The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-14
THIRTY-YEAR-OL JOKE.
What a Baltimore Captain Now
Terms the ARRAY of
the Time.
Captain TorSch Tells How He
Captured a Line of Federal
RifIe-PitS.

Captain John w. Torsch of Baltimore
has good reason to keep green in his men,
DRY what might have been serious LIST of
April joke says the Baltimore Sun in writ
ing up events of the 1st of April.
Thirty years ago yesterday he was in
command OF the Second Maryland Battal-
ion in General McCombs brigade, lying
below Petersburg. The Confederate army,
composed of General A. p. HilPs corps,
had been lying in winter quarters, faced a
short distance away by the Union line.
Late in March a number of rife-pits in
front of General Cooks brigade, in the
camp line adjoining that of General Nc
Comb, had been captured and occupied by
the Union forces. At midnight, March 81,
1865, courier rode up to Captain Torsch's
headquarters with an order which, when
obeyed seemed to have been inspired as
an April-fool joke.
The captain still has the innocent-look-
ing paper in his possession. 1t reads:
HEADQUARTERS INCOMES BRIGADE
April I, 1868
Captain-You will report with your battalion
under arms at once at the chapel of General
Cooks brigade.
By command BR1e.-GEN. VIM McCABE.
TO Captain Torsch. commanding Second
Maryland.
Captain Torsch thus tells the story of the
result of his obeying the order:
SIN connection with Tennessee and Mis-
sissippi commands the Second Maryland
was expected to recapture line of rife
pits in front OF General Cooks brigade 1t
was rather tough work on a dark night as
we had never been over the ground before.
/ was reminded of the story of coal-black
negro trying on a dark night to catch a
black cat in dark cellar.
1--WE followed behind our line of breast
works until we reached a point opposite
the pits which were to be captured. Then
we crawled forward hundred yards or
more and rested to await the signal to
attack, which was to be the firing of a
cannon.
'Just before daybreak the signal was
given. We dashed forward, and in a very
few minutes had completed our work by
driving out the enemy and occupying the
pits. Only two men were wounded in this
dash
eve awaited daylight before making
further move. When the light came the
joke also dawned when we saw the curious
predicament in which we had been placed.
Evidently anticipating move of this sort,
the enemy had constructed a new line of
pits, some of them not fifty feet from our
front.
light enough for US to be seen. In addition
to the fire from the front, every time one of
the men made move and showed himself
there came firing from our breastworks in
the rear. The Confederate forces knew
nothing of our attack and supposed we
were the enemy.
"a 1t was certain death to move from one
pit to another. Orders were written, then
wrapped about bullet, which was thrown
from pit to pit, for the men to save their
ammunition and prepare to receive a
charge. No charge came, however, but we
were in constant dread of one.
IN. Lee Goldsborough, now captain in
the Fifth Maryland Regiment, managed
to crawl back to the breastworks and re-
turn with additional ammunition, as ours
was nearly used up. The intervening
ground was covered with tree stumps'
where forest had been cleared away, and
these offered some little protection for this
daring venture. We were also able to get
word to the rear to have our own soldiers
stop firing.
$50 our April-fool joke consisted of lying
in the rifle-pits all day long. The hot sun
poured down on US. We were without
rations. could get no water and could make
no move to the rear until after dusk
Anxious for further orders and to see
what had become of those who had been
expected to support US in the advance, l
crawled back to the breastworks Leaving
a trail behind me like that of mole, only
mine was depression in the soft earth, I
finally reached headquarters. Cheers and
congratulations met me and was given
orders to withdraw the line. With some
of the vim taken out of me by that days
experience, | took advantage of nv pre-
rogative and sent junior officer who had
been on picket duty, to carry out the
order. By that time it was darker and the
men had no great difficulty retiring from
their perilous position.
''Afterward we learned that Maior-G Gen.
eral Heath, in whose division we were,
had taken means to protect the Second
MARYLAND. AS soon as he heard of the
placed an artillery battery for our support
in case of charge from the front.
altogether it was very warm first of
nril for Ms ~