The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-06-27
HOW THEY "GOT THERE"
Graphic Description of Scenes at Black
River Bridge.

Graphic Description of Scenes at Black
River Bridge.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE Now comes
Comrade Jones firing by file, melting shell
from one of those 1.-TWO cannon" mentioned
by Gen. Carr in his report of the fight at
Black River Bridge. As the Add Ohio sell
dom emptied a cartridge-box without hear
ing from us, we'll pull lanyard.
Soon after sunrise we halted in the road
among the timber ringing the Savannah,
that here bordered the river, mixed mp with
LAWYERS Brigade. The enemy's shells were
passing Just over u.s. coming from right and
left oblique and front, indicating a line of
some extent.
As they nipped off the limbs of the trees,
which came crashing down, and tore up the
ground beyond us, we felt that the rebs
were reaching out for that road, and won
dered why we were not .fiankei out of the
line of fire into a field on our left Osterhaus,
had he been there, would not have left us
uselessly exposed. Lawler sat stolidiy on
his horse under a tree, with the branches
falling about him. A slim lead driver slip
ped from his saddle, steaIthily approached,
and fortified behind LAWYERS ponderosity,
much to the disgust of his staff when
detected.
From our rear, regiment after regiment
was breaking TO the left-oblique and NOV
ing to the front. Soon Osterhaus came rid
ing from this direction flanked us out of
the line Of fire, consulted n moment with
Capt. Foster, and then Foster and he took
the center section, and Lieut.. Hackett NOV
ing at quick step through the grove into
cultivated field to the crest of an incline
went into battery alongside the railroad.
n,,n 81 L.
with the elegant position to which he would
introduce them, and, as usual, tastes differed
as to elegance. In 'front.' beyond parallel
bayou, was as pretty line of Notifications,
with cotton-bale embrasures, as ever a regi-
ment or battery would wish TO be behind. As
the limbers were making the reverse after
action front, II rebel guns cut loose on
them Charlie Withee, number six, had hur-
ried to his timber, and throwing up the lid,
reached for shell while it was still NOV
ing. The Timber exploded, MORALLY wound
ing Charlie, blowing the drivers clean ont
of the saddle and the scorched horses tore
off at a mad run.
A piece of shell struck Capt Foster on
the shoulder as his horse made demi-volte,
hurting him from the saddle, while Gen. Os-
terhaus got ball from a caseshOt through the
flesh of his thigh, and both were taken
from the field Number five ran over the
timber Of the other gun to get his ammuni-
ton, and these coffee-coOlers," draft
speaks," and bounty Jumpers of the CEN
ter section put up as pretty fight as was
possible for two guns in open field to pre-
sent to II guns behind Notifications. The
wonder of it all is, now, rs we look back
at it, what could induce private soldier to
walk into such a place and-siay there.
The right section, under 0rderly-Serg't
Aylmer, was hurried up to their assistance;
the infantry crept nearer, where they could
pick of herebel cannOneers; the left section
with Mcpherson swung over to the right,
drawing a portion of their fire. Gunner
Billy McKeeth reached out and dismounted
particularly vicious 12-pounder Napoleon,
and their artillery fire soon slackeBed.
A slight. soldiery man bearing the single
stars on his shoulders whom we had for a
day or two noted acting as Aid, rode up at
gallop, and sackening his pace, cried: II
am Gen. A. l.. Lee. / command this di-
vision. You will report to me for ORDERS"
and galloped to the front along the rear of
our line of infantry, who were lying down
toour front, presumably repeating the legend,
a mark for thousand rifles.
Returning TO us, and consulting with
Hackett and Alymer, he wrote on leaf from
his notebook, using his hat for rest, IN
order for an infantry detail to help man our
guns. Soon back from the 10th and AID
Ohio and 69th Ind. came men, who stayed
with US all through some of them veteraniz-
ing and were mustered out with us at Mil
waukee in the Fall of 1865.
Lawler crept closer, found place to cross
the bayou, and went over the works with a
rush, taking more prisoners than he had
men. We could see the rebels shaking their
handkerchiels, pulling the cotton from the
bales, and hosting it on the points of their
bayOnets, while others Of them seemed try
ing to break their necks in a mad rush to-
ward the wagon and railroad bridge, which
they fired before all had crossed
They left in our hands 10 guns, all point
ing our way, one at least loaded an assort-
ment Of plumber, among which we secured a
prime article of old Jamaica rum, and
mushy lot of lovc-letters Tender lines
from Pigeon" in our vernacular, most of 'em
eDjoining their bold Johnnies to die in the
last ditch. Instead, they left The letters in
the ditch and courted SPAWN sprntng for
safety behind fresh set of earthworks
We moved over 10 the right and lay down
in the scattered timber in front Of the can't
ured works and guns, while Capt. Patterson
was laying bridge While lying here doz-
ing, discussing the fight, and munching
bareback, bang went gun and smash came
l2-pound shot among ms. We sprang to
our feet with dozen inquiries, astonish-
ment, and a hundred thoughts. Suisse
quently it was learned that a No. 4 " wan
dering among the captured guns had in
stTucted an infantryman as 10 just how
cannon was cooked and fired. The unex-
pected result must be left TO the imagination
of all veterans. Ii was the last shot fired at
the battle of the Big Black.-DON G. CAM
ERos, 1st Wis. battery.
The Rocky Mountains