The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-26
A REUNION OF TWO.
The Thrilling Experience That Causes
a Novel Annual Meeting.

Special TO the indianapolis Journal.
DECATUR, Ind, Nov. 25.-On the 9th OF
this month will occur a soldiers reunion at
Monmouth. a small town in this county. in
which but two old veterans will participate
l. y. Grandstaff, present postmaster at
Monmouth. and e. b. Grouse. of Antwerp.
o. There were probably no two men who
took part in the late war with as thrilling
an experience, and who were permitted TO
return home and tell the story, as were
these two soldiers. Each is covered with
scars OF battle. while each has imbeded In
his body Ieaden balls planted there by the
rebel enemy. Both these gentlemen were
members of the Observation-Disclosures
Indiana Infantry. General Cooper's br.-
gade, and participated in Sherman's last
campaign. Their regiment left Resaca, Ga j,
the 3D. of November. 1864, to relieve John
sonville. on the Tennessee river. and left
Johnsonville on the morning of the 24th.
Long marches. rough roads and wet wealth
er were more than they could endure ana
they almost gave out. On the afternoon OF
the 9th they sat down by the roadside, al
most exhausted. TO rest, near Centerville.
After resting half an hour they started to
re1oin their regiment, when they saw eight
mounted men coming down the road.
Thinking they were rebel cavalry. they at
teInpteu 20 nre tnelr muSketS, out the Wet
weather had dampened the powder and
they would not go Off. They were soon
captured by the guerrillas and marched ten
miles. and after wading Pine river were
taken a short distance up stream, where
were thirteen more prisoners from the same
company, I'm charge of twenty guerrillas.
After another short march the. prisoners
were divided into four squads. The first
squad was marched behind a small hill. and
stood I'm a row, when four guerrillas
stepped in front of them and with revolvers
shot them down, one at a time. The sec
ond squad. containing Grandstaff and
Grouse, was taken to the same place and
stood beside their dead comrades and like
wise shot down. and then the fifteen Union
soldiers were shot down like dogs. After
all were killed tas they supposedly the guer-
rillas robbed the dead men of their cloth
ing. mounted their horses, and, after firing
a volley at the dead men,. rode away.
After the noise OF the retreating horses
had died away, and at the same time.
Grandstaff and Grouse raised their heads
and then arose. to find they were the only
them seriously hurt. The two men, with
barely enough clothing to cover their
nakedness, started to regain their COM
mand. Night soon overlook them. but after
tramping twelve miles they reached the
picket lines. Thinking them rebels, the
pickets fired on them. and Grouse and
Grandstaff were compelled to seek refuge
In a hollow tree. where they remained till
recognized and taken on the wagon train.
They remained with the company till the
close of the war. At the time this occurred
Grandstaff was but eighteen years old and
Grouse but seventeen. Grandstaff enjoys
good health now, and Is as spry as a boy
of sixteen. while Grouse is In poor health.
caused by the bullet wounds in his neck
and head received at that time. The two
men hold a reunion once. a year, on the an
niversary of the above event, and always
have much TO be thankful for.