Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-21
WAR SKETCHES.
TYY BATTLE OF PIsDM0NT-WRST VIRGINIA
TROOPS ENGAGED.
Oarlin's Battery Plays Prominent Part-Rsgu-
lars Try TO Show Of-Old HOOpenhi
zr's" Battery in ACtiOn-Interest-
ing Story Of Fierce Battle.
Rattle of Piedmont,

Shortly after the retreat to Cedar Creek,
Gen. Sigel was relieved of his command
by Gen. Hunter who, on assuming com
lnand, issued very strict orders. Among
them the troops were reduced 10 half "a
tions. The other half was to be gathered
up by organized and systematic fOraging.
Eight mules were TO be used in drawing
every baggage wagon, the two extra ones
TO be eaten If for any cause the supply Of
meat should give out.
We were reinforced by two regiments:
a big one, the Fifth New York Heavy Ar
tillery, which had seen nothing but garri-
son duty, but whe proved after proper sea-
soning 10 be first rate soldiers; Il little one,
the Fourth West Virginia, which proved
10 be whole circus, brass band and me-
nagerie in itself-in my Judgment, one Of
The best little regiments that ever marched
70 the sound OF fife and drum.
On the night march from Lexington |
believe the regiment marched in the rear of
the provost guard, who had about 200 pris-
Oners in their charge The regiment kept
forging ahead until the guards feared they
would lose their prisoners The captain in
charge would cry out: "Who is the colonel
of this regimenUf' Got no colonel"
would be the response "What regiment
is ittn "The same old regiment, only got
new clothes on" keep back keep back
or you will make me lose my prisoners
Let them go! Let them gol We will
catch them for you again tomorrow"
Thus they kept itup the whole night, TO the
discomfort OF the guards and TO their own
pleasure and amusement as well as to the
delight Of all who were near enough 10 hear
the fun.
Some other changes were made. Our
battery having lost three guns at New
market, and some of the men Of Battery G
whose term of enlistment had expired, we
were given one OF their guns, one was sent
TO the rear, and the two batteries were re-
duced 10 four-gun batteries. When we
reached Stanton we received the veterans
Of Battery q and two Of three guEs, restor-
ing us to Il six-gun battery.
Hunter moved promptly up the valley.
We camped on Roods Hill near the old bat
tie field. We found Dick French and Van
Mannus buried in the same grave. We
could only distinguish one from the other
by the fact that Van had the initials of his
name worked on the inside Of his overcoat
We left George Bottles on the battle
field, as we thought, MORALLY wounded
| What was our Joy TO learn that he was in
the hospital at Newmarket in fair way to
recovery. Next morning George was able
TO come TO the door ana watch US as we
marched through town.
We found Levi Cassell at Harrisonburg
to which hospital he had been removed.
He was shot in the foot, a cripple for life.
A few miles beyond Harrisonburg we
left the main pike, and marching in the di-
rection Of Port Republic we crossed the
historic battle field Of Cross Keys. We
reached the river this side of Port Repub-
lie about four o'clock.
To the right could be heard heavy artil-
lery firing Us our cavalry was making
feint on the main pike to enable Us to cross
the river in safety.
a pontoon bridge was thrown across the
river and few head of cattle driven over
It, but nothing else. The infantry fOrGed
lust above the bridge. while we Went about
mile and half below where we rode
over Oh the bottom and the pontoons were
sent TO the rear.
The boys in the First w. Va, declared
the trouble with the pontoon was the fact
that out Of the captured flour the boys had
baked their own bread. These dough
balls they called "sinEers'; with these n
their stomachs and haversacks no bridge
could have borne up under the load and no
soldier thus handicapped could have swan
ashore. The pontoon was ''mistt," !
thick.
We marched UP to Port Royal and be-
yond two or three miles. [ had eaten
nothing that day except few green onions
and we went into camp so late | thought
we would stay there week or so. l had
no reason for thinking so, but we never
went into camp but what thought so 1.-THE
wish being father to the thought This be-
ing my thoughts it was natural to think |
would have plenty Of time TO cook tO-mor-
row, so rolled into my blankets without
any supper.
We were routed out the next day by four
81 IL. r,f. cix
three pickets were driven in, capturing
about one hundred including Capt. limbo
den, Gen. Imboaen's son, as fine a looking
soldier as | ever saw in my life, and as
brave as he was handsome. BY eight we
had walked up their line of battle.
Our battery was the last to take position
being in the advance the day before, we
had the rear that day according to our Or
ders of march. Not in the reserve. because
we were into it "hot and heavy before
ten
In the rear we noted the different batter
les as they went into action. The first re-
port the boys said, '"rhere goes Ewing's
His being a mounted battery, we knew
they were III drst. The rhirty-fifth New
York having six and twelve pound smooth
bores, we could readily tell by the report
of their guns when they opened on the en-
envy. They were Germans, commanded by
Baron Won Kaiser, of the Prussian army
We had another name for him. When he
let loose the boys cried out; "There goes
old Hoop and Hiserr The next battery
was Shows. They went in slow and eau
tiously. as if they intended to stay all day.
and did not mean TO waste shell.
The next was the Regular battery;
tBeYpplled off their six guns at once. The
boys, as that battery fired, cried, There
goes the Regulars" with the next breath,
"What FOOLS" Plenty OF noise but no
damage.
The Regulars" were all right, but their
officers were constantly trying to show
how smart they were. Little fedglings
just out of West Point, they thought they
knew more than old soldiers who had
borne the brunt on many hard fought
field Shows battery had been in IL gen
eral engagements, among them, Gettys-
burg, Charlottesville, Antietam and be-
fore Richmond, under Mcclellan.
Our buttery, all this time, was moving
toward the front. / saw men brought 10
the road and laid in groups with mullen
leaves covering their faces. They were
dressed in gray, but realized they were
men in whose veins the life blood tnrobbed
a short hour ago. How soon | might be as
lifeless as they "God only knows" My
heart was heavy and sad
Presently we left the road, moving 10
the right on an elevation, and went in bat
terry. The enemy was Smelling our position
quite heavily.
The captain looked long and earnestly at
the eneny's position, and then ordered the
guns TO be loaded with case shell 6, second
fuse. After the guns were loaded the cap
tain talked 10 Curran Mendel as TO distance,
windage, etc, and then gave the command
mo. fire. Of went No. l, and the cap
tain watched with his field glass the shell
explode. He then turned TO our gunner,
Duty Smith, giving the necessary changes
noted in the firing of No. l, and ordered
No. TO fire.