The National tribune., 1894-09-06
CHARGING KENESAW.
A 121st Ohio Man Who Saw Only What
Happened Near Himself.


taken from the main line June y, 1864, and
was encanped where all was peace and
plenty. Old soldiers are not slow to smell
a mice.n and our eyes and ears were both open
with expectation. On the above date had
visited Division Headquarters, and learned
that we were to charge the rebel works IN
front of the mountain. / FASTENED TO IN
form the boys IN camp, who seemed TO treat
it as false alarm; hut before there could
be much said Maj. Ysger rode III camp ana
gave the command to fall in, remarklng,
"They are going to see what you are made
of to-day"
Itwas not many minutes before the Divis-
ion was in motion. We (the 121st Ohio
halted to allow some other troops TO pass.
While here one of Co. c called the other a
coward. In less than a minute knapsacks
and coats were off for a fight. Some one
cried: Boys, save your pluck; you Will
have use fer 1t in a short time" One or
both were killed in less than 10 minutes in
the charge.
As The 18th Ohio took position in our
front. we were commanded to forward by
the right-hank. Before we had gone far we
were halted. Then came, Load J" and
"Fix bayoneis-Shoulder arms-Forward-
Guide LETT"
Everyone understood what was to be done
as we crossed our outside works and passed
through swamp to the rebel pickets.
Double-quIck-Cha bayOnets."
When the 18th Ohio which was in our
front, was within 90 yards, the rebels fired.
Where the 18Th went / never saw. sup
posed they were all killed. The 12lst never
stopped, but rushed on to the works, leaving
the 18th in the-rear. / had fixed my eyes
on a place in the works where l intendtd
to cross over, but / didn't cross. When l
was within a short distance from the works
the command was given to halt. The works
were built across the corner of a field, leaving
a small cleared place on the outside. About
the center of this spot is where the command
to halt found me.
/ knew too much about war to obey orders
under such circumstances, and with haste
retreated to the woods TO find every tree Oc-
cupied. l took my chances with Il. W.
Whitney and L. Galpin behind sapiing
about six inches through. had not been
there long before Whitney fell over, shot
through the breast. / laid my gun down to
get him in behind the tree as near as l could,
when Galpin fell e of his back in the spot
where / intended 10 place Whitney. /
noticed that his was only wound in the
arm, so pointed to the rear, and he went.
did not see him again until the war was
over.
/ loaded until the bullets would not 90
down my gun. To remove lodged bullet
l placed my ramrod against the tree and
used the weight of the gun as rammer.
After 1 had shot my gun could not pull
the ramrod from the tree. / took the famrod
from another gun, removed the paper from
the cartridges, and kept on shooting until the
command was given to retreat. This time ]
obeyed the command.
We had about 100 yards before we reached
the top of the hill, here we could get out
of range. As l passed over the hll an officer
from behind large black oak was crying
Rally, boysi" / passed him and took
shelter behind the hill. As soon as out of
danger ] proceeded to go through a general
inspection of body and babiliments. In
doing so / found a flesh wound in the left
leg below the knee-slight (supposed to have
been done by one of our own bayonets while
crossing our outside works. and my pants
were torn seriously. Thinking of an old
adage which | supposed would work in war
the same as IN peace, which says " a stitch in
time saves nine," this / proceeded to put
into practice at once. With needle and thread
began to repair the damage. Col. II. 3.
Banning, who had obeyed the same order
which brought me TO the rear, came from
" Boy, there is no time to sew. The rebs
may charge US at any moment. Look mp
the boys that are left, and we will form
here
/ made my stitches long and fast, and pro-
ceeded 10 obey orders. In returning up the
hill toward the -breastworks ! met one of
the boys and told him what the Colonel had
said, inquired for Capt. Lewis, and was in
formed that he WAS on the top of the hill
behind a certain black oak. / started in the
direction indicated, and had not gone far
before / saw Lewis drawn up behind the
tree until ne looked like black chunk ia the
distance / called him and he waved to me
not to come any further but to 90 back.
While stopping to think what was the next
best thing to do / received a shower Of bull
lets from the works, which caused NE to
seek shelter behind a tree which was near.
Capt Lewis had his boot-heels shot of.
/ soon discovered that they had a cross
FIRE on me, and l, like Capt. Lewis, became
stationary. l had not been here long before
there were two lines Of dirt torn up by the
bullets on each side of the tree. In Co G.
there was an old man by the name Of Henry
Black recruit, who came along and lay
down IN full view of the rebs, with the re-
mark: ms has been pretty hot place to-
day" said: If you are not prepared TO
die don't stop there" He said: "Well, l
reckon ! won't die until my time comes"
The words had not all passed his lips be-
fore ballet tore up the ground not more
than an inch from him. He arose, remark
ing that they did shoot close. / said: " Lie
still" But he left.
Late in the evening Monroe Cockrell came
from the front. l was squatiing with my
back against the tree. ! raised and stood,
and he squatted between my feet in the posi-
tion / had been. Soon a shell struck the
tree which We were behind about 10 feet
iIom the ground and away / went end over
end. ! remember seeing Monroe look up
as if looking for game, when the shell
hurst and down came the tree-tOp, while
still lay On the ground, and fell all over
me.
Monroe led me down the hill and left me
beside rebel skirmish-pit, which was a
square hole IN the ground, which | went
into. What happened between this and
some time in the night am not able to say.
either slept or was unconscious. When ]
came 70 myself | could not think where !
was or what had happened. After some
time | remembered. l also was reminded
that ] Lad not eaten anything since morn
ing. Besides, nay canteen was dry, and wha.
troubled me most was that / did not know
which army had possession of the ground
occupied. ! could hear some troops at work
else by. ! drew as near to them as / could
10 listen. / was not long in hearing voice
which / recognized TO be that of one of the