The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-09-03

been e0unueu ana we were spreading oub
our blankets on the side of the hill, no
ticed Lieut.-Col. Camm, our commander at
that time, standing near me with accouter-
ments ali on. Near by was his horse, sad
died. In few moments, while l WAS yet
! wondering why he was thus standing, saw
rockets in the direction of Vicksburg
Lieut.. Col. Camm at once gave the COM
mand to Fall in! {" without the usual tor
maiity of bugle-call or drum-beat We
went down to the boat and on board first of
any of the other regiments, and immedi-
ately went up the river again.
On arriving at Young's Point, instead of
debarking at the landing, our boat went on
| up the river past Warrenton and past the
gunboats on up until almost abreast of one
of the Confederate forts or batteries. There
| we staid for two or three hours in mid
| stream, with just steam enough to keep us.
about in the same position, while the troops
| Il think the 18th and 18th Ill.) were KEEP
standing On the several decks with arms IN
hand ready for instant action.
We we're near enough to see the muzzles
of the cannon and some men in the fort.
| One man sat on the works with his feet
| outside and arms folded, and smoked his
pipe. While lying there we conid see the
dust and smoke (and shells bursting in the
burg, May %. We prvates supposed we
were sent there to land and capture that
fort at certain signal. But we left the
| rebs in peaceful possession.
We dropped down the river again, and as
we came to the gnnboats one of them slipped
alongside and went with US. Just as we
came opposite to Warrenton we saw field
battery wheel into position On the levee and
,, unlimber.
The gunboat, which was hid from them,
dropped justMilibde back of us and gave the
rebs such aisalute that they did not stay
to even load their guns, but had business
over he hills andllar away.
We went ON to the landing, and on across
the Point again. up the Yazoo River to
Haines's Bluff We were ordered to move in
light marching order, and told that teams
would be sent after our baggage; SO left
tents, knapsacks. etc, all behind. After
marching about five miles, were halted, and
men were ordered, back to burn all baggage
left behind. Wetlwere told we were going
on to the linz surrounding Vcksburg.
Our regiment sent an officer and detail
back to Hainess Bluff, and they found gun
boat there in the river. The officer Of the
boat told them that, rather than TO see all
baggage burned, if they would carry their
knapsacks, etc, on board his boat he would
| take them tosFonngs Point as soon as he
went down there.
The gunhoat officer, believe, did as he
! agreed for few of the knapsacks were
found at Young's Point, but no shirts or
other effects therefore, we were not over
stocked with clothing during the siege.
We marched clear around back of our
lines, almost TO Warrenton, taking position
on the extreme left there, but were soon after
covered on the left by Herron's Division.
The first night on the line the 10th Ill.,, Of
our brigade, was nearly all captured, they
surprising they were touching the river. In
reality, it was bayou with a sand spit be-
tween it and the river, on which the rebs
came out and corraled them like sheep.
Whose mistake was that? We did not
blame The 46th for they were on strange
ground. Each brigade was expected to
skirmish and picket its own front. We were
usually kept busy doing so, but on the night
of June 80 the 14th was ordered ont and
taken to the First Brigade line, and 40 men,
in charge of Col. Camm, were led in the dark
to tue rif1e-pit of the 41st lii. by the picket
officer
He merely said Don't let any of the
men Sleep" and There is their FORT" point
ing to the dark outline looming up against
the sky.
But we had no idea of the distance away,
or the lay of the land between US and the
rebel fort. The rhe-pit was on oe's-back
between two ravines, our reserve being 100
yards or more back of us. Toward midnight
The moon went down, leaving darkness pre-
vailiDg sure enough. Then the rebs opened
on us with artillery for few minutes. We
heard the order, apparently few feet away
and low down in front of US: Forward
Charge bayonets!"
We could not tell where to shoot, SO some
fired at the fort and big guns. Butvery soon
the Johnnies were right on top of the pit,
and dropped The guns in our faces and fired
80 near directly over us that Billy Anderson
near me was shot through his hat, ear and
heart, and the ball came out of his hip.
Col. Camm cried: Get out of the pit
the best You can!" But he and four or five
of the men were too late, and were captured
and taken into Vicksburg. And Col. Camm
was afterward placed under arrest, accused
of cowardice which accusation many of us
believed was caused by jealousy or malice
and the mistake or intent of the picket Off
Ger who posted us in position where we did
not belong.-H. S. LOWRY, Go. E, 18th Ill.
LAeY9uhgest Soldier.
Fillmore nj. Bfist, Dubuque, Iowa, was
born Dec. 49, 1851; enlisted Dec. 26, 1863,
and was discharged, on account of wounds,
March 49, 1865. He, with his father, was
member of the list Wis. Cav, and served
through the Atlanta campaign in 1861
from Cleveland, East Tenn, to Lost Mount
ain, near Atlanta The comrade furnishes
af1idavits as to the dates he gives.
Was i'm Fearful TOrture.-Daney,
Wis, April TO- 1s96.-Dr. p. Fahrney,
Chicago, Ill. Dear Doctor must write
and tell you ofsa remarkable cure your
medicine has..made. My whole body was
covered with skin disease which itched
farrihIy xyao in uch o,yony %bat r would