The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-13

recommendation of Gen. Leonidas poll-
lBlshop Polk. The nearest known an
proach to death was at the battle of len
rms + etfS. III Arkansas, when a ball
passed so close to my head that felt its
wind without being cut by it,
JAMES c. Japan.
Gen. William Birney is now at the age
OF 10 IN active service in Washington
practlclng at law and doing departmental
worn. But although advanced in age and
long away from the battlefield he remen-
oers some Things very wildly. His closest
experiences are these: Al Fredericks-
ourg, was Ileutenrnt colonel, temporarily
commanding the Ihirty-eighth New York,
khoWn IS line Tammany" We were on
the extreme left under Franklin when
Meades brigade was beaten back
ana was seen to emerge IN disorder
from the woods near the railroad
the FOrtieth New York (the Mo,
zart), was added to my command
ana l was ordered forward to protect
MeaGes men. advanced at the
double-quick. came down to quick stem
on reaching Meade's men, forced way
through them in files of four-a maneuver
possible to well trained and brave veter-
ans onIy-and came into line again where
the contederates were taking prisoners
hand to hand battle, fast and
furious, ensued. Firing was at close
range, but bayonets and butt
ends and barrels of muskets did
most OF the work. Officers were obliged to
use their pistols and swords Confederates
and Yankees were mixed up. Every one
fought for dear life and victory. / had
emptied two revOlvers. and had no weapon
out light sword, when a confederate
soldier charged on me with his bayonet.
IL was within a foot of my BODY
when Sergeant Major Campbell
Shot my assailant through the
mead and fell dead himself a moment
later. In the melee felt sharp pa in
the left hip, on the thigh Joint. as TIA
bullet had gone through it; and soon after
that terrific blow on my left ankle
which knocked my foot out of the stirrup.
seemed to cut it off, and made it useless
for month, My horse was wounded in
TWO places, but not seriously. The Tam
many and Mozart boys behaved with their
proyerblal pluck, rescued many prisoners
ana drove the enemy over the railroad
tracks. Here from,a hill side, massed
brigade OF the enemy delivered a plunp-
ing musketry fire that cut up our ranks
dreadfully. | rode through the smoke
making signs to retreat (the voice could
not be heard in the dinJ, and succeeded in
getting off all my men who were not living
on the ground. About half the officers
We're killed or wounded, and in the
Thirty-eighth 1876 men We're missing.
The enemy did not follow at once, but
in half an hour, advanced through the
open field to attack as, with eleven regi-
ments deployed in line of battle, banners
displayed and drums beating It was a
gallant sight. They were allowed TO
cross the deep ditch that ran diaognally
through the field Then the artillery of
our division was unmasked and the in
fantry rose. Our cannon and musketry
swept that gallant division from the
field. 1t left in our hands more prisoners
than the full number of the New York
regiments These took part in the re-
pulse and made many prisoners.
had many "clOse calls" for life dur
ing my five years of service in the army:
but those / have given were as close as
any. WILLIAM BIRNEY.
Brevet Major General, U. S. V.
Gen. Dabney H. Maury, of
Richmond, bad the unusual and
unexpected experience of coming
through the war without the memory of
one time being much closer than an
other, but Of nearing death once from
a cause quite different from the battle
field.
have always considered the CLOSEST
situation in which | ever found myself
was on the Rio Grande in Texas, when
hunting wild cattle. l shot great white
bull who resented it promptly, so that I
jumped through a big cactus and tum bled
down beside it and lay till that bull went
on his way, and | wished had staid with
him and regretted it for at least a week.
DABNEY H. MAURY.
Gen. Schohed, now engaged in active
work, such as the United States forces
know in times of peace, recalls his nearest
to death episode.
1 must say that | do not believe a sol
der can tell under what one of the many
dangerous circumstances in which he
may have been placed he was nearest TO
death" He has no means of estimating
that very uncertain quantity. But, so
far as l know, the narrowest escape l
ever had was when musket ball cut a
channel through my beard in the battle
of Wilson'S Creek, aug. 10, 1861.
-.-. j. NJ SCHoFIELD.
General Fitzhugh Lee found Indians
harder fighting than white men:
] state in response to your question
that the CLOSEST situation l was ever in
was in 1853 when young second lieu
tenant in the second cavalry, United
Sta es army, serving on the frontiers of
Texas --.
had a hand to hand fight with saw
age Comanche Indian, threw him to tho
ground after wrestling with him some
Time ana LDGn K1ll9u MIN Win my pistol.
FITZHUGH LEE.
Gen. Daniel Butterfield, of New York,
had a war experience once which nearly
took him into kingdom come without any
special glory being attached to tat least
that is what the general now declares,
an orderly who was with him at
the time tells the story differently. He
says:
II was detailed with Gen. Butterfeld
at the battle of the Wilderness to start
the three columns of our army so that
they would fall upon the enemy at differ
ent points at the same time. We were to
start Hookcr's division, then OsterhOus'
division, and then Croft's, and then ride
on to battle with the latter. 1t sounded |
all right, and the general bravelY volun-
teered to do this and to take me along.
1--WE started Hooker's division all !
right, then we started across Mis- |
Ridge and got Osterhous
under way. He was making extra good |
time when we found him, and was march !
ing in great haste, so as to get his section |
of the army where it would do the most
good upon the enemy's flank, as Hooker |
it at the side Croft was TO
make the front attack.
I'VE were in such haste to start him in
time that we did not think Of the ridge |
he had to climb and of the necessary de- |
Law of his forces. so we cut right across |
to tell him where the other d.
visions were at that minute.