The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-10-21
SOLDIERS STORIES,
ENTERTAINING REMINICENCES
OF THE WAR.

Graphic Account Of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed on tho Battlefield and In
Camp-Veterans Of the Rebellion Re-
cite Experiences Of Thrilling Nature.
Incidents of Resaca Field.
The men were straining their sight to
catch glimpses of anything along the
lines of light works on Tunnel Hill and
Buzzard's Roost, and they touched ell
bows to the right and left in an uncon-
scious way with the instinct Of gre
gariOusness that makes man feel safer.
They were expecting every instant to
hear the sound Of the bugle that orders
the charge. But suddenly, in low tones,
the colonies ordered Battalion, by the
right flank, forwardw and the captains
Of companies in subordinate commands
gave the words Company, right face
forward, marchw Thus in minute
the long line Of Sherman's fighting
army was marching by head Of column
at tangent parallel with the line Of
battle. The right Of the colr'~n filed
into Snake Creek Gap and uncoiled like
a mOnstrous serpent. The alert enemy
saw the movement, and left the range
Of hills, taking line along the Oostanau-
Ia. This was one of Sherman's flank
movements.
The next morning, a bright one in
May, 1894, when the sun was high but
the dew yet heavy on the grass and
the growing grain, the line moved again
in battle front. Our brigade marched
down long terrace into a wheat-field,
knee-deep amid the green, then across
q messy bank, over the fences and into
an open "deadening' along gravelly
hillside. The rifle pits before us fash
ed long sheet Of blaze and smoke and
the blue line staggered and gathered
in knots. Men tumbled about. Some
fell dead. The battle was on. A long
keen tenor yell swelled 70 a roar god
the charge ended at the emptied rifle
pits, the mass Of gray stubbornly retir-
Ing and yelling too. 1t was the first
time that thousands Of veteran soldiers
had ever heard words of command viva
voce from general officers in fgat.
Then came another charge, and the line
staggered again and our regiment
swung open backward, like a huge
gate, from the center.
An illiterate but brave little lieuten-
ant whose captain had been killed, lot
thinking, or knowing, Of the ridiculous
egotism Of 1t, rushed forward to little
eminence, swung his sword about his
head in his awkward way and cried
out: Forward, my brave Company
d, and rally to your gallant Landers."
That was what Company d did, and
the gate was closed.
"Give me that fag," said the colonel
to the color sergeant.
"Oh, no, colonel, this is my dag;
where do you want itT
ION that line Of rife pits"
"Pll come as near putting 1t there as
anybody can," said the sergeant. For
ward, color guardw and the battalion
bellied to the front like the bending Of
bow.
Early that morning Collie Apperson,
the quartermaster sergeant, sat with
his crony the color sergeant straddle
Of log, and they drank their coffee
kissing hot from the same tin cup, sup
and sup about. The quartermaster
sergeant had no business in battle. His
place was with the quartermaster s
train at the rear. But he was Of the
best blood of Kentucky, the son of n
member Of Congress In the days when
a Congressman was great, and he had
n brother who was Judge on the
bench. He could not stay at the rear
when battle was on. SO he always
left his horse with the wagon master,
buckled on a cartridge box and with a
rifle Joined the color guard. He and
tue color sergeant loved each other as
did David and Jonathan, and they were
yet mere boys in years but veterans In
war.
Don't go this time," the color SER
geant said.
"Why not? want to go through one
more like Chickamauga, and then
will quit unless Pm promoted"
Something tells me you will get hit.
That happens SO often to fellows who
have no business there"
"Well, suppose do get hit, to the
death. I'll die on the dancing shadow
of my country's fag."
In the second charge mlnie-ball
went through his heart and he died
with a smile on his face.
"Tm promoted, old boy" was all he
said.
The color sergeant and others of the
color guard buried him the next morn
Ing, having slept by his side on the field
that night, and after the war the ex-
color sergeant took friend and went
to the still, now peaceful field Of Resa-
ca, dug up the skeleton, which even
then wore the long boots Of his CON-
rade who had asked him to "break
them in" for him, and beneath a monu-
ment In Cave Hill, Mt Louisville, rests
what is left on earth Of the boy hero
who was promoted to the exalted ranks
Of Gods shining army.
While the skirmish line was occupy
Ing the field before this battle now and
then the enemy would send six-pound
shot ricocheting along the ground
among the dead trees Of the tlmbered
part Of the field. Hugh Ryan, one Of
about fye Irishmen who belonged to
bur Kentucky regiment, was much dis
!urbed by these very active messen-
gers. After the battle, telling of his
there, he said:
"Phwile OF was lyln' there Jehnd
lead three heard more than fifty av
Thin balls come rlppin' through the dry
last years grass, an aich wan iv them
rs he wint by was sayin' in whlzzln'
whisper: "Ph-ph-phwere's Hugh
Ryan,"
Ryan was famous as forager, and
he had some cute tricks for getting con-
+raband stuff into camp, especially