The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-10-18
FELL INTO THE TRAP.
How the Fifteenth Corps Was Thrown Int
Confusion at Cheraw.


Confusion at Cheraw.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The Fiji
teenth Corps was advancing on the road
toward BeEtonville, N. c., going through the
town OF Cheraw, arriving at the Pedee River
about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. The First
Division was in the advance, commanded by
Gen. G. X. Woods The First Brigade led the
advance of the First Division, and consisted
of the 9th Mo, 10th Ohio, 18th Ind, 26th
Iowa, and 32d Mo.
On arriving at the Pedee River we found
the bridge had been destroy ed by the enemy,
which necessited it's reconstruction before
our command could cross. A halt and sew
eral hours delay was the consequence. The
division was drawn up en- ma@se on the most
available ground near the approach to the
bridge on a bluff overlooking the Pedee.
The First Brigade occupied the ground near
the cut in the bluff through which the road
to the bridge led. This cut was about 25 feet
deep. In our front was bluff some so or
20 feet high under which the river flowed,
and on our left was ravine, or depression
in the ground, leading to the river. and still
further to our left and rear, across the ravine,
an old warehouse, in which the enemy
stored fixed ammunition, shot and shell and
gunpOwder. saH ef
On our approach to ,Cheraw the enemy
destroyed the bridge and distributed the
shot and shell in this ,TavIne and scattered
a large quantity Of gqnpowder broadcast
amongst it. They knew we would have a
halt 10 build the bridge. and that we would
occupy this ground with our train, it being
the most available, and hence laid the trap
for us. o.,
When our command stacked arms the
men set about cooking coffee, aud in hunting
up material tor fuel made the discovery OF
the fixed ammunition in the rayine, and
also that it had been stored in the old ware
house, the floor of which was nearly covered
over with loose gunp WIDER aud train laid
to The rayine, and in The warehouse yet re-
manned quantity of shell and gunpowder.
ON. Serg't Marvin Trott, of the 9th Mo-,
first called my attention to it.
This trap was not over 10 feet from where
my company was / went with Trott, and
found the arrangement for our destruction
as here stated. Several of the men Of our
brigade were passing to and from the ware
house across the ravne, hunting fuel to
build fires, and | cautioned my company of
the danger we were IN.
1t was not over 10 minutes after / re-
turned to my company that the explosion
occurred. Someone dropped fire in it, prob
ably from his pipe. The shells commenced
exploding very fast, something after the
fashion of barrel Of firecrackers set off.
hallowed to my company to drop fat on the
ground.
The supply train was drawn up en- masse
close in our rear, facing the ground the men
occupied, the teamsters not in their saddles,
but preparing some coffee. The mules took
fright, and a general stampede of teams
commenced. The direction in which the
animals went was directly over the ground
occupied by the FIRST Brirade and right on
to the men, the most of whom dropped on
the ground.
A grand scramble for dear life now en-
sued. Between running wild teams and
exploding shell the danger was fearful.
Those first to their feet ran before the
teams, while mary were run over or caught
amongst the mules and wagons. Some of
the teams tore loose from the wagons by
running into one another. The men in
hundreds jumped and tumbled down the
cut leading TO The bridge to the road below,
the most of them falling in the scramble
and rush down, and many of the teams came
dashing down on top of them before they
were able TO regain their feet. Gen. J. A.
Logan and Gen. G. r. Woods and Gen.
William b. Woods were down at where the
bridge was building at the time of the ex-
plosion. | think there were more shells
exp 0ded in 10 minutes here than wa1 ex-
ploded by the artillery of both armies on
the memorable 18th Of May at Resaca, or
was exploded few weeks later at the artll-
lery duel at Kenesaw Mountain.
This was the first time | ever saw any of
the First Brigade run for safety, and the
only stampede ever saw in the Fifteenth
Corps.-JAs. O'CoNNOR, First Lieutenant,
9th Mo.