The National tribune., 1894-12-20

10y
reports 1 read that these two guns, with our
other four guns, separated 10 The left of
Haydens section, and Kingsbury's six to
our right had been keeping the Confederates
back. We did keep them back until nearly
shutdown, when the enemy turned their en-
tire attention 10 driving off or capturing us.
In Davenport's article he states it was
two North Carolina regiments, Goth and oath,
supported by other troops, that charged on
u.s. Yes, but the support must have been
no less than 10 regiments.
These two guns, with our other four at
Knoxville, Tenn, in Fort Sanders, side by
by side with Beniamin's battery, sustained
a charge of 5000 picked men, u torlorn hope
party made up the day before by Longstreet
to capture u.s. but they failed. This body
did not look half so large as the body of
infantry that were sent direct for Hayden's
two guns at Gaines's mill. While Kings
bury, to our right, got IL 4 cross or oblique
fire on this mass, we got front fire, and at
every discharge OF onr guns we moved
path through them 100 feet wide, and clean
through from our position to the woods In
our front, out of which they were continu-
ally pouring.
Kingsbury's battery did fine execution,
and got away. We, Hayden's two guns,
could not timber up all our horses, for two
wheel-h horses and my ridiDg-horse lay dead
or dying All of our chiefs of pieces and
Lieut.. Hayden were wounded; all of our
ammunition but two charges was gone; the
last one of these two charges / personally
handed to Lieut.. Hayden as he fell on his
knee wounded, and while sighting the gun,
with the remark that it was the last charge
we had He took one look back, thinking,
no doubt, of limbering up, but seeing all the
horses down but two, he said:
Fire! and all who can get away go"
The shot was never fired. as it was put in
wrong end foremost, and SO eilectualiy
spiked the gun.
Col. Baylor, of the 9Th Va, one of the as
saulting regiments, said: The right OF my
regiment Oblqued the road, in which it
captured two ParrOtt pieces in battery,
which, from their heated condition, had
evidently been used very freely and with
terrible effect upon our forces. The enemy
retired slowly, and to the best of my knowl-
edge did not abandon the pieces and their
position until our line had approached to
within 10 yards The enemy had used
every charge but two, one of which was
lBUllu IefcIStu III Olc vi TIC guns.
Offering Lieut.. Hayden my horse 10 ride,
and finding he could not mount him, with
his wourfded leg, with one man on each
sde-thc balance walking beh!nd-we
marched off; not to the rear hut towards
our left section, 10 where our Captain, with
the center section, was thuIdcriu" away at
the enemy. Seeing him, remembered my
duty, rs he that day commanded me, the
,,ff h.,.f
Orderly, 10 stag with Lieut.. Harry T. Hayden
and his section, To assist him. and If any
thing went wrong, to report. thought the
lime had come for me 10 report, so mounted
my horse and gallops d up to Capt. Edwards.
lie looked up, saw Hayden and handful of
men coming toward ns, and remarked:
" Wieand, let Hayden have your here" /
ex Explained / had done so, but he could not
mount him.
All this time the bullets kept fly ing, but
we thought OF nothing but our Two guns III
the hands Of the enemy Looking to the
rear we heard loud cheering. We saw a
force of lancers, Irish Brigade, and Inc cav
airy coming up. The 18th and 9th N. Y.
came Oh dOuble-quick, some with coats off.
They went in on rush. We soon
chance 10 haul of ourg guns by hand, and did
so.
Here a queer thing happened. As | be-
fore stated ail horses we're dead but two
wheel horses and my riding horse. This
wheel team was James Candy who, after
cutting his horses from the dead ones in
front, had succeeded in mounting his riding
horse, which he called jeff DAVIS, and
spurrtd up to the right gun. As the North
Caroliuians ha@ come up, lac had seen it was
too late TO try to timber mp, so bad charged
through this mass OF infantry, who gave way,
no doubt that he was one of their
men hauling of q captured gun. When lie
reached the woods he had discovered brass
Napoleon gun without any Timber, and no
artiilerist with 1t. He had charged up TO il,
gotten II his horse, llmber.d it up aud re-
turned charging through the same infantry.
Now, ut the time the Irish Brigade checked
the rebels and began to turn them back
through our guns, he Numbered through all
with his captured brass piece. So that after
we found ourselves repossessed of
all OF our guns and rebel gun. Therefore
Col. Warren was right when ne said we on
the right did not lose any guns. Although
our Two guns fell trophy to them for five
minuies, we did not lose them, thanks to
those brave boys of the Irish Brigade.
We camped n quarter of a mile in rear of
where we fought all day, with a loss of some
~ or % horses and IL mep.-W. f. VIE
LAND, Chief Bugler Batteries l. and M, Sd
D. S. Art.