Rock Island daily Argus., 1892-11-09
LEFT TO A VOTE OF THE PRlvATEa.
Why the Confederates Did Not Storm
tho Unicn Works at Petersburg.

Why the Confederates Did Not Storm
tho Unicn Works at Petersburg.
The private soldiers had so few privileges
during the var that it does me good to
mention for the first time III print an incl
dent of the siege Of Petersburg. There are
plenty yet living of the old soldiers who
can tell you that the question of storm
ing" or mot storming' the Yankee works
at Petersburg by night was left to "A vote
of the privates.
forget dates, it has been SO long, but it
was just a short while before the Con-
federates left their trenches and started
on the nine days retreat which ended at
Appomattox. -
1t had been well known for some time
that Lee could not hold out against Grant
much longer unless, by taking some des-
perate chance, advantage might be gained
to the Confederates. A council of officers
was held and while of course l do not
know what happened in that meeting I
do know that it became understood among
the privates of the army that there had
been disagreement among the officers,
and failing to agree they compromised by
leaving the question Of storming the
Yankee works at night to the decision of
the privates-a thing so unusual that it
cast shadow over their hopes.
On the day before the vote was to be
taken at night the bushes, rubbish and
brush were ordered cleared or leveled in
the ravine between the two armies 1t was
a perilous undertaking, but the Confed-
crates gathered their axes and without
fiinching marched to their work. Strange
to say, the Yankees quietly watched this
proceeding without firing gun, it being
work they wished performed or else they
-. L.. f--l
ing to storm their works-a thing they
much desired Anyhow the Confederates
got through with their work and went
back to their camps without any trouble,
but fully confident that it was prepara-
tion to charge, all ignorant of what turn
matters were to take.
When night approached and the officers
quietly bid the men TO fall in you may
wonder at the surprise of all privates when
they were told that all commissioned Off
GERS would retire from their presence and
that privates should decide by ballot
among themselves as to whether the Yam
kee works should be attempted by storm
upon that very night.
A little incident happened just as the
commissioned officers retired, and none of
us can say to what extent it bore upon the
action Of the privates. The mail had
soldier boys, an unexpected thing just at
that time, for it was SO early to get the
mails then. The arrival Ct thcaa letters
from home stopped all other Thought, and
the men gathered in groups around their
orderly sergeants anAicusly listening to the
names upon the envelopes to he called out.
As each man received his letter he hastened
from the group to some little fire light,
and down upon his knees he broke the seal
and read the contents. Soon there were
many kneelirG men round the fires through
the camps, and as now and then one would
reach out and punch up the chunks you
could see the tears glistening in his eyes.
But vote must be taken, ballot OF
mo- if the fight was not to be made, or a
ballot of yes If it was
1t was under just such circumstances
that balloting began, and as they were
gathered all in hat the time had come
for the counting. Then came short mo-
ments of expectancy. The first ballot was:
"Yes!''
And the blood thrilled through every
and
Yes"
"Yes".
Yes
For three times the fatal Eyes" came,
with not single mo" But a mo" came
at last, and then long column of noes"
with only here and there YES" was the
result. The fight was off The breast.
works would not be stormed that night,
and they never were, but many of these same
brave hearts ceased to beat before the end
at Appoma:tox--Atlan Constitution