The National tribune., 1896-04-02
AMONG THE GUERRILLAs.
Experiences of an Ohio Soldier In Tennessee.

H
with which was connected in the late wal
which / am willing to do, although it j
entirely from memory; and l find 80 years i
long time to remember some things, bu
this picture is printed deep in my memory
After the battle of Stene River. our battery
the 9th Ohio, was ordered from Triune
Tenn, supposing we were to take part in th
advance movement of which Chattanoog;
was the objective peint, but to our grea
disappointment we were ordered to Muir
freesboro, where we staid but short time
Another forward movement was made
which for the time being ended at Tulla
homa.
While at this place we met with expert
ences which were new to us, and by which
we lost by death five men and by wound.
two more. / say by death five, rs the disap
| pearance of two on our first arrival was mys
terlous, but subsequent developments salts.
| fed us that they were killed.
We were compelled to 90 outside oul
| picket-line for water for our stock. John
| Wilson and Dwight Murray, it seems, had
met two pleasant-appearing young ladies
| and were invited to take dinner at their
home on certain day. The boys on the
sly planned that when we went outside 10
water the horses and mules to take this
opportunity to slip away with their horses,
which they did, and we never saw them
| afterwards.
While we were at this place it seemed
| necessary for us to subsist our stock on the
products of the vicinity, so that the railroad
| could store at Chattanooga sufficient sup
| plies for forward movement from that
| point We therefore received orders from
! Maj.-Gen. Slocum, commanding our division,
| to 90 into Lincoln County, about 30 miles
west, which is very rich and fertile farm
ing country, to get corn for forage, which was
raised In great abundance.
Lieut. Porter, of the 9th Ind, was given
the command of the wagon train, which
made trip about once each week, and
usually consisted of about 100 wagons, with
a guard of two men TO each wagon, each
man well armed, or supposed to be, and they
to gather and load the corn when found
Besides these, there was detail from our
battery of from 10 to 90 mounted men in
charge OF a Sergeant to scout and act as adj
vance-guard.
On the evening of Dec "a, 1863, received
orders from Capt. York, then Chief of Ar
tillery, Fourth Division, Twentieth Corps,
to report early next morning (Christmas)
with 10 mounted men of the battery TO
sides this we had 10 cavalrymen under
Sergeant to act as rear-guard.
Our trip was without incident, and when
we arrived in the Egypt of our expectation
the Lieutenant divided the train he taking
so wagons and assigning me 80, each taking
separate territory, with the understanding
when loaded TO go into camp in certain
selected locality for the night
Dame fortune was very kind to me, as we
had our wagons all loaded and into camp
about O'Clock p. m, and before any of the
Lieutenants wagons had arrived. When 1
supposed that had my wagons, in aud was
making preparations for supper, we heard
firing IN our rear, in the direction we were
expecting the Lieutenant and his wagons to
come.
sent Corp1 Simonds and a squad of men
back, and they found my rear wagon and
the SIX mules standing alone in the road.
About the time the boys were ready to drive
the team into camp the advance of the Lien
tenants train came up, and they all came in
together.
A Toll-call of our men revealed the start
ling fact to ms that five of our men were
absent; viz, Lieut.. Porter; james w. Foley,
the wagon-master of our battery; George
Jacobs, the driver of the wagon that was !
found in the road; William Drought and !
Newell Orcutt. Jacobs and Drought were a |
part of detail from the 22d Wis. to help |
man our battery, as we were short of men. |
Orcntt was member of our battery, and |
had been with us only short time. He |
and Drought were the guards with Jacobs's |
wagon. / put a strong guard around our
camp that night, and spent most of the |
night myself In personal attention, fearing |
that we might be attacked during the night
or early morning.
As soon as we could break camp in the
morning the loaded wagons, with the in
fantry guards, left for camp at Tullahoma
determined to take the mounted men and
try TO solve the mystery of the preceding
evening. When / laid my plans before the
men the 10 cavalrymen, who were under
orders of their Sergeant, went back TO Tulia-
homa with the wagon-train.
We rode back TO where Jacobs's wagon was
ound the night before, and putting our
horses in charge of two men, we made
circuit around the mysterious place, enlarg
ng our radius until one of the boys picked
up paper which proved to be camp pass
given to Drought aud signed by Capt. York
This was on dim trail, which we followed
or half mile, while part of the boys went
back after the hoTses.
About this time we picked up pocket
book in which were papers giving evidence
hat 1T had belonged TO Lieut. Porter. and
vas evidently thrown out by him, as was
he pass by Drought. Believing we could
~ this means follow and help them. we
mounted our horses and followed tie trail
Is best we could, sometimes losing il and
fter long search finding it again.
After weary ride we came TO ford of
he Elk River. While holding a council of
var regarding our future action we saw
one horseman riding rapidly towards the
own we had left in our rear
immediately sent Corp'l Simonds and two
hen, who soon brought him back 10 us.
lie said he was after doctor for a wounded
,ankee soldier at his home. Half of our
zen went with him to the village of Null ,
cry, and soon returned with DR.. Jones'
Tho told me he had been Surgeon in the
army, had been taken prisoner,
nd was then on parole. ,
We then all rode TO the home of our good ,
amaritan, where we found Comrade Or
ut, shot through the bowels. The Doctor ,
lade an examination, and went outside and ,
ave me the diagnosis. He said the ball !
ad lodged in his body, and he feared his
ase was fatal, which fact we kept from ,
i'm. ,
While we were talking outside we saw ,
mother horseman riding hard towards town, ,
nd We soon learned that he. too, was after
octor for wounded Yankee that had ,
,und shelter in his humble home This