The National tribune., 1892-07-14

the left arm on the 9th of May, 1864, at the
Wilderness. And this is the way 1T came about
On the morning OF the 9Th our corps (the
Sixth held the extreme right of that bloody
field, and our regiment (the 49th N. ~ the
extreme left of the corps, the Fifth Corps being
on our left That forenoon we lay in second
line of battle. while the 61st Pa, of our brigade
lay quite little in advance of u.s. They kept
up continuous fire there in the woods. pre-
sumably without seeing an enemy, as the
woods were very close. and you could not see
100 yards in ADVANCE from where they lay, and
they only attracted the enemy and gave them
due notice that we were there, and the rebs
took all the advantage therefrom by sending
their shot, SHE'LL and grape into our line, the
first line escaping the fusilade.
Ny left hand comrade in the front line re-
ceived one of these grapeshots, it plowing right
through the center of his skull. l can see tn e
poor fellow yet weltering in his blood. and
suppose he rests in an unknown grave One
solid shot plowed through our ranks, tearing off
one leg and one arm from Capt. Plogsted. /
and three more quickly gathered him up in
blanket and carried him to the rear about % or
a hundred yards, when the Ambulance Corps
took him in charge He also fills an unknown
grave. His friends and relatives tried hard to
find his remains after the battle and after the
war, but without avail.
That same solid Shot after mutilating our
brave Captain, struck another of our company.
John Levick, right on the chest. and he never
knew what struck him, though no mark OF
violence could be seen.
Our Colonel getting somewhat disgusted at
seeing his men slaughtered in this way, with
out our being able to fire shot, asked permits
sion from some higher authority to be allowed
to relieve the 6lst Pa, which was granted. The
command was given and we passed through the
woods and brush at lively rate. We had
orders to do SO On the quiet. but the rebs got
wind If it, because ofthe noise we made with our
arms canteens and tin cups rubbing against
brush and trees could be easily beard some dis
lance, and they gave US a very warm greeting
with shot and shell, so that we lost quite a
number of men in this advance, my rear man
being struck ON his right shoulder and breast,
going through his knapsack, which contained
quite lot of letters and writing-paper, which
were scattered to the winds. In the excite
ment they looked to me like white pigeons.
Well, we finally got there, relieved the 61st
and formed line, they retiring after the line
was established. Three or four men from each
company were sent to the front, abont 10 to 20
PAGES from the main line, with orders not to
fire without they saw the enemy. The result
was, quiet was soon restored, which lasted until
about o'clock p. M, when they again opened
their blasted artillery. 1t surprised me under
big tree little to rear OF the line, where |
was trying to change my dirty shirt for clean
one, and also for the purpose of tightening my
knapsack. so / might be in light-marching Or
der. 1t was quite job for the shirt would
stick and hang, so that had to nse force to
tear it off; and donning the clean one, was
somewhat afraid the Johnnies might break
through and find me not well uniformed.
But finally got my toilet made in shape,
and was fully equipped with haversack, can
teen. knapsack, and cartridge box and rushed
back to my company, where / had left my
trusted Springfield sticking in the ground by
the bayonet. But she was gone; some one
must have taken it in the excitement ] soon
found another gun. Soon after this We were
ordered to fall back. which we did in good
order to near the line we held in the morning,
and we were pleasantly surprised to find
a good log breastwork which was supposed to
have been built by the. heavy artillery, the
14th n. Y, presume, for their own use. 1t was
a good one, and / don't believe the whole of
Lees army could have driven the Third Bri-
gade, Second Division, Sixth Corps, from them.
i provided myself especially we'll for charge
by the enemy, having laid extra amount of
cartridges on the fat side of log in the works,
ready to load and fire as fast as possible. But
only one shot was ! allowed to fire, and that
over the heads of our own skirmish-line, who
lay low and being contrary to orders, / was
scoded by one of our officers. Then came that
terrible charge on our ri ght THE Third Divis-
ion), where the rebs broke through, getting in
our flank and rear. The 61st Pa. being %
PAGES in our rear, rs support or reserve scat
tered like sheep, until our noble Major Ellis
grabbed their colors and formed them in line
diagonaly with our line, to prevent flank
movement of the enemy.
Then my company tB) and Co. ID were or
dered to deploy as skirpshers to the rear, un-
der the command of Maj. Ellis. did not go
more than hundred yards when was struck
by mimic ball in my left arm, near the Shout
der. 1t psrslyzed me for a few minutes; my
hand and arm would not move The bone was
not broken but tho ball went around it and
came out opposite to where it entered and that
is the shot / accuse the 14th N. Y. II. A. of
firing. But, bless them, / bear them no grudge
or bad feelings. / got it good deal worse
afterward {Sept. 81. 1864 at Fishers Hill,
when genuine rebel ball struck me in the
right wrist, causing the loss of my right arm,
for which am receiving pension of $50 per
month, and no rnore as my Democratic oppo-
nents try to make believe whenever have run
for town Office here.
Those days, 4th, 9th and 9th of May, 1864, at
the Wilderness were trying days; fighting con-
tinually in the woods against rebel infantry
and artillery, which latter arm our forces did
not use there, not knowing the lay of the land
nor the position Of the euomy.
Hoping to hear from others that belonged to
the old Third Brigade, Second Division, Sixth
Corps, I'll retire.--C., e.. FuGKE, Co. b, 10th
N Y, Lancaster. n. NJ Hit tre
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