The National tribune., 1896-06-18
PICKET SHOTS.
From Alert Comrades All Along the
Line.
First Day at Gettysburg.

| First Day at Gettysburg.
3. RI. Trip, Middletown, Mo, says:
| have received quite a number of very inter
| esting letters in answer to my call for the COM
rades of the First asd Second Brigades, First
| Division, Fist Corps, to write what ihey re-
membered of the first day at Gettysburg. l
would be glad if more of the Second Bri-
gade boys would write to me. / cannot an
swer all the letters l receive, but will send
| TO THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE extracts IRON
| them that will be interesting to all.
among the first 10 arrive was letter
from p. II. Walker, Co. d, 18th Wis. After
| telling of the death of Gen. Reynolds he
| gives this personal experience:
&C. As we started to fall back from the rail
piles on Seminary Hill the straps of my
knapsacl were cut by ball, and fell from
my shoulders. AS / had important business
| in the direction of Gettysburg, did not stop
| to pick it up. Soon ball struck my LETT
| leg near the shn-bo and came out at the
back. Just rs we crossed a wagon-road a
| hall-ounce bail struck me in the left ear,
coming ont under the left eye, clipping the
| end of my nose This knocked me senseless,
and l was left for dead but before the regi-
ment had left the city got upland over
| took Them
Nothing but death could induce the
| boys to stop and accept the kind and gen.
| erous treatment sure to be given to everyone
who went to Southern prison. This is but
one of the many experiences that should be
gathered and printed for future generations
to read and admire. Now, comrades, do not
hesitate to write me. Give time of starting,
road, direction; what you saw of Gettys-
burg and when You reached it; time the
battle opened, and all you can remember"
Valuable Lessons.
Fl. Calkins, Co. B, Mcclellan Dragons,
Union, Mo-, says: "Your paper contains
historical articles that / wish every boy in
America could and would read If our
young men of to-day would read them with
a comprehensive mind, they would gain q
little idea of what the boys OF third oil
century and more ago were doing. There
were other subjects to claim our attention
then than riding bikes or talking slang. L
have no doubt, though, that the boys of the
present generation would prove just as good
stuff-as true METALS were their fathers
if there were conditions that required it.
American youths, | believe, since the
days of Marion and his ragged regiment, and
Sumter and his men, have proved equal to
any emergencies that demanded valor
sacrifice. The story of young Dahlgren, of
young Cushing, and hundreds of others
boys of their epoch-shoud be told till the
youths of our country are familiar with
them. Times may come when their lives
would inspire noble deeds and sacrifices
that will make worthy companion pieces
with theirs on the pages of their country's
history"
a Brave Officer.
G.. +. Camp, Co. G., god Ohio. Burton,
Wash. writes: o. In the issue of May the
Chickamauga Fiier-A. B. Fox, Co. III, seth
Ill.-labors under mistake in regard to
Gen. Il. d. Fearing. None were Drawer or
better than the General. He was a strict dis
ciplinarian, but careful of his men. He had
climbed Me ladder from the bottom round
to where he stood at Bentonville. The mis-
take COmrade Fox makes is as to his being
Regular officer. He went into the war from
the same County from which / went Wash
ington County, o.. He was private in the
first Bull Run battle; then Major of the
nth Ohio, and Lieutenant Colonel, 92d Ohio.
When Col. Van Vorhis resigned Fearing was
promoted Colonel. At Chickamauga, while
commanding his regiment, he was wounded,
the same ball passing through both legs. At
the BentOnyille battle he was wounded, as
number of talks in regard to our army life
since the war, but he had to succumb to the
fell destroyer, and has answered to the last
reveille here below"
What Became of the Johnny.
B. F. Laughlin, Marion Center, Pa. writes
"Ou July 2, 1863, | was engaged with Co. b,
11th Pa. Reserve Corps, in the charge down
the western slope of Little Round Top against
the Southern troops that were driving that
splendid Regular Infantry Brigade of the
Fifth Corps up. had been anxiously watch
ing them sweep around from the Devils Den
and across the Valley of Death, the Regulars
loading, turning, delivering their fire in
grand order. Just before we reached the
swamp with my gun at a charge | almost
stumbled on a man in gray lying near big
stump. He threw up his hands and cried,
Don't shoot!' Having urgent business at
the front, told him TO get to the rear quick,
and went on. In 1888 | cut cedar bush,
and have it for cane, from the spot where
that Southern soldier lay. My object in
writing this the second time is to ask that
man to get a two-eent stamp and write me,
if he is living, whether he followed my d.
rectionS or not"
Few Corrections.
George w. Hines Co. c, 99th Ohio, Deers-
vile, o., writes: In recent issue | find |
story by John G. Fario, Co. b, Seth ILL., Re- |
ferrng to certain statements / will say that |
Gen. McPherson's troops were the first to |
leave the works at Kenesaw July 2, 1864. |
Our division Second of Fourteenth Corps) |
did not leave the works until the morning |
of July a. The ODD Ohio did not belong to |
the Third Brigade, Second Division, Four |
teenth Corps, and it did not belong to the |
division. The SD Ohio belonged to the |
Third Brigade, the ODD Ind. and two or three |
Illinois regiments. The comrade speaks of |
the Fourteenth Corps, Gen. Thomas COM
Gen. Palmer commanded the |
Fourteenth Corps at this time and until |
about Aug H. 1864, when Gen. jeff G.. Davis |
took command"
Scattering.
Edwin P. Barrett, Box III, Muffreesboro, |
Tenn, says that latter the battle of Fair |
Oaks or Seven Pines, May 81, 1862, Con-
iederate soldier buried one of our boys, and |
in his pocket found Bible, with green mo- |
rocco binding, and a housewife On the |
Hyleaf of the Bible is written the name w. |
NJ Peel, Schooley Rihemen.' These are now +
in my possession, and any relative or friend |
wishing them can have them by applying
to me-"
The comrade who wanted the address of |
I. n. Van Tassell, a wardmaster, would do
well to address him at % Nelson street,
Dover n H.