The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-30
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
CHHRCE 1T ATLHNTH.
A 10th Wis. Comradc Describes His Regi-
meht's Part.

A 10th Wis. Comradc Describes His Regi-
menps Part.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I saw in
your issue of March 81 the article, mid
Grape and Canister" by Comrade NJ. S.
Hartman, and was pleased to hear from one
who, like myself, teek part in that charge
before Atlanta on July 81, 1864. 1t may
not amount to.much on the pages of history,
but nevertheless it was very serious morn
ing's work for the boys of the First (Force's)
Brigade, Third (Leggett's) Division, Seven
teenth Corps. as we lost 40 per cent. of oar
regiment in from five to 10 minutes time.
This brigade was composed of the 18th and
10Th Wis, 20th, s30th. and 3lst Ill. Just be-
fore sunrise OF Sid Morning we were ordered
to fall in ard were moved little to the
left on our lines into narrow strip of TIM
Der, where we were halted to unsling KNAPP
sacks. We then filetl ont of the timber and
across a small creek,s,vhere we formed line
at the foot of hill, and loaded and fixed
bayoDets 3
Up to this time we had not seen rebel or
heard shot in our front, but the boys were
not deceived. q'he very quietness was omi-
nous of coming strife The order to 81 fix
bayonets" they knew meant a charge on the
enemy.
BY looking sharply through the tall grass
and weeds we could see some kind of breast
works on the crest of the hill.
-Four or five rods from this line of works,
towards us, stood an old house, and between
this house and our line was the picket fence.
The command vGs given :" Forward, y and
as the line started -Ssbel lead began to sing
about us, and the farther we advanced the
thicker it came. When within two or three
rods of this fence the order came to lie down.
While lying there, perhaps half q minute,
which, | believe, saved many lives, as the
rebels discharged their shots over US while
we were down, the skirmish,line was trying
to pull down the fence. but it was too strong
At the command g Forward - every man
seemed rs ready to up and at it again as he
was to lie down a minute before. Our regi-
mental colors passed just to the left of the
fence, while Co. f was obliged to file through
the narrow opening in the fence where a few
picke,s had been torn off There it lost
heavily. This was, | should think, within
five or six rods of the rebel line; and still
they blaZed away at US until we were not
more than 20 or % steps from them
Gen. Force, in Sherman's Memoirs, saws:
g The men fell i'll groups under this fire, but
closed continually on their colors and swept
over the works with n line as precise as on
dress parade" Then they (the rebels) broke
for the timber to the right and left of the
narrow field, but many of them did not live
to get tho ;e few rods.
As we jumped onto the works comrade
on my right turned the bayonet of his
muskct downward as if to run it through
two rebs that lay close to the works directly
under his feet. One of them cried out: =" Oh
don't; we surrender" ''All right said
he, and over we went
This same comrade, Chapman, fine man.
was killed in the next days big battle, in one
OF the many charges made by the rebels on
our line from the rear over this same ground
On we rushed over the works and into a
field ID or 20 rods in front, where, as we
learned afterwards, it was not intended we
should go; but so long as there was rebel in
sight nothing could stop the boys
We were all of the time under heavy fire
from a second line of rebel works about 50
rods away. Our Captain (Bassett) was
wounded here while forming line to fall
back to the works.
| have heard Of people who bear charmed
lives. and / think the last rebel to leave the
field that day must have been one of those
lucky individuals. | noticed him in the
open field between the two lines. trying to
mount white horse that had become un-
manageable AS he was the only rebel to be
seen, of course every man who had load in
his musket, or could get one there, took a
shot at him. The balls threw the dust up all
around him, end expected every instant to
see him and his horse fall; but not so. After
several unsuccessful attempts. he mounted
the horse and rode off the field. apparently
unhurt ] must, say5 for all the trouble the
rebs had given Us, and the excitement we
were in, j was glad tosee him getsafcly away.
/ should like to knows who he was.-M. F..
HAMMOND, Co. . E, 10th Wis, Strongs
Prairie, Wis.