The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-08

enemy coming on n charge? The muzzles
OF the cannons may be pointed so rs to
sweep the entire front and leave no path
way unscathed by missiles. Behind their
guns the artillerymen may stand and hurl
large shot or pour canister into the ranks
OF the assailants almost at will The OBJ
posing artillery is unable to lire upon a
battery while a party is charging it for
fear OF hurting friends, and ut the supreme
moment it comes toa tussle between can
non and rifles or bayoncts The slashHlr
shells one would suppose could outdo bull
lets. the showers of canister overmatch
the bayonets. Sometimes it turns out so.
but not always
The first time that saw IN array of our
cannon on the battlefield, said to n COM
rade. How can we help winning?" With
more experience than |, he exclaimed. Its
all right if they'll stund," meaning the
artillerymen. We We're infantry, and |
SAID cheerfully, "Of course they'll stand if
we stand by them" | soon found out
that would prefer the other horn of the
dilemma, to charge the enemy's guns
RATHER than to stand by our own guns
while repelling Il Charge if that charge
was worthy the name The bloodiest ex-
periencc of this kind during the civil war
fell to the lot of the Eleventh Ohio battery
in the little fight ut Iuka, Miss, Sept. -.
1852 1t was an accidental battle and that
partly accounts for the extraordinary eX-
posture of the ARTILLERY.
Toward the close of the day Snnborn's
brigade Of Rosecrans' army was marching
along IL high road. leading to the town,
feeling the way in anticipation of striking
Confederate outpost. The route Law
through strip of woods that separated
two wide clearings held by the enemy.
N
column drew n heavy fire from Confed-
crate riflemen and artillery The place
would have proven an ambush had Sam
born pushed ahead, but he halted his line
and the enemy quickly attempted to crush
1T before it could prepare for battle There
was no time to lose and the nearest bat
terry, which happened to be the Eleventh
Ohio, was placed OH slight elevation at
the edge of the wood, where it could sweep
the roadway and also the nearest edges of
the clcaringS on both sides of it, The no
sitien of the guns was an ideal one q wide
range to the right and left obliquc and a
slope along the whole front Regiments
of infantry were placed on each flank of
the battery and in rear, and as fur as it
went the line of battle was perfect
Looking ut the plan on paper, most men
OF experience would choose place behind
those six cannon if they had to be in it ut
oil. The troops took their stations under
heavy fire of shell and bullets, and wer.
no sooner settled down to business than
the Confederates charged three columns
deep upon the crest where the battery
stood. The Ohioans opened their guns with
canister and the infantry on each side gave
the assailants vollcy after volley of bullets.
The charge was rcpulsed, and no doubt the
men who had Il hand in the work thought
they could easily repel n second and even II
third. The battery was still intact, it's
fighting force of 81 officers and men quite
unframed, and enough ammunition on
hand to double load the guns for the next
encounter.
There were other Union guns in position
on the field, but the Confederates were
bent upon silencing those of the Eleventh
Ohio first. They reformed and dashed in
again with vigorous ycls. y dense thicket
screened them at the start, then they fell
below the bank of n ravinc, finally emerg-
ing into full view Mt the distance of 100
yards from Sanborn's line. The Ohioans
let 90 their double charges of canister,
the infantry keeping company for a time
with well aimed bullets But while the