Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-01-10
A WILD RIDE.

WILD RIDE.
eur side seemed to abate for a short
time and the confederates poured in
more furiously their shot and shell |
had such desire to know more of the
battle that started with my man Rog
ers for Little Round Top-I call him
Comrade Rogers, for in my mind now
his name was Rogers--so many Yeas
have elapsed since then that really
have forgotten his name--on ne
spurred our'horses through field and
woods, all the while close to the
line of battle. On coming near the
crest of the hill that extends
from Little and Big Round Top around
to VOLTS hill he went through an
opening in the woods through which a
country road passed, and as we came
near the top of the hill we halted, and
| said to Rogers: when we return we
will go through that strip of woods at
the right of us. for by so doing we will
save a miles travel" AS we reached
the crest of the hill we saw below us
hundreds of men firing and falling
back. | supposed at the time they
were our men, but later on it proved
that they were confederates. We con-
tinued on, and the further we went
our apprehension was awakened in the
belief that we were in very dangerous
quarters. Picket had reached the
stone wall, or what is termed now the
bloody angle. In the great confusion
that seemed all around us, we thought
it best to turn back. and as we reached
the road-where ! said to Rogers I'VE
will go through that piece Of woods to
our right and save a miles travel on
our return We saw at a glance that
during our absence the rail fence on
either side of the road had been taken
down and brown crosswise into the
road in such manner as to prevent ar
tillery from coming up this road
The roao up the hill was very ir-
regular, being for the most part
of the way comprised of slate
rock which was quite rough.
Rogers said to me as we crossed
the road: There is a nice blanket on
the other side"-some one had stolen
my blanket off my pack mule the
night beforehand as / supposed the
battle would soon be over and we re-
turn TO our camping ground, ! rode
back, reached down from my horse,
picked up the blanket and rode across
the road to where Rogers was await
ing me. My horse had just come
abreast with his when from the woods
to our left and not FIVE hundred wards
away came volley of bullets A com
pany of confederates We're behind an
old fence in the woods, and they emp
tied their guns at us-the bullets came
thick. My horse at the time seemed to
have more good sense than /, for in
stantly he wheeled and started on a
dead run down the road. Just then
another shower of bullets came
threw myself lengthwise on my horse,
my right arm over my horses neck
while he plunged down that ledgy
road over those rails. We were under
fire of the eonfederates. who seeing
that the first vollev did not stop us
continued To pour into us The dis
tance of that opening in the woods
was about an eighth of a mile that we
had To ride NY horse was running
with all his might while the bullets
went under and over him-I expected
every moment he or l would be shot
and equally did | expect every mo-
ment that he would be tangled in the
fence rails and thrown. We had COW
cred about one-half the distance in the
opening when ! heard Rogers hello
behind me and expected he was shot.
Looking back over my horses name
| saw his horse coming with all
his might and Rogers clinging
TO him, l felt If he could only hang
on to his horse he would bring him
through. My horse was going at such
speed down that ledgy road and over
those rails it would have been an inn
possibility for me To have stopped him.
He seemed maddened by the zip. zip of
the bullets As they came under and
over us. The road. | do not think. had
ever been travelled much, il seemed
more Of wood road. seldom used. At
any rate. there was a big cottonwood
tree just in the edge ef the woods.
about three feet in diameter and To-
Gated, it seemed to ms, right in the
middle OF the road My horse was 20
ing with such speed il Seeslcd 20 me