The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-07-07

he ordered his gunners to cease
Smelling the town. It was the Col,
onel's old home, and these federal
troops from Illinois, whom he con-
sidered as interlopers, had pillaged
his dwelling, driven away his cattle
aud ruthlessly destroyed his prop
erty.
1t was some time in March, 1862,
near Little Rock, that Bledsoe took
charge of the second battery, under
his command in the war This bat
terry had been organized under Cap
tain Tull, who took charge OF it a.
Springfield on New Years Day.
1862. 1t consisted Of about 100
men. This battery soon crossed t.
the east side of the Mssi4eippi,
where it took part in some of the
heaviest fighting of the wa, uader
Beauregard, Hood a1i Johnton
An amusing incident in which
Colonel Bledsoe figured, occurred
about the TINA the battery crossed
the river. A skirmisa between
sharpshooters was taking place, Gn9
the battery was not engaged S-v
eral of Bledsoe's men kept dolgipg
the mimic bails, which were falling
about them like hail, and thu Colo
mel twitted them about it. Just then
shell came crashing through the
bouehs of the trse beneath which
the Colonel WAS standing, cutting
off large limb about Is feet above
his head. The Colonel quickly
jumped aside just in time to avoid
being struck by the falling limb,
which struck the ground upon the
spot where he had been standing
The soldiers raised a hearty laugh
at their commanders expense, to
which the colonel replied:
"Well, boys, you may dodge the
big ones!"
| Colonel Bledsoe's battery east OF
the Mississippi consisted of II can
non and mortars-6, and II pound
ers-all OF them brass but two e1
them riaed.
The battle of Chicakamauga was
one of the most famous engagements
> in which Blsdsos's battery took q
prominent part. In that battle
: Bledsoe's men captured twelve
pieces of artillery-six, eight, ten
and twelve Founders. Robert Irons
a of Nevada, Mo, who belonged t.
this famous old battery, tells mt
q that all the horses attached to the
3 enemy's artillery were killed, ano
that Bledsoe's men had to roll the
+ heavy cannon by hand back within
! their ownssranks. Mr.. Irons say
that their battery was stationed nea
Snodgrass Hill and was IN the yer.
n heaviest of the fight
n "In 1863" said the Colonel, 9
y was under General Gregg Of Texas
4 who was in command of the confed
0 crate forces occupying Port Hud
! son, q few miles above Baton Rouge
La. One dark night Admiral Fan
t ragut, with five effective, well-mar
}. ned warships, loaded with supple
!, aud ammunition for the troops bt
a. sieging Vicksburg, attempted to ru
if the Port Hudson batteries a tel
4, rife engagement followed, and f0
| quite while the fire from the fol
1T and the ships, and the burning {
IS woodwork by the shells from tn
/ many big guns engaged, made tn
1t night so bright that / almost b
ID lieve that one could have read
ID newspaper I have been in yer
many hot places in battle, bat thu
lie was the heaviest commandment
re ever participated in"
it ''pwo of Farragut's vessels wei
er destroyed, but the othsr three su
J.. ceeded in passing the batteries u
as der the terrible rain of shot al
K shell, and proceeded up the river
as render what assistance they could
m the federal troops encamped arour
Mt Vicksburg. Of the two vessels d
stroyed, one was sunk and the otht
On was set on fire By the expl osion OF
az shell. On the latter ship was &c