Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-01-04

THE REBELS IN TIE wooD3.
were all mixed up. As we began Il
drag the cannon on, the Johnnies
grabbed the piece by the muIzle and
tried To hold it. Then muskets were
dubbed and bsyonets used. II all
those engaged in the fight had been
personal enemies for years, the cursing
and reviling could not have been mere
bitter. The wounded fell to the ground
with oaths and inprecations upon their
lips, and without groan. Enough OF
our men rallied TO enable us to hold on
TO the gun. The Vermont regiment in
tho woods ON the left had stood firm,
and the Johnnies who had swept
through the gap were enfiladed. After
the fight to secure the gun was over,
we discovered that she was loaded, that
the lanyard was hanging from her
breech, and no one had thought to pull
IT during the fight.
The regiment rallied behind brush
fence. George Drake, of the color
guard. sprang over ID and planted the
colors at the side of the gun. He swore
that Lees men should have them if the
regiment did not protect them.
Probably three hundred men lined
themselves on the colors in three min
utes, each man in his company, and each
company in its order. They moved
forward at the command Of the Colonel,
and restored the main line, occupying
the same ground which they had left
By this time the sun had gone down,
and darkness was sweeping over the
plain. II became intensely dark. The
regiment was lying down in expecta-
ton of another assault. It was terri
bly, trying time. The means Of the
wounded filed the air. In the distance
the shells had set the woods on fire. In
the lurid light tho Lieutenant-Co Colonel
come down the line. He saw me stand
ing in front of two companies.
what companies are these" he said,
behind your"
told him.
where ere the commissioned Off.
cors?" he asked.
lon't know" was my reply.
there are the orderly sergeants2"
They're not here"
"Hem," he muttered. sWell, ser.
geant-major, take command of the
division and don't resign It until you
are relieved"
One of the Captains appeared not long
afterwards. / told him l was in COM
mand, with orders not to yield the au-
thority till the Lieutenant-Co Colonel re-
lieved me. Not long afterwards the
Lieutenant-Colonel did relieve me, and
directed the Captain to thank me for
keeping his company intact. A mo-
ment afterward the orderly of the sec
ond company appeared and took COM
rnand in like manner.
Five minutes afterward the Lieuten-
ant-Colonel ordered me to look after
the piclzets. In the darkness / moved
the pickets towards the enemy. Each
man took his intervals. STOPPING close
to the ground and looking up could
see their forms outlined against the
sky. I could name each comrade by his
outline. The ground was covered with
the killed and wounded. Occasionally
a wounded man tried to crawl toward
our line. Every thing. even the stumps.
seemed to be moving. The wounded
were packed around dead horses. They
crawled there to escape the bullets,
using each carcass as a shelter. While
STOPPING to the earth and jglancing sky
ward | saw form moving past our
line. Beyond I could see the outline
of Corporal Mason, member of our
regiment. / called him to me. We
accosted the stranger. He was Con-
Tolerate picket. The lines were pass
ing each other in the darkness. When
asked what regiment he belonged to he
replied:
"The Thirteenth Mississippi"
"WeD. off with your traps" said
'sVe're Jerscymen."
Good Go.li'' he exclaimed. not in ter
Tor. but aStonishment.
Away went his cow-sl<in knapsack.
He threw down his gun and shook off
his accoutrements.
You'd better keep your haversack."
I said. you'll want that"
It was made Of undressed cow~skin.
A pair Of new shoes were tied 70 il. He
expressed great anxiety concerning the
shoes. He was afraid some Yank would
couascstr them.
Al this moment We were called ia He
was my prisoner. / told him to stick
close IN me and 7 would protect him.
That night we lay IN the trenches for
three hours. The Johnnies had s<eer-
tanned what was GoinsS on, and were
sheliirr the pontoous and THE earth
works They were using mortsrs. for
We eosld see the fsses of the shells
making parsbosss In the air and drov-
ping near rs II was three o'clock IN
the morning when we desoended the
hill and crossed TIE river al the pen