The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-08-30

and they had recaptured two guns OF
battery and quite squad of prisoners.
After dark detail was sent out tc
find and assist the wounded off the
field. Quite a number were found and
helped to our field hospitals.
BECOMING SEPARATED
from my companions, | found a wound
ed Confederate soldier, and helped him
to the rear. He was member of the
9TH Fla. When l asked him who he
was l thought he showed quite a little
pride as he answered quite deliberately /:
al belong to the Confederate army"
This completed one days work. ],
for one, was tired, and went to sleep.
We we're awakened the next morn
ing, July 8, by picket-fring. The posi-
tion of our brigade was somewhat farther
to the left of our first position of the day
before, and near the left-center of the
army. The brigade was formed as fol-
lows, from right to left: The 18th, then
the 14th and 10TH On our right was
at least one division of the Second Corps,
and we were all in the front hne-of-
battle.
The morning was spent to some ex-
tent in preparation. The position of the
18th was in a slight depression of the
ground. A battery was put in position in
our rear on ground somewhat higher than
that occupied by the regiment. Another
battery seemed to be already in position
on our right, apparently in line with
the Second Corps, On the very crest Of
the ridge.
We built such slight breastworks as
we could on the crest of the ridge, which
here was some 80 or 40 yards in our
front Old rails and logs were gathered
up as best we could and pressed into
this service. 1t was very slim affair
when our materials gave out.
Stannard's Brigade of Green Mount
ain BOYS was not ordered to the rear in
reserve this morning / presume the
little affair of the previous evening had
earned them place in the front line-of-
battle The forenoon was occupied by
the pickets and sharpshooters, the latter
of which had secured lodgment in a
large two-story house between the lines,
but much nearer the Confederate line
than ours / presume
SOME DAMAGE WAS DONE,
as squad of our sharpshooters worked
to the front to our left under the cover
of scattering trees to counteract their in
6uence.
1t was midday or after before the
artillery opened fire, but when it began
there was no playing; it was earnest
work. The shells came from all points
of the compass, and all the time. There
were many more guns in action than on
the previous day on both sides, espe-
cially on the Confederate side. Evi-
IDENTIFY the rebs had massed their artil-
lery in their center, and the batteries to
fhe left and right of the center were fir
ing towards the center. The day before
it had been duels between batteries sta
toned at intervals Now, On the Con-
federate side, it seemed to be all batter
les The day before / had lain low, to
be sure, but had watched the firing.
This day wanted to be a grounding
and burrow out Of sight Yet things
happened that one could not help motto
ing. q caisson belonging TO the battery
IN our rear was struck and blew up with
a laundering report, throwing debris in
all directions and high in the air. Some
of the guns for the time being were
Eleneed. Other guns and ammunition
were brought rapidly forward and went
into action. One poor fellow had his
leg shot off only few files from me-
He begged for water. No one got up
TO give hun any. He asked again, and
1 quietly crawled to him and gave him
q drink out of my canteen, and directed
him to crawl to the shade of small tree
near by.
After about two hours and half of
continuous and rapid action our batter
les slackened their fire. In few mo-
ments some one yelled,
BOYS, THEY'RE coMIse!"
Our regiment was ordered toadvance to
the breastwork at the crest of the ridge,
where We lay down again behind our
poor defenses From this crest we had
a fine view Of the field in our front and
to the right along the rebel line-ofbattle
fora long distance. Our view to the
left was very much obstructed by inter
vening trees. Our view Of our own
Ene-of-battle was also much obstructed
On both. sides, on the left almost COM
pietely 50. On the right we could fol-
low it'a short distance up to the Second
Corps battery, but not beyond.
We had not long to wait First ap-
peared single brigade in our immedi- |
ate front, marching by the front in line
of-battle and straight towards us. Less
than a minute, probably, another bri- |
gade rose TO the left of the first one and
advanced in the same manner; and so
on-at intervals of half minute or a
minute i've or six brigades advanced
towards our lines The movement
seemed to be en- echelon by brigades.
Probably the movement of one bri-
gade WAS the signal to the next on the