Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20
rnooFs on A MARCH.

| troops behind pass on SO that the brigade that
| il in rear today goes in front and takes the I'D.
| vance tomorrow. On long chase such az we
| were now engaged in. over bad roads and steep
hills the last troops would sometimes not reach
camp until nearly midnight and would have to
start early on the following day, so they got
little rest. On reaching camp the infantry
stack their arms and break ranks, the artillery
is drawn up with the pieces about fifty feet
apart, and behind each piece is its caisson, the
call ''cannoneers to your posts" brings the men
to their guns. the bugle sound drivers dis
| mount" and moment later the orders are sun
hitch and unharness; cauuoneers to the picket
ropes, and while the sergeants see to the care OF
the teams the corporals supervise the stretching
Of the ropes from caisson to caisson, securing
| them to the Wheels and then all scatter to help
| the cooks get wood and water, and fires are
soon blazing in all directions. Each team has
a regular place at the rope. the harness is piled
near and It is an easy matter for each driver to
find his own.
| The guards are divided into three reliefs, who
are on duty two hours and OF four. In camp
our turn came about every fifth day. and was
not q hardship, but on a march we came on
every third day, and walking beat for two
hours utter long and tedious march, with lit
tie to eat. was far from pleasant.
Although we followed Price closely he would
not stand. Our cavalry had several slight en-.
gagements with his rear guard, but they never
waited for our infantry to come up. One
hight, after toisome day, during which we
had passed over many hills which had tired our
horses, we halted after dark and were told that
we would march at midnight, leaving behind
| wagons and baggage, as our cavalry hoped to
compel the enemy to delay until our arrival
We pushed ahead as fast as possible. Soon we
began to pass groups of infantry who had be-
come exhausted and had kindled little fires by
the roadside and resolved to stop until rested
| As the night passed these groups became more
numerous and larger, and by morning not more
| than third Of our infantry was moving, but it
| was not to be wondered at as they had been
| afoot since early the previous day, with only a
| few hours rest and it must be remembered
that an infantry soldier has to carry his gun,
bayonet, forty rounds and sometimes more of
ammunition, provisions for several days and
blanket Overcoat and any changes OF clothing
he may have We artillerymen had nothing to
carry and could ride occasionally and got along
better.
A SCATTERING FIRE.
At the first signs of daylight we heard scat
! tering fire ahead, and we hoped that at last we
would have chauce to exchange shots with
, the fellows who had led us on such long chase.
but VIC were disappointed. Their rear guard
| had burnt the only bridge across deep stream
and were making show Of fight in order to
prevent our rebuilding it. A battery ahead Of
us threw n few shells. Soon ford was found.
and as our infantry crossed they fell back.
There we're signs which showed that the Skin
mish had been an earnest one Several dead
horses lay around and house near by was full
Of wounded. We were thoroughly exhausted
/ Many of our horses sides were bloody from
squirting. and as soon as embarrassed most of
| them laid down. We were told tina. we would
march again in two hours. / got q cup Of
coffee and fell asleep. and wGs awakened at sun
down by the bugle calling assembly. 1t had
been found impossible to go any further. and
/ the order to move had been recalled and day
strQCOtcre had hpep IN veipip civ
regiments. The rebels made no attempt to
stand after this.
Weak and poorly clad as had started on this
| march / suffered greatly. The weather was
cold, the roads bad and the days long and it
was hard trip. will never forget one fea-
ture. Many of the houses we passed had great
open firepiaces and after dark as we went
Flooding along watching the sky ahead for the
reflection Of the fires which would show us that
the advance was going into camp would see
the logs in these ireplaces burning brightly and
little children looking ont Of the windows, and
it would make us decidedly homesick
One little incident will show some of the
pleasures of campaigning. We usually laid
down to sleep fully dressed, frequently not even
removing our boots, as the weather was cold
and the ground frozen. and on getting up our
toilets were made when we pu. on our hats. 1
used a saddle for pillow. One night some
snow fell, but l was too tired to DO easily
awakened and unconsciously crept under the
blankets. My hair had not been cut for months,
and the uncovered ends were wet with snow
and froze to the saddle. and when the buele
sounded could not raise my head until cut
loose. felt as the fellow did who said that if
we got this country saved he would never try
| to save another. When Price finally left Mis-
souri, we marched back to st. Louis, arriving
toward the end OF November. Sherman was on
his way through Georgia at the head Of &C, 900
men. leaving Thomas to gather up the forces
scattered over n large section Of country, with
which to drive back the rebel Gen. Hood, who
had started to invade Tennessee.
ORDERED TO JOIN THOMAS
As soon we could draw necessary supplies
We were ordered to join Thomas, who was fall
ing back on Nashville. Embarking on steamers
tied two abreast. and preceded and followed by
gunboats, we went down the Mississippi to
Cairo, then up the Cumberland to Nashville,
where We arrived at midnight on November go
Hood was crowding Thomas closely, and Gen
Schoteld, who had charge Of the rear. was COM
PEELED to make stand at Franklin, twelve
| miles from the city, to allow his wagon train to
escape and reach the shelter of the forts as we'll
rs to gain time until we arrived. This battle of
Franklin took place just before dark the day we
! arrived, and as soon ms night came our forces
fell back. No time was lost il getting us into
! place. As fast as n brigade could be landed it
was pushed to the front, and by daylight we
were behind temporary breastwork two miles
ous VI the CITY. we renamed mere Tor some
days. occasionally sending few shells toward
the enemy, who was in plain sight throwing
up earthworks and evidently intending to stay
but not replying to our guns, having no powder
to spare. Thomas was using every effort to get
his army into effective shape. Some of his
cavalry had no horses. and there was some de-
lay, and the authorities at Washington were
alarmed at the situation. Sherman could not
be heard from and Thomas seemed afraid of
Hood, and Grant, after telegraphing Thomas
order after order to move sent Gen. Logan to
npersede him, but before Logans arrival
Thomas had struck Hood q terrible blow. BY
December 10 everything was ready for move.
but a storm left the ground covered with ice
and sleet and it was almost impossible for q
man or horse to stand and the orders were re-
called. On the 14th thaw set in and left slush
ankle deep, and on the morning Of the 18th Of
December general advance was made by our
line.
THE BATTLE OF NASHVILLE.
The wagons and baggage were left in camp
and each man was ordered to remain at his
post. dense fog hung over everything and
we could see but a very short distance: our
progress was slow and the crack Of rides ahead
and the occasional boom Of a cannon told that
the skirmishers were feeling the way. About
noon the sun came out suddenly and the fog
disappeared and the sight was one never to be
forgotten. We were at the entrance Of cane
hrako aud c0,1ld uofhipo ohaod hut oh;r1