The National tribune., 1891-02-05
IN THE WILDERNESS.
The Part Taken by Bcrdan's LIST .. 5. sharpshOOtt

The Part Taken by Bcrdan's IstU. :. SharpshOOters
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: As ComradC
Myerhof wants the boys TO write up what they
saw az the battle Of the Wilderness / viii tell
what i saw there. do not pretend 10 know
what every division, brigade, or corps was
doing i'm great battle, for i had all / could do
TO see what was going on right in front Of me
did not get upon logs or stumps TO see all
that was going on, but was quick TO avail my
self OF such shelter when 1 could get IL, and
If there was any glory i'm man exposing him
self unnecessarily and getting ball put through
him, was willing he should have it, So what
have TO say is what / saw right in front OF
me.
The 9Th day Of May, 1864, VIC lost our Major,
commanding the regiment, who was taken
prisoner while on the skirmish-line, aud Gen.
Hayes commanding brigade, was killed. The
next day my regiment was placed in line OF
battle; something that was very seldom done,
for with our bTeech- loading guns we could soon
shoot away all the ammunition we could carry.
We could load aud fire 10 shots minute, aud
when that was gone we were not the brave
boys TO stand there simply 10 ill up the line.
We were on the second line, and started from
near the crossroads about daylight. The line
In front was driving the enemy steadily, when
an incident happened. The enemy opened with
unusual force, and the regiment in front OF Us
Colonel taking the lead; and when we saw
them coming we jumped up and commenced 10
cheer. They saw US and knew they had sup
port, turned around, and went back and gave
the enemy a good drubbing; but the Colonel
had no disposition TO go back with them. lie
was bound 10 so through our line and the
boys had 10 take him by the coat-collar aud
jerk him about, aud treat him TO a few inches
Of the toes of their boots, before he was con
~ pph fluf hn hnl hgf IBa m 10 VaUf
ment They told him man that had as good
a regiment as he had, and who acted as he had,
ought 10 have his sword taken from him and
be dismissed from the service in disgrace.
10 soon came our turn TO take the front line.
We drove them steadily until out of ammuni-
ton and had swept everything before Us, when
there was a lull in the firing. Another line
had taken our place, regiments were somewhat
mixed up, and were drawing ammunition,
when all 1t once IL seemed that PandemOnium
bad broken loose 10 our left. Crash upon crash
aud vulley upon yolcy came. until il seemed
that the internal regions had broken upon Us.
Ia a few minutes all was confusion; the men
10 our left broke, and soon the whole line
became surgng mass, and began 10 fall back.
] saw no general officers that tried 10 stop the
mass. Once or twice the men rallied of their
own accord, and checred aud started back, hut
had no one to take the lead, and they finally
broke aud went back TO the Notifications they
started from in the morning, and think some
did not even stop there.
did not see any organized troops in the
works. There were two pieces Of artillery in the
road at the crossroads that kept throwing shells
al the enemy. / saw Gen. Hancock for the
FIRST time that day. lie rode along the liue
aud told the men 10 get down behind the
works and hold them az all hazards. The men
protested that they could not find their regi-
ments. lie said never mind that now bu,
hold these works. i have always thought
that If the enemy had come right on nothing
could ever have saved that part Of the line; but
they did not, and after waiting about half an
hour regiments commenced TO organize; the
Color-scrgeants would plant their coors aud
call out the name Of their regiments, until
finally the army was quite generally reorgan-
lied. j know that the goth Ind. was in the
front line with its right resting on the road,
and my regiment was in the third line directly
in the rear.
All was quiet until or p. m, when the
music commenced again. The rebs were trying
10 take the works We lay there with batcd
breath, not knowing what the result would be,
but finally, after few minutes, We saw our
men begin 10 break nj the left OF Us, aud the
JohuniCs camo pouring over tile works. Capt.
Wilson was IN command OF the regiment then.
and cooler, Drawer man never lived. He
jumped up and said: BOYS, / cannot stand
this. Forward, leit-0blique. march," We gave
a cheer and started. At this time there was
much confusion. We tried to encourage the
men, bat it was 10 use, aud back they came.
We told them 10 get out Of our way aud fall in
the rear We soon got 30 the front, where we
could use our little rides, aud the aspect was
soon changed. The reDs were just as anxious
to get back over the works as they were a fcw
minutes before 10 get on our side but they did
not al get back, for those not killed were taken
prisoners, al least about 800 Of them
The lines were restored, aud we went back "a
our former position. j do not say that We
did ali tins alone, but do say that my regi.
mcnt was the first 10 stem the tide. On the
left Of Us all was confusion, aud one regimen,
got mp aud deliberately went 10 tho rear
aud after the inos were restored came back aud
took their places again. This may have been
the regiment that the Colonel tried TO lead "a
! the rear in the morning but could not get
! through the line, aud thought he would 70
now while he had a chance
j know that i shall be criticized about this
but this is as i saw IL. Capt Wilson was like
4 Col. Bgrdan al Gettysburg. lie saw the oppor.
tunity and improved H., without waiting for
orders, but Others got the praise. The goth
Ind were true blue have heard il stated
that when the rebs charged that those two
/ guns Ina the road lacked men to handle them
aud these boys went TO their assistance, and
would hardly give the guns time 10 recoil be.
/ fore they would bring them clear beyond the
/ line, aud turn them lengthways Of the works
aud IRE, doing great execution. i cannot vouch
/ FOR this, but know they would do il il needed. -
I y. SESSIONS, 60. j, BeTdan's lst u. S. S. S.
/ Hubbardst0n, Mich.