The National tribune., 1891-05-14
BATTLE OF JoNESBoRo
Az Seen by an Orderly at Gen. Towards Head
quarters

NWhFlfth-
EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: At the battle
OF Jonesb0rO, ga. when sherman Ranked the
rebels out of Atlanta, your humble servant was
acting rs q courier for Capt. Recce, Chief Engi-
neeI Army OF the Tennessee az that time com
manded by Gen. o. O. Howard. During the
advance Capt. Reece Gen. Howard and staff
were following the skirmish-ine closely, aud
AS we passed a humble log cabin by the road
side we saw rebel sharpshOotCr lying IN the
agouios of death in the yard. A crowd soon
gathered around, and il was learned that he
had climbed large Balm Of GIlead tree that
stoO in the yard and was picking OF our Skin
mishers as they advanced slowly through the
adjoining woods and fields; but some keen
eyed Yankee Saw the smoke Of his rifle, and,
taking deliberate aim, sent a ball crashing
through his head and tumblcd him out Of
his hiding place, aud his comrades had re-
treated aud left him weltcring IN ms blood.
The dust ia the yard was two or three inches
deep, and ms the blood and brains oozed from
his wound he. in his death struggles, drew his
hands over has head aud face, making picture
horrible in the extreme. Some cold -bloUded
lOOker-on wondered il he had any tobacco in
his pockets, so common had such sights become
that it produced only a momcntary diversion.
Tie roar OF musketry was sounding at the
front and on the TANKS aud we FASTENED on,
passing the Surgeons, who were erecting tenn
being brought back in considerable numbers
Gen. Howard, after going down the hin, came
TO a little creek spauned by bridge, and part
Of the staff were on the bridge when a shower
OF musketry broke loose from the rebel Skin
mish-linc, and the General waited until few
regiments OF infantry had crossed.
We sat there on our horses amid perfect
shower Of bullets until those brave fellows got
across and into line, when, with a yell, they
I'll
pits. / was sent back with a dispatch that
carried me past tho cabin where the rebel sharp
shooter WAS lying. He was dead, and someone
had kindly laid him out by the roadside and
Strengthened out his limbs. / passed many
wagons which were under orders TO close up
and were being coualod in an open field pretty
well up 10 the front and within cannon-shot Of
the enemy.
The roar Of battle in the front still waxing
louder put the mules and their drivers in a
state Of excitement that can only be appre-
cated after IL is seen. On my return the bat
tie was at its hight, and the screaming Of
shells, the boom OF cannon, and zip of the
mimic balls was constant and sometimes
terrific, and saw our brave fellows forming IN
line preparatory 10 making a charge.
A rebel battery was planted in the edge Of a
strip Of woods, and one Of its caissOns was
struck by shot or shell from our side and
blown up. We could see our boys as they
rushed to the charge, but the smoke Of battle
obscurcd the sight and we held our breath for
minute until we heard the Yankee cheers
and we knew the victory was ours. ] have
always bad curiosity TO know who killed that
rebel sharpshO0tcr, and should there be anyone
among the readers Of our great soldiers paper,
The NATIoSAL TRIBUNE, who knows any
thing about il, will they tell us all about it
through the columns of orr paper ?-J. N. Nc
MASTER, Co. {, 9th Ohio Cav, Demos, o.