The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-01-06

vicinity of the crater, after wounding my
Colonel CBirney), and being unsupported, we
fell back.
inside the rebel works. with a number of
others, and confined at Libby 10 months.
Comrade Spencer tells your readers regard
ing the 18th of June fight My regiment
was the second line massed into the Iayine for
the charge of the plain beyond
On the 18th our corps reached Petersburg,
and marched to its position on the left of
Hancock's Second. My division was to take
up tie assault Of the 10th early on the morn
ing of the 18th The boys were the worst for
a long, roundabout march from the bloody
field of Cold Harbor. We travelled so miles
in three days.
During the night the corps made their
way through the timber region bordering the
Norfolk Sc Petersburg Railroad, within $50
yards of the eneE1y's batteries
We were lcg-sore and weary from our
forced march from Cold Harbor. We were
ordered not to make fires to reveal the
strength of Grants forces. / was quite sure,
though, that my company cooks managed to
get to us coffee and pork, which we hastily
swallowed. We soon fell asleep, some to
dream of their loved ones far away for the
last time.
1t seemed but a short time when our
Orderly-Sergeant came stealthily through the
company, and told each man to quietly get
his breakfast No reyeille sounded that
morning. The boys said
Something's up; We are going on still
hunt !"
We were marched down into the ravine,
and massed directly back of the roth \. Y.
We heard their Colonel say, Forward,
boys." and they got out of the rayine in
fine style. When at a respectable distance
we advanced. The objective point was a
rebel battery on a slight elevation.
By this time the rebel battery opened up
with a terrific fire of grape and canister.
We heard each charge cut the air as this one
passed over the barren plain and our heads,
its ghostly, weird, uncanny sound-swish-h-h,
swish-h-h-as it plowed the air, hunting
for the mass Of human beings formed into a
regiment
They now lowered their feldpicces and
got our range beautifully according to their
way of thinking, and the next charge cut a
great swath in our ranks that was frightful to
see. We were getting slaughtered badly.
One could now see vacant places in our lines,
but the boys did not stop to align the ranks.
VIC WIZ INV SAeAlcop aho S,StfO ehC saAhSC
cheer.
The 10th had reached the rebel works,
and we were close behind The fighting was
fierce, the rebels resisting every inch Of
ground.
The rebels were routed. How they ran.
We captured their works and the battery
On the same day at shutdown my division
and Potter's Second carried another position OF
the enemy's works, leaping over them just
as they were off their guard cooking their
supper. We dined at their expense that
night.
The days fighting resulted as follows: We
swept his line for more than a mile, taking
600 prisoners, two stands Of colors, 800
arms and battery Of six pieces. Glory
enough for one day. Ny regiment lost very
heavily. Co. D. Capt John Exton, lost 20
men out of go in his company. What was
true OF his company was true of the others.
The official records at Washington contain
the following:
In the battles of the Wilderness, May
81, 1864, Burnsdes Corps lost 16 officers
and 224 men killed, SO officers and /, 176
men wounded, and one officer and 169 men
captured or missing-a total of 1910; and
in the operations May u, about Spottsyl-
vania Courthouse. 81 officers, 400 men killed,
II officers and 2,114 men wounded, and 10
officers and 454 men captured or MISSING
total of 3, 49," The killed included our
division commander, Gen. Stevenson.
I" In the operations on the line of the North
Anna, the Pamunkey, the Totopotomy and
the Chickahominy Rivers, the Ninth Corps
also participated with gallantry which re-
fiected the highest honoTs upon its officers
and men. 1t lost during this period nine
officers and 81 men killed, 10 officers and
307 men wounded, three officers and ITO men
captured or missing-a total of 511.
In the operations at and abcnt Cold
Harbor, June l to ID, 1864, inclusive, the
corps lost Is officers and POI men killed, 80
officers and 1,071 men wounded, and 8 Off
GERS and 347 men captured or missing-a
total Of SOL"
During this memorable battIe-the great
est slaughter of the war, where Is, 900 Union
troops lay dead and wounded in the space
of 10 minutes-the writer was wounded
by the bursting of shell. The losses
in the Ninth Corps during June 1G,
II and 10, 1864, at Petersburg, accord
ing to the official records at Washington,
were 1900 in killed and wounded The
losses of my regiment on July II and Is,