The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-20
THE "CRACKER LINE.
Missouri Batteryman Tells of the Capture
of Fort McAliister.

Missouri Batteryman Tells OF the Capture
of Fort McAliister.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Reading
of the assault and capture of Fort McAllis-
ter, near Savannah, Ga, by Gen. O. o.
Howard, brings to my mind very forcibly
many scenes and incidents of that occasion.
stood within 500 yards of the fort silent
spectator before the panorama in real life,
and witnessed the assault with both the
charging column and the fort in plain view.
] have seen many attempts 10 present the
scene on paper aud on a large scale on canvas.
But TO one who has witnessed the grand
charge in real life, these are hut visions of
the imagination which fall short of present
ing the conflict in its grandeur of execution,
its giving and taking of death-dealing mis-
siles and the cheers of the victors.
The night of the 10Th of December, 1864
was as bright and beautiful as any that
Nature brings to earth under the Southern
skies at this time in the year, and the men
and horses of Battery III, LIST Mo. J.. A., and
all the men of Gen. Sweeney's Division, Six
feenth Corps 1 believe, were taking advan-
tage of the opportunity, SO seldom given
during an active campaign. to recuperate by
the enjoyment of tired Natures sweet re-
storer" About - O'Clock the boots and saddles
call Of the battery sounded clear and sharp
upon the midnight air. In moment every
man WASH blankets were rolled, horses har-
messed and hitched to the battery, and every
preparation made to move
The infantrymen heard the call of the bat
terry, and, as they had always moved with u.s.
were up, expecting every moment to hear the
order TO break camp fall in. Disappointed,
as no orders were given, many came to the
battery TO see what all this meansn We
of, leaving them in wonderment at such a
proceeding.
DO not know where we were from Savan-
nah at this time, but it was not far from
Cheves Rice Mill spoken of by Gen. Howard,
as the battery had been in action at the mill
from daylight until late in the afternoon of
the day before, and the boys will remember
the sweet-potato piles which the shells from
the rebel artillery struck, hurting sweet
potatoes in every direction.
We moved slowly along road for perhaps
an hour, when we came TO way filled with
a column of moving troops, and upon in
quiry learned that they were Gen. Hazen's
Division, of the Fifteenth Corps. Falling in
behind a regiment that had passed, we soon
learned that the men well knew their des-
tination and the work they were expected
to do-assault and capture Fort McAllister
just about daylight we halted and pre-
pared hasty breakfast, then took up the
line of march. The boys were continually
discussing the situation at the fort, some
claiming that it was garrisoned by 1000
men and so cannon; but not a man wavered
or would have turned back if he had been told
upon good authority that there were twice
that number One thing was agreed upon
by alI-that the capture of the fort would
open the cracker line" The men all
knew the geography of the country and
our situation well enough to know this. and
it nerved them TO a greater effort, if any
thing was needed.
The column moved slowly through marshy
places and over corduroy roads until, about
noon, we heard the first guns from the
fort answered by an occasional shot from
our advance picket-line No one thought
OF dinner more than to chew the few
crackers that might be within reach. Our
officers told us that as we neared the fort
there was possibility that we might strike
hidden torpedo, as they had been told
that several had been taken out of the road
ahead. We soon passed a guard having
charge OF about dozen of The critters"
and large, black, ugly-loolling things they
were We soon passed more of the same
kind, and proceeding slowly along-as fast
as those al the front could clear the way
when the report of heavy gun and the
tearing whizz of camp-kettle." as the
boys called the shells thrown by the rebel
siege-guns, fell upon our ears