The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-16
A SHAKE OF THE HAND.
It Brought Up Events of ThSrty Years Ago.

accosted by large, fesby gentleman with
| outstretched hand, and query Do you
know me?" / did not know the man, but
/ knew the voice. 1t carried me back 30
years, when he was chunky, rollicking
soldier boy.
Remember him? remembered when be
carried his knapsack through the snow-clad
mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee; at
Cumberland Gap in 1862; up in West Vir-
ginia, and down through the sunny South;
at Memphis, Chickasaw Bluffs, Arkansas
Post, Grand Gulf; through the battles and
siege of Vicksburg; at Thompson's Hill Tor
Port Gibson), where he was shot through
the neck because he was to obstinately
proud to get behind convenient tree.
Our regiment (49th Ind.) suffered from
loss in battle of Chickasaw Bluffs, and sick
ness and death after the battle of Arkansas
Post and the order to move from Young's
Point to Morganza Bend, La, was received
with relief From there we went to Grand
Gulf, and were placed on board of transports,
with the notice that we were to be ferried
across the river, to disembark, and charge
| the rebel breastwOrks.
From where we were huddled together on
the hurricane-roof of the boat we could see
there was little or no ground to disembark
water. We saw the impossibility of our
boat ever reaching the other shore in the
face of the artillery that frOwned down on
us from the rebel battlements. 1t would be
| the worst kind of folly-a wantOn sacrifice
| of life-to cross the river at that point, and
we knew it; yet there was no hesi,ancy
among the men, not a murmur of dissent, and
if Gen. Grant had ordered Us we would have
gone though satisfied that it meant death to
most if not all of us.
My fat comrade, the rollicking, chunky
| boy of GIGS, was on the same boat. he
was q member of Co. G, and / of Co. B, /
think at toe time in command of his COM
| pany, and we were thrown much together,
| as our mpanies Joined. remember being
very much interested at his concern about
the feasibility of the boat getting close
enough to the shore so we could step off the
| hurricane-roof of the boat ON to the side of
the bluff.
But Grant never intended us to make that
| charge. We were ordered to disembark and
march round the levee to Burns Landing,
where we remained until next morning,
when we crossed the river and started on
the march, which eliminated in the capture
of Vicksburg. We marched all day and
night About daybreak we stopped at
CItth, anu SIIuib hieo
was blazing, coffee cooking and sowbelly
sizzling on stick. Tom Buskirk and had
got our cups filled with coffee. 1t was hot,
red hot, and we were stirring and blowing
and coaxing it to cool, but we were not fated
to drink il. The order came just then to fall
in. A rifle-shot rang out in our front, fol-
lowed by the rattle of musketry, Of the Skin
mishers, gradually increasing to an ominOus
roar as regiments CAME into line. The deep
thunder of artillery now joined the chorus,
and the battle of Port Gibson, or Thompson
Hill, had began. Shot and shell whistled
through the air, and the peculiar "pinging"
swish of the mimic ball tod as only TOO
| plainly that death was abroad in search of
victims. Our coffee was spilled on the
ground. Some of the boys cursed; some
laughed. That was the kind of "eoffee
coolers" we were. We were ordered to The
left; started on the run, and were soon out
of range of the rebel fire. We crossed the
stream and assembled a hill.
1t was bright, calm, beautiful morning,
the first day of May. The frangrance of the
magnolia blossoms saluted US, and but for
the thunder of battle on our right all would
have been peaceful. We went up the hill
/ rapidly. Finally We came to an open field
and turned to our right. In our rear was a
| thick chaparral VIII Oh came up from a deep
ravine.
In our front was the enemy who babe us
| good morning with discharge of four pieces
of artillery and volley of musketry. We
/ Immediately faced front and returned the
compliment with muskets. Soon the
69th Ind and 18th III. joined us, and our
part in that drama commenced and ended IN
victory and capture of four guns and many
prisoners.
Gen. Grant came to us in the evening and
ordered us to take that battery" We were
then out of cartridges, but his order was TO
use the bayonet."
II is useless to try 10 describe battle.
| The movements may be outlined. Every
man was intent upon loading and firing his
gun, while the exc amatiOns came only too
often, i am hit, -" am shot" some ejacu
lation Of pain and distress, or that sound OF
a falling form.
During the conflict Lieut. Tom Buskirk
and the writer met frequently as we passed
up and down the lines OF our companies.
| In the rear, and close to his lines, WAS a small
tree, just in about the position he should
occupy, and suggested that he use it, but
he refused to do so, saying that as there was
not enough trees to 90 round, he would share
with tie rest of us in the danger.
| 1T was but very snort time after that L
saw him coming toward me with both hands
clasping his neck. He was making vain
effort to smile, but it was dismal failure,
| for there were more tears in his eyes than
there were smiles on his lips.
"Tom, are you hurt !? asked.
Yes; shot in the neck, not with commits
sary, either" he replied. The wound was
| painful, but not dangerous. took him by
the arm to lead him down into the charar-
raj, which was but a short distance in the
rear
He was absent from the regiment but for
a short time. for at the battle of Jackson,
! Miss, after the fall of Vicksburg, there was
with me on the skirmish-line in the first
days fight Lieut.. Tom Buskirk, with his
wound only partially healed.
Buskirk was no Drawer no better soldier
than thousands of those with whom he was
associated, but he was sample of the boys.
We were an army of boys.-JAMEs c.
WHEAT, First Sergeant, Co. Il, 49th Ind,
Jacksonville, Ind.
THEIR FIRST FIGHT.