The National tribune., 1894-08-02
A LEAD FURLOUGH.
What a 51st Hi. Boy Received at Chick
manga,

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Why do
we not hear more of the old 51st H.? | en-
listed in Co. on July 10, 1862 and after
recruiting a squad of comrades, joined the
regiment at Nashville, Tenn, Nov. 6, and
was with it in the field from that time I'M
til June 16, 1865, except three months fol-
lowing the battle of Chickamauga, where,
on the morning of Sept 90, 1863, received
from some kind Johnny furlough in the
form of a rife-ball wound in the left shout
der which also excused me from participa-
ton in the battle and capture of Missionary
Ridge.
At the reorganization of the army for the
Summer of 1868, the 51st III. was placed in
the Third Brigade of the Third Division of
the Twentieth Corps, Army of the Cumber-
land. The brigade was commanded by Col
! L. p Bradley, 51st ILL.,, and contained the
! Odd, 9th, Add, and 51st Ill. The division
was under Brig Gen. Philip H. Sheridan.
| The corps was commanded by Maj.-Gen. A.
Med. McCOok, and was the right wing of the
army, Gen. Rosecrans being in command of
the department and Army of the Cumber-
land.
On Sept. 10, 1863 our division was in re-
serve, and was not called into action until
late in the afternoon, only our Third Bril-
gade being engaged that day.
double-quick step, and being left in front
formed line-of-battle by on the right by
file into line" and charged the enemy's line
without stopping. driving the line back and
recapturing part of the 18th Ind. battery,
which had been lost by Gen. Woods
Division early in the day.
We were engaged about 80 minutes, and
the 51st lost 80 out of 300 men engaged
about AZ per cent. Col. Bradley being
twice wounded, the command of the brigade
devolved on Col. n. Ii. Wolworth, of the 42d
III.
We held our position until daylight Of the
Doth, when we were moved TO the left some
distance, and formed on knoll near the
road. Here we got breakfast, and rested I'M
til nearly 10 o'clock, when the tide of battle
surged our way again, and the 51st moved
off the knoll across the road to the front,
and were soon in it thick and hot
We would drive the enemy little, then
be driven back until we were nearly sur
rounded and bullets were dropping in
among us from three directions, and col
umn of the enemy in plain view was march
ing toward our rear, between us and the line
on our left. Suddenly up rode Gems Rose
Grams and Sheridan to view the situation.
What a war picture! Grounds about level,
now and then large tree; a column of the
enemy on our left going to our rear; a line
ofbatte in our front and ON our right, and
the two Generals near us on their horses,
conspicuous marks for the enemys sharp
shooters.
How those Generals ever got out of that
shower of lead unhurt is to me one of the
unsolved mysteries of the war, and | should
like TO know whether they remembered the
circumstance after the war was over.
That was the last time | ever saw either
of those Generals who had CALAMITY led us
for more than 10 months in march, bivouac
and battle, through foul weather and fair,
through swollen streams and over high
mountains, from Nashville to Chckamauga.
What impressed the circumstance 80 in
delibly upon my mind was that just at this
interesting time, as we fought without pro-
lection, rife-ball from the enemy brushed
the hair from my temple and another passed
through my left shoulder. My rifle dropped
from my hand, my left arm fell useless at
my side, and / went to the rear in search of
Gen. Sheridan's field hospital coming first
to Woods then to Van Cleve's, to Johnson's,
to Palmer's, where | was told TO 90 no
farther, as Gen. Sberidan's hospital was in
the hands of the enemy.
A few minutes after my arrival orders
came to the hospital for all who could walk
to start to Chattanooga by the Valley
road, and all other wounded to be put into
ambulances and wagons and started for the
same place.
/ had the good fortune to get ride part
of the way in a Headquarters wagon of an
Indiana regiment think the I'D or 9th
mounted infantry.
| arrived at the rebel hospital buildings
southeast of town at 1870 o'clock p. M, and
finding a company comrade or two we lay
down until morning
On the 21st we crossed the river on the
pOntoOn bridge, and lay there until the
morning of the odd, when we started for
Bridgeport on foot. That night we slept on
the mOuntan-top, where had been signal
station; arrived at Bridgeport on the night
of the 23d at ii p. M, and lay on the ground
and slept until morning.
After getting break fast we boarded train
of box-cars and started for Nashville, passing
LOO prisoners at Stevenson. We arrived
at our destination on the morning of the
25th, and were taken in an ambulance to
Hospital No. 2, on College Hill, and placed
in Ward +, where the nurses, Billy and
Sheldon, gave our wounds the first dressing,
being only q five days after they were re-
ceived. And to-day we are called "bum-
mers and coffee-coolers. IL. o. CoLBURN,
Co. F, 51st ILL.,, Loami, Ill.