The National tribune., 1894-08-02
PICKET SHOTS.
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
Like Accidents.

Inter Ocean of July H. in an article COM
menting on the explosion of gun calsson III
that city during the present strike, as fol-
lows: Camp history in the United States
has never recorded a like accident, and in
garrison duty such a thing as the explosion
of a caisson or Timber box has never occurred.
did there not occur like accident at
| Huntsville, Ala, in 1863 or 1864, at a general
inspection of one of our divisions of the
Fifteenth Corps in which a number five OF
seven cannoneers were killed, or have told
yarn of that kind so often that l now be-
lieve it to be true?"
John S. Van Arsdel 71S East Water street
South Bend, Ind, writes: cat Louisville
| Ky., in the Summer of 1868, | was on a
corner Of the street when battery crossed
the river and started down the street on a
trot. Near the middle of the block there
was terrific explosion, and broken glass
fell all around me- All the glass On both
| sides of the street was broken. never knew
what State the battery was from. Some OF
the batterymen told me that it was caused
| by percussion shell being badly packed,
and jolting over the rough stone-paved
| street. 1t killed two men sitting on the
| Timber chest. If any Of the battery boys are
living and see this will they please write to
men
All Too True.
John Ensfeld, Co. K, 12Sth Ind, Logans-
port, Ind, writes: In the issue of July ~
! Comrade S. C. Miles, Sth Wis, in his
article on "Smiths Guerrillas at Nash
VILE" speaking of the repulse of the rebels
at Franklin, says: The repeated disasters
| they have encountered under Hood against
! Sherman have dampened their ardor. And
! now the terrible repulse at Franklin and the
unwise rambling of the men over that bloody
field, strewn and heaped with mangled dead
and wounded comrades, have broken their
spirit, ard they are in no heart for fighting
at Nashville etc.
81 have no doubt this was all true for in
corroboration | have a Renaissance of an
old rebel soldier as related to and published
by Frank WilkesOn in 1886, which says:
The repeated disasters we had under Hood
had dampened our ardor. The upwse
rambling of our men over the battlefield of
Franklin broke their spirit. We would not
fight at Nashville We lost that field be-
cause the specter of Franklin lived, with
distorted features with Understanding
wounds with ghastly, horror stricken eyes,
chewing and cTunching its thumb, stalked
among us. 1t was in the columns as we
marched; it rode astride of the Napoleon
guns; it sat by our campfres; it stood in
the trenches at Nashville; it lay in the rifle
pits O. nights"
Homes for Settlers.
l. w Raymond, Co. D. Dist H., AZ Fulton
street Ashevlle, n. c., writes: There is
GAR. Post here The elevation above
sea level is $3.50 feet. / am not land
agent. The public free schools keep open
eight months in the year. There are a great
many Northern and Eastern people here,
and they are well treated. The water is
extra good. This is great health resort
no healthier place to be found, and no better
climate in the United States. 1t is not very
good for general farming, but fruit and
garden stuff do WELL"
j. j. Biery, Covington, La, asks some COM
rade to name desirable locality in the
mountain region of Georgia, North or South
Carolina, where many old soldiers have their
homes. 81 feel lonesome here. Would
prefer not to 90 north Of latitude 3d."
"stick to Facts, Boys!"
L. S. Falls, 39th Ind, Chicago, Ill.,, writes:
"COmTade Parker's article in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE of June 90, under the above cap
ton, is full of good thoughts. We should
not question the veracity of comrades
statement unless we know tits stretched.
For instance, at the battle of Averasboro,
n. c. March 49, 1865, the 9Th Ind. Cav.
was engaged with Gen. Rhett's (rebeI Bri-
gade of infantry; and while the fight was
the hottest | was enjoying the friendly pro-
lection of a large tree while endeavoring to
bring down game. But soon the balls came
uncOmfortably near my head, when | start
ed for another tree to the left and front.
{" had gone about half the distance when
] heard sound as if a ball struck a solid
body, and my horse dropped on his hanches
bat by the time had freed my feet from
tie strrups he regained his feet and we
gained the tree.
Now, doubt if single comrade saw
the incident, but the facts are as stated. 1t
has always been query to me where my
horse was hit, as l never could find any
marks.
" A comrade took exception to my Tunnel
Hill article because / did not say he was
there. 1t was my aim to say only what
part the 39th Ind took, and not the part
taken by other comrades"
Comparison.
L. d. Immell, st. Louis, Mo-, writes: "a
certain rebel soldier fought four years for
the land he loved TO destroy the United
States Government and establish Southern
Confederacy, losing foot; and because of
failure renounced his citizenship to the
United States aud went into business in
South America; got into trouble there with
the Government and was to forfeit his life,
when the United States Government inter-
posed and saved the life of the man.
How does this compare with the United
States Governments I'M Justice toward the
ex soldiers, who fought four years for the
life. honor, and safety of the Nation, which
Government now refuses them pensions for
loss of health in her defense?"
Navy at Nashville.
John e. Evans, Limerick, Pa, writes:
" In your issue of July 10 l read an arti-
Gle from the pen of S. G. Miles, 8th Wis.,
Every article l read i'll your paper from the
pens of old comrades is interesting TO me,
but this one of Miles a little more SO than
any of the rest, / suppose, because l took a
little part in that Nashville battle myself.
50 was in the naval branch of the service at
that battle on the Cumberland River /
kept no memorandum of events, as some did;
therefore | must accept Mlles's account as
correct, which it no doubt is.
81 remember the cold and inclement
pitied the poor boys on land. | think we
opened the fight about daylight by Smelling
from the river, but only had range of about
four miles from the river and our help to
the army was not great deal.
ave had an encounter with Forrest about
Bells Mills a few days earlier, when he at
tempted to blockade the river. We soon
moved him out of there with our little mont
tor " Neosha," and hit him again at the
shoals on the Tennessee River when he made