiments" aud among them my own, the l4th
N. Y. III. A. But In this he is mistaken, or IL
he took these items from an official report, il is
mistaken, as my regiment was on duty at the
Nye River on the 9th aud 10th of May, and
arrived ON the extreme left Of Spottsylvania at
midnight Of the 18th or 18th; had sharp skir-
mishing every day, in the rain aud mud, until
the 18th. One hundred aud twenty-fiv men,
under Lieut.. c. Lochbrunner, Co. c, who hsd
been left on picket at the Wilderness for four
days without rations. joined the army about
the 10Th, and were ordered 10 ill gap IN the
main lue made by a concentrated lire oil rebel
! artillery upon that point. IL Is probably THIS
squad that was mentioned as a reinforcement.
One sad incident OF the Wilderness, however,
was not mentioned, nor do i find it In any his
tory 50 far. ] will relate il, as many may be
alive that will recollCct IL:
/ On the 9TH of May, 1864, after the battle, and
while the other corps were on the famous race
10y the EFF flank for Spottsylvania, our bril-
! eade, then consisting OF the % \. \. Mtd
Rifles, 9th N. Y. Cav, and my own regiment
/ all doing infantry duty moved across the bat
tletiCld aud took position on the left n 'front.' OF
a woods facing field full of underground into
I which a strong line of piclcts were placed aud
| solid log breastw0rks wclc built About dusk,
while / stood some 30 yards TO the rear Of the
/ line taking to guard placed there TO prevent
men from struggling, n sudden and prolonged
! yell from the rchcl lines, seemingly not over
Y 70 rods away, startled ms. Az the same instant
I firing began oH our left, aud / saw the neigh
/ boring regiments jump for their musllcts aud
fire into their front With few leaps ] made
a dive for the breus,works aud for my musket,
but too late TO fire, so suddenly did IL come and
1 pass. While yet few yards from the works,
while officers were yelling their orders 10 stop
/ firing aud while pickcts also were heard TO
call " stop firing; you are firing into your own
people Z" ] saw Private McFadden. Of Co. A,
reel aud fall shot through the back by one OF
the excited guards IN our rear Everybody
felt desperately like crying over the unlortu-
nate affair that cost the life of the first one of
our company, and as We aftcrwaTd learned.
MANNED a member Of our pickets.
Many years afterward told this story 10 a
one-armed Postmaster Of Town Line, n. Y.
near Buffalo, when be exclaimed: Yes. you
lith Hcavies shot OF my arm there, while |
lay on picket la your frOnt.'-AUG. WENTZ,
Co. A, l4Jh n. Y. III. A., oxford, Aeb.