The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-25

1
Written for TIE CHIEF.
"Reminiscences Of Army Life.
(BY A PRIVATELY
NUMBER III.
The battle Of Pea Ridge fought
6, 7, and 8, 1862, was the FIRST
noted battle in which va we're ensaged.
Only six companies, I think, Of our
regiment we're there. Col. Bussey
end Lieut.. Col. Trimble were both In
thc fight, and acquitted themselves
nobly, so our men said, aud SO say the
Official reports. I mako this remark
from the fact that our regiment vas
at It's organization, divided 10 its
choice a. TO which should hold first
rank, th. adberents Of each claiming
that their man was the better quail.
fed for The position, and that the
other would BE- found wanting in brav-
cry on the battlefield. I, with many
others believed they we're both CON-
petent, and equally brave, and we
never had any reason for changing
our estimate OF the two G Trim
bic was . democrat, and quite natur-
ally l suppose, all tho democrats fav-
ored him. Our company, D. was off,
cered BY democrats. and had more
democrats In its rank and file than
any other regiment, but most Of them
were republicans before the close Of
the war. There was a jealousy be.
tween the two leading officers, which
l think was nevo entirely removed
while both remained ia the regiment,
but Col. Trimble was severely wound.
cd at Pea Ridge which gave him q
good opportunity to resign, which he
shortly after did. His resignation
was followed, II I remember rightly,
by the promotion Of Major H. Z. Cald-
we'll, q very efficient and popular Off
Ger. At the battle Of Pea Ridge % Of
our regiment were killed, quito a num-
Der wounded aud some taken prisoners.
OF the killed, 10 wsro Of Co. D.. one
Of whom Wal orderly.sergeant, John
Montgomery, . brave and estimable
young man.
lido not think b. was at ell q COW.
ard, but on going sut in the morning
he told some Of his comrades that he
had a pressntment that he would moi
come in again alive; and he did not
but was at the FIRST charge, shot in the
forehead, and instantly killed, but
kept bis seat in the saddle for some
time, only falling of when his horse
which kept on toward the enemy fol
some distance, came to q turn in the
road, or ran against some obstacle
Among the wounded was William
Cayiu, Of Go. NJ, an elderly man, wbt
was shot through the lungs and laid
many hours, until sometime in tn,
night, when no was found nearly deat
from loss Of blood and exposure to cole
with nothing left on him but hi,
bloody under clothes, bis shoes, socks
hat aid outer clothing having bee,
stripped from him, and he said h
begged to have his under clothing lef
on him OF they would have been takeI
also. Strange to say he rec 'vcred
and is still living, may be helping I,
impoverish the government, that owes
its present existence to the service
OF such men, by drawing n small pen
sion. But considering his age, an,
epfceblcd constitution, il is highl,
probable that death has long sine,
kindly stepped in between him an,
the bleeding treasury,
There were also in the battle al Pc
Ridge, a father and two sons, who's,
names and the regimentto With the,
belonged l withhold for reasons tina
will be understood. They were high
ly respected, both at home and in tn
service. The father was past III,
prime OF life, the boys about lC an,
Is years Of age. A sister, older tina,
tho boys had brought disgrace on tn
family, which fact more than an,
other induced them to enlist. Til,
boz! both wanted to enlist, which the,
could not do without their father
consent, but declared their intcntio,
to leave home; and as their parcn,
could not bear the thought Of thci
going from home alone. they oiToo,c,