Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03


ton. As We vent up at full speed amid the
cheers of the infantry the shouts o. our officers
and the call of the bugle it was very confus-
ing scene, and l got in front of team swing
ing around on gallop and was thrown some
distance and stunned for the moment. When
opened my eyes 1 thought was dreaming.
Our guns were cracking. shells screaming over
head; behind Us the brigade was coming up at
double quick. one of our men was being carried
back wounded. and for a minute l could not
remember where l was. NV shoulder being
bruised and my arm useless. I could do nothing
but hold team. Close by was n large brick
farm house surrounded by several cribs Of
corn; some drivers put corn on the ground and
the horses ate as unconcernedly rs though at
the picket ropes as they stood in place. but many
OF our new teams drawn at st. Louis had never
heard close range firing and were frantic with
fear and needed a man at the head of each
morse. Bricks from the honse flew in AL direc-
tons, shells burst in the cribs, causing corn to
rain down by the bushel Some of tho infantry
behind us were killed. bu. by what seemed q
miracle We only lost a couple of horse and had
Two men slightly and one severely wounded
For u couple OF hours the firing was continuous
but by O'Clock the enemy
SHOWED sIGSs OF WEAKNESS.
McArthurs division OF our corps had carried
the works in front of them. capturing six guns
and some prisoners. The rebels had fallen back
in several places, but those directly opposed TO
us held their ground Our ammunition getting
low our caissons wsre sent to be reflled at the
wagons In the rear. We had to go q long dis
lance and 1t was dark before we started for the
front again. Everything was in confusion. the
rebels were falling back and forming u new line.
our troops were changing position and we had
great trouble In finding the battery; we in
quiredsof every staff officer we met and we're
sent In the wrong direction several times and
long after midnigh. we reached the field where
The guns were. tired, cold and hungry. We had
met long line of ambUlances filled with
wounded squads OF prisoners and many stray
glers on their way to the city and passed several
houses filed with the more severely wounded
and begnn 10 realize that we had taken BART in
pretty large battle. but fel: that we had gained
an advantage and most of our officers. from
Gen. Thomas down, thought that morning
would show Hood retreating.
Soon after daylight firing began on our left
and grew heavier and our brigade was ordered
TO the front. ana soon our guns were at work
again. had q lead team. which cared nothing
Tor firing, so stood behind q huge tree holding
the leading reins. Looking toward the enemy
l saw Fash and a moment later a shell howled
past my tree. another fash and a good sized
limb fell from above my head. then came a
shell which exploded before reaching us aud a
piece OF which cut a spoke from our timber
wheel. another piece broke the leg OF horse
and then to my great relief the range was
changed.
CHARGE MADE.
About the middle of the afternoon a charge
was made along the whole line. Our infantry
we're lying on the ground when we hsard a
cheer on the left and as we looked we saw the
long blue line rising, heard Col Wolfe order
Fix bayonets. and with Il shout our brigade
started for the works in from. of them The
enemy directly opposite US was posted behind
stone fence foar feet high and bad laid head
logs on top OF it. They had twelve guns here
with h,avv infantry support and having sus-
tanned the fire OF az least twenty of our pieces
had suffered greatly. but they stood their
ground until our men had almost reach ID them,
and abandoning all semDlance of order they
started for the rear. Some of the artillerymen
cut loose and mounted their horscs making no
attempt to save their guns, hundred1 of the in
fantry threw away their m1skets and fled while
others made no effort to get away, but gave
themselves up a. prisoners. We had been I'M
comfortable during the cold storms of thu
previous few days even with plentiful supple,
OF rations and clothing and as we saw the ragged,
almost barefootea prisoners we did no.
wonder that 80 many preferred to take
their chances as prisoners Of war.
They had been Oh very scant rations Of corr
meal and bacon and had none of the article
which gave US the most comfort acoifec-and
As they came back they asked every man they
~
seen tina. our men had carried tine worss our
teams were sent to bring in the captured guns
Behind the wall the trees were stripped of
leaves and branches By the shells we had rained
on them, twenty-.hree dead horses Law where
they had fallen and several wounded ones ware
standing around. Pools OF blood showed where
dead or wounded men had lain. and in one
place little to one side was row of nine deal
men. The rest of the killed and ali the
wounded had been remoTed, but from prison.
ers we learned that upward of twenty were
killed or wounded in the battery and tina. the
infantry loss was large.
THE VICTORY COMPLETE
Nigh; was falling when the vi,:ory was com.
plese and a drenchinS rain aided to the con-
fusion. One of our corps of infantry and the
cavalry were ordered to pursue at once and the
resi- OF Us settled down on the ground wa oc
cupled We had no forage for our horse and
no food for ourselves. except what was left in
our haversacks, which in most cases was very
little. Near us was large barn full OF prison.
ers the number being con.tan Nv increa ed by
fresh arrivals. Wounded men were being car-
ried to the rear and near was row of dead
who had been shot in the charge Our can
noneers were tired out and our captain ordered
that the necessary guards be taken from the
drivers. and although protested that had
lost nearly all my sleep tho night before / wa,
compelled to be one OF them. When went of
at clock ii was raining hard and was wet
to the skin. but relied my blanket around me
and laid down. pulling my rubber blanket over
my head, and in a minute was asleep.
When ] was awakened by the bugle
at daylight was lying in pool
an inch or more deep. The morning
was cold and rain was still falling, and we
huddled around the fires until the wagons came
up, and after feeding our teams and getting