The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-26

stumps. l cannot tell how many got to the
fort, but not more than 50, maybe not so
many; but those who got there safe would do
to bet on. They were bound 10 protect the
| fag, and did it.
Let me say here the rebels were so badly
scared that We could hear their officers threat
eDlng 10 shoot the first man that would oeserI
his post They used very forcibie language to
that effect They thought the Ianks that
would face snch deadly fire as they poured In
1 upon Us couidn't be stopped by cannon or bayo-
nets But we did stop for a while, when the
wire edge was worn off on both sides. Tor there
was a lull in the storm of battle where we
were, but sometimes We would anxlousiy look
/ back for the coming of the main army. es,
we see them now start from under COVE +, the
enemy pouring death and destruction among
| them from behind their breastworks. Now
one regiment advances, then another, ana SO
! on until they all had to seek cover or be
whirled back under that whitening fire OF the
/ enemy, which it was pOwerless for them TO
! check.
/ / want to mention here something saw from
where was That was the bravery OF one OF
our batteries. don't know which ore it was,
a or b. of Chicago. They pulled two OF their
guns by hand in front of the infantry to en-
courage them. How wish they hadn't. for it
looked to me from where | was that the enemy
for half mile at each side poured into them
don the guns and leave them where they were
till night. How the dust did fly about them
j had good view, for / was little higher than
our boys, and thought was pretty safe. But
little thought Of what the Johnnies were pre-
pairing for US while we were looking back for
the coming of the main army.
All the old veterans know how fort is
built, SO ] need not describe it to them. was
Oh the center of the fort
WHICH COMMANDED THE ROAD
we charged on with as brave boy as was
ever known with me. His name was Hsmil-
ton, and he belonged to the 4th Va. He
couldn't have been more than I9 years old.
Trogden with some others. was to my left
about six ieet. and close up to the flag. OF tie
others to my right ! cannot call their names
nor say 10 what regiment they belonged. L
wish / could brave boys all of them; there
wasn't drop Of cowardly blood in their veins.
We were not asleep; it would have been dam
gerous about that time. We kept looking up
every moment for head to shoot at.
Well, l happened to see head couldn't
kill. kind of head we were not looking for,
in the shape of q shell with lighted fuse at
tached, rolling down upon / can't tell you
what ! thought / believe j thought / was
the last of the Mohicans. 1t was getting close,
and was going to drop in our little dugout
Good by, John thought for the last time /
out for the she'll ] threw my gun above my
head, got my partners and put it on top of
mine. We held our breath. The shell stopped
at the guns and exploded, covering both OF US
with the loose dirt-it just buried us alive.
When we pushed our heads through the dirt
and saw daylight again, and when the boys got
sight Of US after the smoke cleared away. they
thought we were johnny rebs sure. We had
that butterRst color; in fact, some OF the boys
drew bead on US, and could not believe we
were the same beings that were there few
seconds ago; but we were though. The rebs
yelled cut: - Now will you surrender" Some
of the boys answered back, saying, " We think
you viii have to surrender before we leave
here"
This shell hurst so close to my head that it
made the blood squirt from my left temple and
ear and has caused almost total deafness ever
since. About minute after another came roll
ing down on rs. This ] could not stop. 1t
dropped at our feet. / kicked it down into
the ditch, where it exploded, causing death and
destruction among the boys below. j could
hear the groans of the wounded and dying,
and so could the rebels.
IT PIERCED MY VERY HEART,
for 7 held myself responsible for the killing
and wounding of my comrades. ] then made
up my mind like a flash that another Of those
shells would never 90 into that ditch again If
A
fighting heat, and / didn't care very much
whether / got killed or not, SO that / could
only get revenge for the brave boys that were
killed by that shell that rolled down upon
them unawares About that time / didn't
see any danger, but didn't have long to wait,
for here came another splitting out fire as it
rolled down. didn't wait for ii to come all the
way,-that would be dangerous,-but crawled
to meet ii, grabbed it quick and hurled it back
at them, and it exploded before it touched the
ground. 1t made them yell with pain and
scramble for safer places. / could hear them
ran before il exploded. This was something
new to them; two could play the same game.
They were rather excited, for the next one
that came over they failed to apply the match
to it, else for some cause another it went
out when it touched the ground. It dropped
in on ms. and ] kept il awhile TO look at. We
had 10 do something to keep those shells from
rolling down upon US.
There was rail fence behind Us on the edge
Of the ditch, and i called to one of the boys to
hand me one Of the rails, but he wouldn't.
] asked the Lieutenant (he was the only officer
that got through safel, and told him what j
wanted it for. He didn't approve of it. Then
] called to Trogden, who was down there to
hand me up one of those rails, that / wanted
to push il up on the fort over our heads so as
TO form ridge of the loose earth and see if il
wonldn't stop those shells from rolling down
upon US. lie dad so, and while our boys kept
up a continuous fire on the rebels, Trogden,
Jack Mckee and few others pushed the rail
up with their guns. As they did so it made
quite ridge; it was about two or three feet
above where we were.
In little while another shell came but
stopped at he little mound the Rils made and
exploded, doing no harm. The rebels again
demanded our surrender, but our boys answered
back in defiance:
COME OUT AND GET Us,
will you. If you want Us so bad" Our BOYS
were so mad that they picked up rocks and
big chunks of dirt or anything they could get
their hands on, and threw in on the rebels
Now for the shell / held to look at All il
wanted was TO apply the match, but didn't
have one; but my brave companion had. i
told him what ] was going to do at the same
time called out loud enough for the rebels to
hear me (for q ruse) and said to the Lieuten-
ant: Hand me over one of those shells." / ap-
piled the match, stood up and threw il over. In
il went among the Johnnies and exploded. You
bet they hunted their holes that time, and ]
think If we had gone over then there would
have been no one 10 halt us inside.
The tables were turned, and we had the best
Of it. Our boys yelled cut ct the top of their
voices, Come out Johnnies; we will give
you some more grub; but they wouldn't come
out This was no slow work We had to do
il quick or not at all. II needed quickness of
thought and action, combined with good nerves.
In our position at that time it wouldn't do TO
stop aud think. We had to act, and act quickly.
We were not bothered anymore with the shells
until afternoon. Sometime between / and 2
lcin r-aS aafx ind