The National tribune., 1897-10-07
NHRCHING HND FIGHTING
What COmrade Experienced At Swift
Creek, Va, May 8 and 10, 1864.

MHRGHlNG HND tlbHl lN0.
What a Comrade Experienced at Swift
Creek. Va, May and 10, 1864.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Our COM
pany was on detached service during the
Spring of 1864, assigned to Ames's Division,
of the Tenth Corps. On the morning OF
May 9 we were ordered out very early, in
light marching order, with our cartridge
boxes full of lead and our baversacks with
hardtack.
As we filed out of camp we passed heap
of arms and legs lately sawed Off by the
Surgeons, which reminded us of what might
be our fate before sundown.
The boys were very quiet as we neared
the enemy's lines; in fact, the stiffness was
oppressive. Besides our rifles and accouter-
ments we were loaded down with axes,
erowbars, ETC., brought along to aid US in
tearing up the r. & P r.. r., about nine
miles south of Richmond.
Our Captain, H. L. Southland, ordered us
10 load our pieces, and we advanced eau
tiously through strip of woods until We
could see the railroad beyond deep valley.
Skirmishers were deployed to right and left.
Rebel cavalry disappeared over the hill as
we advanced. Then within about 500 yards
of the railroad we were ordered to charge.
/ expected to see the Johnnies raise their
heads over the embsnkment and give US a
warm reception, bat they were not there.
With yell we cleared the open space,
stacked our guns and made wreck of that
railroad in less time than it took to put it
tb ere, burning the ties and twisting the
rails. The weather was very warm, and
the addition of the heat from the burning
ties made the place as hot as an oven.
After completing the work we marched
down the track through deep cut to the
left until we reached the turnpike, where
we passed a number of blackened corpses
left on the ground from the fight Of several
days before.
Our course then lay along the turnpike
towards Petersburg. A halt soon after noon
gave some of our men time to look about
them and inspect farmhouse close by.
They brought back quantity Of salted fish,
and reported that the cellar contained several
barrels of whisky.
Some officers arrived soon afterward and
broke in the heads of the barrels, letting out
the stuff, SO that the only way the soldiers
could fill their cantesns was to dip up the
whisky from the ground with teaspoons.
The next move was toward Swift Creek,
which ran through hollow. As we nsarsd
the creek the enemy opened on us from o
battery posted on the turnpike some distance
ahead. We faced the fire and found better
shelter farther on over the creek, where we
halted, and the shots passed over our heads.
AS orders did not reach us during the after
noon to make any other movement, we
bivouacked for the night.
The pale moon cast faint light around
u.s. As we tried to close our eyes thoughts
of home and loved ones there would recur
to us again and again.
But what of the morrow? What would
the next day bring forth? We are now far
advanced in the enemy's country; will it
bring defeat or victory? Soon oil was still
around me- and l, too, dropped off in slum-
ber with my rifle within grasp. The still
ness, however, was rudely broken. There
was an attack in our front. / rose ON one
elbow to listen. That could not be picket
firing. Oh, no. 1t swept like a hurricane
from right to left. was Sergeant. What
should l do-arouse the camp, or wait a
little and see what the developments would
be.
looked over the camp Of more than q
hundred motionless men. Thoroughly
tagged out, they slept on, and failed 10 be
aroused by the terrible din. The firing
began to slacken, and, finally, died out al
together | laid back on my couch of leaves,
and made up nay mind that nothing smaller
than siege guns would awaken Co. K.
Next morning the sun was far up when
awoke. / looked up and down the turn
pike and could see numbers OF infantrymen
fast asleep in the middle of the road At
first thought they had been killed in the
attack the night before. inquired of mem
bers Of my company if they had heard the
firing in the night, but none had heard it,
l then inquired of some infantrymen, and it
was explained 10 me that the attack came
from the advance of Beauregard's army,
which had just arrived from South Carolina,
and were piited against their old foes-6th
and 7th Conn.
If it WAS their intention to capture the
Connecticut boys they made failure of it,
as the Spencer rifles in the hands Of the
Federals nearly annihilated one South Caro-
lima regiment.
On May 10 an attack was made in our
rear, where the enemy came down the turn
pike from Richmond and tried very hard to
cut us off from our line of works at Bermuda
Hundred. We passed through the battle
ground durin. our retreat, where fire had
added its horrors and blackened the lifeless
bodies of men aud horses alike Somebody
had blundered, although l tried hard to
think that perhaps someone wise and high
in authority had intended the move to re-
suit in retreat.
shall never cease to feel grateful to the
boys who repulsed the enemy in the rear
The 9th Ohio lost number of men in that
fight and I was told at the time that the
term of service Of many bad expired when
thew went into battle,-W r. Co lat