Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-02-21
THE STORY OF "ouR TOM"
How Famous Field Piece of the War
Was Recapturel From the EnemN.

How Famous Field Piece of the War
Was Recapturcd From the Enemy.
Our brigade battery had one field
piece which the boys came to know as
"0ur Tom" If you ask ,nr why they
gave it that title shall ask you in re-
turn how it was that almost every thing
connected with the troops at the front
on either side had title of some sort.
For instance, our Brigadier-General was
known as "Old Lemons;' our Colonel
was referred to as Hurry Up" and our
Captain was known as Little Jim"
We ha,; a company dog who was called
Longitude - 4 certain mule known as
"Vesuvius," and our company baggage
wagon was referred to as '"The Ark
Our Tom" was no handsomer than
any of the other guns. but he had scar
received in battle, and this distinguish
ed and exalted him above the othe five.
We were raw troops when Our Tom"
came to US, and we looked upon his
scar just as we would have looked upon
one carried by veteran soldier We
came to know where he got it, how we'll
he fought that day, and whose life
blood it was which spurted over the
spokes of his right wheel and dyed
them so red that they had to be washed
in the waters of the creek.
The battery boys were rather proud
that we of the cavalry should adopt"
one OF their guns, and when we would
cheer Our Tom" as he passed us on
the highway the artilleryists would re-
turn the compliment Our first battle
after he joined us was Brandy Station,
and he was put in the battery and got
to work quarter of an hour before we
did. A thousand men had their eyes on
Our Tom" as he began pitching shells
across a broad plain into the woods on
the far side. Every other gun was do
ing just as good work, but we had
praise for only one. We cheered him as
we saw shell blow fragments of men
and horses into the air, and when the
Colonel rode along the line and indig-
nantly ordered ''silence in the ranlssr'
more than hundred voices growled in
reply:
"We'u cheer Our Tom and be hanged
to yOu!"
That was hot fight at Brandy, ana
at a certain stage of the game the gal
liant enemy moved n heavy squadron
down upon the battery, which had been
left almost unsupported for the moment.
Our regiment was half a mile away,
having it hot and heavy but when
some one raised the cry that the boys
in gray were after "Our Tom," there
was rush to save him. don't know
whether it was ordered or made without
orders, but / do know that five COM
panies broke off with left wheel,
leaped their horses over wide ditch,
and fell upon the gray squadron like u
thunderbolt. We were all among the
guns, and right at "Our TOMS" wheel
] saw n brave Confederate trooper GO
down with his head split wide open from
IL saber stroke. We fought over him
and around him, and we saved the bat
terry, and when we came to examine
''Our Tom" and found two fresh scars
on him we swung our hats and cheered.
| At Shepardstown, while we were
fastening forward towards Gettysburg,
two pieces of our battery were cut OF
and captured. 1t was coup on the
had gone with the guns before we knew
II. "Our Tom" was one OF the pair
and when the news spread there was
cursing and lamentation. A Thousand
men solemnly vowed to have that CUR
back if they had to leave leg or al
arm on the field OF battle. We had NJ
show for it until the two armies con
fronted each other at Gettysburg. Then
MS our brigade was skirmishing to fee
Lees wagon trains, n battery opened OIL
as. At the first report of the first guI
a hundred men stood up in their stir
rups and shouted;
"Hn .ah! boys--that's 'our Tom call
ing to usv'
Half an hour Later we were masse'