The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-29

2
scmbing the plans or movements of th,
Southern army. This fellow said:
Yo' all keep right on yo1l find EN-
at Black River. Dey is waitin' for yo
there" About mile further on, ball
from an enemys battery were dropped
in our ranks in the road.
We were hustled off to the left Of tht
road. marched forward some distance tC
a farmhouse at the foot Of the higl
ground. OFF to our front about three
foulhs of a mile was the railroad bridge
over Big Black River
Between us and the river were, first
a small pasture field, then a Nirginia
rail fence with stakes and riders, then q
field of small corn, and across ditch
another field Of corn something more
than knee-high. This coInfeld extended
from near the railroad a quarter Of a
mile TO our right, in a southerly direc-
ton for more than mile, and the width
of the cor1lfeld was perhaps half that
distance.
In front of this coInfeld was an open
thorouchfare or river channel, then free
from water, and Just beyond was a
LINE OF BREAsTwoIRs,
In the construction Of which had been
used a number of bales of cotton. Big
Black here makes an abrupt bend to the
west, and then another bend to the east,
the earthworks extending from the east
bank Of the river above to the east bank
below and across the bend, distance Of
perhaps three-fourths of a mile, includ-
ing a short distance which the works ex-
tended up and down the bank Of the
river at either end.
This line curved slightly outward from
the river with a number Of salients and
angles, in each of which was a cannon,
none, ] think, larger than 24-pounder
The Nicksburg d jackson Railroad
crossed the line Of works rather toward
the uprer end, and reached the wooden
bridge over Big Black by
STRETCH OF TREsTLE,
some 900 or 800 yards in length, and
which as il approached the bank Of the
river was from 20 to 80 feet high.
The top Of this trestle and also the
bridge had been planked, SO that persons
on foot and also teams and wagons might
cross over.
The ground Oh the opposite or west
side of the river was high and blufiy, and
except at and above the bridge was al
most entirely hidden from view by the
fringe Of timber on the eastern side. We
stopped short time near the farmhouse,
section Of Fosters 20-pound PARROTS
were placed in position, and opened fire
on the enemy's works. This soon brought
a reply from a number Of gums on the
line Of the works, and with some effect,
TOO. for after a few shots a fragment from
one Of their shells struck and consider
ably bruised Gen. Osterhaus who was
standing not far from Fosters guns.
A shot struck and exploded one Of
Fosters limber-chests, causing the horses
attached to the carriage to run for some
distance.
The different regiments were getting
into line, skirmishers were deployed in
front, and an advance was ordered. We all
moved forward under the fire Of the Con-
federate artillery, climbed over the fence,
went into the c0lnfeld, and still on and
on across the ditch and into the larger
corn, until we were about half the dis
tance from the farmhouse where we
started and the enemy's works. Our
advance had not been without los, four
members Of the regiment having fallen
by the rebel cannon, three Of them killed
by one ball.
ITO BE- cBntfHWed)