Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-13

While the ofAcer in charge said vs must take
them - they were. Some Of them were too
small Tor draft horses, and our captain finally
hunted up some one high in authority and got
the order he wanted, but IL was dark before We
got our teams and we were all hungry and anx-
ious TO get back 70 camp. Our sergeants end
the captain, who rode their own horses and had
saddles, started on gallop for camp. had .
spirited span Of blacks. Who we're glad 70 st
trouble from the hrst We soon fell behind,
and. having no saddle nor bride, I could not
control them and my led horse soon jsrked
away from me and galloped down . street lead
ing into town. Ny horse followed him. and MP
one street and down another Ne gailoped, I
doing my best to hold on. Ny horse managed
somehow to follow him. although he was out OF
sight part Of the time, and he was at last caught
BY squad Of guards was tired riding and
dificulty, and learned that a sergeant .was out
in search Of me, that marching orders had come
and that We were to start in the morning with
out waiting for our new guns. I he'd been as
signed to one Of the Old detachments and was
to 90. There was little sleep that night. The
horses were matched into teams, new drivers
assigned and many things had to be done, and
at o'clock We started. We proceeded by easy
marches to little place called La Grange.
where we remained until July 6, when we took
q southeasterly course into Mississippi
IN THE ENExY's COUNTRY.
Su1 iorCc Was CoupOstu OF apout S,VUu IN
fantry, with seven batteries and small bril-
gade Of cavalry, the whole under command of
Gen. A. J. Smith. Our object was to destroy
railroad and to keep body Of the enemy en-
ployed and prevent them from joining the
forces in front of Sherman. who was operating
In Georgia. The first day we left La Grange
we were reminded that we were in the enemy's
country by hearing musketry in front and
learning that our cavalry had encountered a
n SIX 40 Call h
main body advanced For the next few DAYS
we broke camp by early daylight and halted
before noon TO escape the intense heat. and
during the entire day the rattle of carbines WAS
heard and our cavalry was kept on the alert.
About the middle OF the forenoon on July 10
the column was halted and we saw some un.
usual movement in front, and suddenly the boom
OF a cannon Joined the crack Of the rifles and
we heard the vicious screech of q shell and then
the explosion. The command. Attention! Cam
noneers, to your posts was given, and we
thought that the enemy had decided to stand
For few minutes the firing was brisk, but
nothing serious developed, and we moved slowly
forward. We soon reached the place where the
battery had been and found dead horse beside
the road, and near by two men in butternut
were lying, one dead and the other dying. At
noon we went into camp, the usual order, "Un-
hitch and unharness; cannoneers put UP picket
rope" had been given, the bugle blew water call
and the horses had started for the nearest
stream, when a sudden burst of musketry from
the woods, half a mile more in front of US,
startled us, and a minute later a staff officer
galloped up to our captain and gave him an
order which caused him to call. .BuglerI Boots
and saddles. The horses came back on a
gallop without being watered. and very soon
we were all at our posts ready for anything
that might turn up. All around us the long
roll was sounding in the infantry camps and
they rapidly fell into line. and soon an order
came for the artillery to remain ready to move
at once with horses harnessed and for the in
fantry to break ranks, but for no man to leave
his company's camp. All the afternoon lively
sklrmish was carried on, and frequently ambu-
lances went to the rear, carrying dead or
wounded cavalrymen.
FIGHT AT TUPELo
Just before shutdown we started back over the
road we had followed in the morning, but after
going couple of miles We turned north and
about dark we approached town called Tupelo.
Instead Of going into camp in the usual way we
placed our guns in line on a hill overlooking
meadow, our infantry laid down close behind
us and our veterans told US we were forming q
line OF battle. Soon after we halted we heard a
sudden burst Of musketry and few discharges
OF artillery in the direction from which we had
come. and then all was quiet We did not un-
hitch that night. was on guard and about
midnight a column of infantry passed and an
officer told me that they had been DESTROYING
oouio ana tlat the enemV
near In considerable force and would probably
attack us In the morning. Soon after daylight
we heard hrlng as usual, but We remained in
position. 1t was a scorching day, we had no shade
and our poor horses. which had not been watered
for more than twenty-foQr hours, plainly showed
their suffering, and we huddled under the guns
and caissons to get some relief from the terrible
heat Our guns had been drawn back over tle
brow OF the hill and although we heard firing
on our right all was quiet in front of us until
Just before noon when Col Moore, who COM
manded the brigade, came along the line with
several officers and stopped on our bill and sur
veyed the timber opposite US through his glasses.
Although we had seen no enemy there was one
there. and two shells were immediately thrown
at the mounted group and went screaming over
our heads. Two more quickly followed, one of
which killed one of the black horses which had
given me SO much trouble in Memphis, and
fragment of the her struck one Of our men in
the hip. giving him a wound of which he died
THAI night. Oar captain was ordered to reply
ana our guns were At once puzzled up and q
momen, later opened fire. The rebels had our
range pretty well and did some very good shoot
ing. bat their ANN lni ion wa very poor and
few OF tbs bells exploded, al hough thew fell
uncomfor ably near us and number Of our in
fantry Iports were killed or wounded
HE MADE HIMSELF USEFUL.
Being an extra" I had no regular station.
but made m self generally useful. 1 carried
ann lni.ioI. held the cap.aln's horse and
6aall! took a number Of canteens and filed
hem from stream in he rear. As was re-
~ ming shell buried itself in the ground di-
rectly In front of ms, and. exploding covered
me with dirt aud nearly frigh ened me out Of
IN wits. After resurniny the can zen, to tn air
hi.sty owners | stretched myself on tbs ground
AID looked oser the brow of the hill at the field
of battle in from. Of me. All could see was a
cloud Of smoke in the edge of tbs timber from
which cams ha.hs, of dame, followed by the
sound of a shell. and coca ,ionauy puff of
smoke from near the ground between the lines
showed the location OF some skirmisher. The
intense heat soon exhausted the men at the
guns, and the firing was not very brisk after
the first hall hour. and occasionally ceased al
together. During one of these intervals q line
Of men suddenly came out of the woods oppo-
site Us at double quick and came toward Us.
Our men jumped to their places and opened
with canister. and, being in \ place to get
good view, saw several gaps made in their
line. They only came a short distance before
breaking and falling back, but rallied immedi-
ately and nearly reached our line in spite Of
our canister. but our infantry roae and vava