The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-07-30

no harm, unless in the descent It dropped on
some poor fellows head and dazed him 1or
the moment. ListS4 Again:
"But that horrible noise. No one could
account for it. Wefrst thought the rebels
were about to pounces over the works onto
us. The pickets came tumbling
over the breastworks, and with much anger
threatened to open fire On u.s."
But the German regiment fired and
broke ranks and fed to the rear, and we
never saw them again"
Now, the facts were, the German regl-
mentn stood fast, not man fiinched, ana
when daylight came every man was IN his
place, intently scanning the woods in front
of him. There had been no breaking ranks,
no "scare," no flinching. Our new plckets
had come in before daylight, having failed
to discover the old picket
My detail was in charge Of Corporal
who was not easily scared nor demOralzed.
His name was John McWilliams, aud he IS
still living. He reported to me his inability
to find the old picket; was entirely cool and
collected and asked for instructions. l d'-
rected him to make another effort, and he
did so. and succeeded in finding them. The
impenetrable darkness under the shadow OF
the heavy timber was the cause of the first
failure. The pickets in front of our regiment
did not come "tumbling over the breast
works." When they did come they came
deliberately, without excitement. The So
called "horrible noise" I have no personal
knowledge Of as / was fast asleep at the
time it broke on the stiffness of the night.
l had been up much of the night before, and
was tired and worn. l told my Lieutenant
q had bat one with me at the time) that he
might take the early part of the night for
sleep and rest, and l would take the latter
part.
Il felt the Lieutenant's hand upon my
shoulder, and heard him asking me If had
heard that yell. l told him / had been asleep,
and had heard nothing. He said he first
heard an unearthy yell away off to the left,
that was followed by what sounded like
pistol shot; then all was quiet again.
Just then musketrytiring commenced
down at the left, and it soon became evident
that it was coming down along the line, and
would soon reach the left Of my company.
/ sprang to my feet, directed the Lieutenant
to proceed 10 the right of the company and
caution the men to withhold their fire until
they received an order from me, and to work
his way toward the left.
l fastened to the left of the company, and
gave strict orders not to fire until | gave
them the order, reminding them that our
own men were in our front, and did not be-
leve the enemy was advancing upon us.
worked toward the right of the company
meeting the Lieutenant, sent him to the left
with directions to repeat the caution mad
given, and to remain on the left and see that
our men did not fire. | passed to the right
of the company, cautioning the men, and re-
turning instructed the non-commissioned
officers TO look to it that none OF the men
fired without orders, and resumed my station
little to the rear OF the center OF the COM
pany.
The fire had broken at the left OF my COM
pany line, but now it was taken up OFT to
the right, apparently on the right of the 9th
| soon discovered 1T was rapidly coming
down the line and must be checked again.
By the same process as before 1T was broken
on the right OF my company line, and there
it died. save for one German about in the
center of my company, who was one OF those
men who never can learn to speak or fully
understand our language. He lost his head
and fired. | was standing just behind HIM
and about four PAGES to the rear. 1t was q
short matter for me to close upon him and
| seize him by the cellar and yank him out o.
that line, take his musket away from him
turn him over to the Orderly, who fortunately
could speak and understand the German Ian
guage, and when he had explained the situa
ton TO the bewildered soldier, the two came
to me- The Orderly Informed me that thu
man had not understood my orders, and hear
| ing so much firing he thought he SHOULD
have hand in it, but now he knew bette
and begged for his musket. | returned 1T t.
him, and received his profuse thanks.
had no further trouble.
The fusilade had ended, and quiet was re
stored along the line. again resigned my
self to slumber. The next morning whel
the Sergeant called the roll every man, witt
the exception of those who were on picket
answered here" About $50 a. III. tn
brigade buger blew the officers call, and il
response TO that call we were all on hand
from the Colonel down 10 the Junior Secon
Lieutenant. Col. Kitching gave us yer
mild lecture On the evils and the demorali2
ing effects of night alarms and fusilades i
the presence OF the enemy; but | notice
that he addressed his remarks more partlcu
larry to his own officers, though in the hear
ing of all. Comrade McFall should no
write so hastily next time, and if he wa
scared himself, should not assume that every
one elae was-CALvIN SHAFFER, Major, A
bany, \. y.