The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-04-15
The 9th Corns had made

afternoon. The 9TH Corps had made
an unsuccessful charge in the forenoon
and the woods we passed through just
before reaching the front was full of
victims of rebel masked batteries.
Our Corps was at once formed for the
purpose of charging the enemy where
Warren had just met with disaster.
The charging column was in seven
lines with its TANKS covered with long
lines ready to assist if successful or
protect should we meet disaster. The
order to charge was countermanded
much to the relief of those who were
to lead, for it would most likely have
been another disaster.
That night we were moved to the
left and occupied higher ground, a
naturally strong position in the timber.
Our regiment occupied a position in
the third line and were unprotected by
the works in front as we occupied
higher ground than where the works
were built. My position happened to
be just in rear of large oak tree, and
it is safe to say that valued that one
oak then more than Iwould thousand
acre tract at the present time
When | spread my blanket that
night with my head close to that tree
felt as safe as | would had | been on
the highest peak of the Green Noun I
tains.
Owing to the lay of the land in front
of the rebel line they could not bring
their artillery that was in our front to
bear on Us, but it happened that they
had one gun away to our left fully two
miles away that could be brought to
bear on our position. They must fire
through notch IN the hills. Conse-
quently they could not change the
range of their gun but must content
themselves with firing all their shots
in one place. About ten o'clock at
night they fired their first shot. There
was a small tree a little in front of the
one | was making use of. This tree $
was also little to the right, but not
more than three feet from the one | =
was behind, and this rebel shell passed c
between the two trees. 1t must have {
been three feet above the ground when t
it passed across the trees for it angled b
across our line of battle without injury .
to our regiment. The next regiment to S
our right was not so fortunate as that t
regiment was raked from end to end I
and was obliged to move farther to the Il
rear. | changed my position from the q
west to the south side of the tree The I'll
risks of being of being struck by bull 6
lets was not so great as the danger
from those shells. AS soon as a shell
had passed | would move to the other
side of the tree and wait until saw
the flash of the gun and then | would {
plant myself again behind the tree and 81
count the seconds until the shell had
passed me. The enemy worked that f.
gun until far into the night. The fol b,
owing day Gen. Sedgewicl ordered a ss
MORTAR up to silence this gun. 1t was re
worked by genuine Dutchman. He tn
nut the mortar in position calculated Oh Oh
he distance, took elevations and then W
levated his mortar and fired. AS the TIC
hell went plunging high in the air this he
erman officer brought his field glass TIL
n the enemy's gun and awaited the ITO
esult. The shell burst just as it struck pu
he ground. The Dutchman com Boz
fenced to swear blue streak that bid t ths
lir to continue to the close of the war
e was only few feet in front of the
,giment so some of the boys went
own to see what had caused the out
reak. His answer to their inquiries =
-as that the shell he had thrown had q;
the enemys gun. He saws,
| wanted to have some fun with them taI
ohnnies and now that id shell has the
Doiled the whole of it," sal
To be continued sal