Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-05-19
A Zeal ArtilIerx Duel.


The terrific and, TO my mind, unnec-
essary slaughter at Cold Harbor is
marked. however in that campaign by
an incident that comes as wildly to
my memory now as if the event were
of yesterday, and which must always
fash up, when | recall the war, as the
most gallant exploit--the most dra-
matte and thrilling contest ever
witnessed. | belonged at this time TO
the Twenty-fourth New York cavalry,
and as we had not been able to secure
mounts, we fought as infantry down to
Petersburg.
II was Immediately after our failure
to carry out the order of the general
commanding, though the failure, as
our losses prove, was not due to a
want of energy or courage. that the
incident in mind happened. The
enemy. elated by the repulse of the
[ MON assault, swarmed over their
works, and it looked for time as If
they were going to make counter
charge. The belief was strengthened.
when, with that ringing yell that dis
tinguished the enemy when making a
charge, a battery of horse artillery
galloped to the front of their line
about zoe yards, numbered in fine
style and made ready for action.
was hugging the ground with my
men about that time, for it seemed
lit always did seem so-that we We're
directly in the line of the enemy's fire,
when / heard a ringing cheer, the
crash of heavy wheels. the snorting
and pounding Of artillery horses,
urged to gallop, and above all the
battery bugle, sounding the advance.
{ 4 gap was made in our lines, and
/ through this Battery h OF the Second
regular artillery fairly few to the
| front.
/ ! couldn't understand it. for to me
4 it looked as if the battery was charg-
( ing into the euemy's lines unsup-
! ported; but when within less than 800
/ yards of the Confederate guns the halt
sounded, and in a way that thrilled
our hearts and delighted our souls
/ the Union guns formed for action, and
the horses moved to the rear.
have read and heard of things be-
ing done quicker than the act could
be described" This was one of them.
Two minutes could not have elapsed
from the time Battery Il plunged
through our lines till il had opened
fire on the Confederate guns.
and now followed the first and orly
artillery duel" I had ever seen.
though soldiers hear and read good
deal about such things: indeed, doubt
if the records of the war furnish a
parallel case.
They were less than 300 yards apart.
and soon all we could see was the
vivid flashing of the fire through the
risings banks Of silycry-white powder
smoke. But we could hear the crash
Of the shells and the roar Of the guns,
and high above all the shrill yell Of
the Confederates and the hoarse cheer
of the Yankee gunners.
After six or eight minutes, that
seemed like 50 many hours, the fire
sIackened: sudden breeze sent the
smoke drifting to the west and then
deep cheer of exultation rang out
from the threats of the ten thousand
men in blue who had been eagerly
watching the duel.
Every Confederate gun was disabled,
four Of the limbers had blown up, the
horses were in CHASTITY heaps but still
few gallant men in gray stood de-
family amid the ruins Of their battery.
Our men suffered severely. but they
brought back all their guns, and I
distinctly recall tall sergeant, who
sat his horse with the blood flowing
over his face from she'll wound in
the head. and who. as he turned to
ride back. shook his hand at the Con.
fcderates and shouted:
set 'em up on the other alley
damn YOU New York Advertiser
Philip kearny.
IL was after the review that made
the peasonal acquaintance Of the Off