Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-07-23

James r. Thomas, brother of Mrs.
F. G. Hay, member of the Sth Ohio
regiment, with Gen. Lawton's division,
is at Santiago
A long letter from Camp Thomas,
Chicamauga, July ID, from Thomas
Hill, jr., to his mother is placed at the
JOURNALS disposal. The following
paragraphs are used
We have had some little times since you
heard from us last.
Monday afternoon, when we went out for
regimental drill, instead of the regular drill
Col. Spillman called our captain (Verlander)
aside and said a few words. The latter came
back and gave us ''about face and marched
us off the field back into camp, which sur
prised and set us to wondering But, we did
not stop there we kept on going-through
the camp, out on the other side, and over
into the woods. When we had gone about
II miles we got the command, "halt;" then
three scouts were sent out on either side.
When they had reached some distance we
got the command, forward, double time,
march, and on we went, through the woods,
still ignorant Of what we were going to do.
When we had covered about Tree miles or
more the Lieutenant came to the rear and
sent out Il corporal, with two men as rear
guards with instructions to watch for our
own regiment, and at the first sign to send
word to us; then watch their movements to
find out what they were doing. and you may
be sure that set us guessing again. But we
continued for about half mile farther and
came to small stream, rather the bed ola
stream, for it was very nearly dry, where we
were halted and told to get down out of sight
IN hurry, keeping our guns in position to
fire on an advancing enemy. Then the word
was passed around that Col. Spillman wanted
to give the regiment some lessons on Battle
Formation in the woods, and had sent us
out to hide and the balance of the regiment
was to come out, hunt and capture us.
We had not been there long when one of
our scouts came in with the news that three
companies as an advance guard were about
half mile from us So we were given
the order to load and be ready to fire in
platoons.' Very shortly we could see them
| coming. When they got within about two
| hundred yards we got the order to fire" If
our guns had been loaded we would have kill
| ed at least half of them before the other half
| could have fired a shot. We were hid, and
of course, they fell back. But we continued
to fire three rounds; then got the order to
"fre at will" Just when we got good shot
at any of them we let fly. OF course, we had
nothing in our guns; we were only swapping
the trigger and going through the motions Of
| loading. Next some reinforcements came to
them they advanced again; we retreated a
| little way, got in bunch came at them
again and kept them SO scattered that they
could not get into line until Col. Spillman
came up with the balance of the regiment.
Then they got into line, advanced and we
ran, and if running had been in the game we
could have gotten away from them
But Col. Spillman had accomplished all he
came out for, so he commanded Capt. Yer
lander to surrender" which the latter did,
and we came back to camp very tired for
part of the way was at 'double time"
One amusing feature of the occasion was
our rear guard saw the enemy approaching
and sent a man on to notify us, but as we had
changed course, and being hid in the ditch,
he missed us and went almost to Lyttle,
where he met a wagon and came back to
camp, getting there about five minutes after
we did, while Corporal Woods and the man
with him got lost entirely and did not get
back for over half an hour after we did.
On Tuesday morning as per order of Col.
Spillman, our company, with III and NJ,
broke camp, took short tramp, came back
and went into camp again, which took us
until about 10 o'clock. Then we began prep
arations to come out for target practice"
We had dinner early and by II o'clock were
on the road with our canteens, haversacks,
blankets, gum blanket, or poncho, halfa small
tent, and gun, while the wagon followed with
provisions and ammunition. We arrived at
the targets about } o'clock, stopped and com
menced practice, which lasted until nearly s.
when we went into camp about half "a mile
from here, had supper sat around and talked
and sang until bedtime. During the night
it began to rain; has been raining ever since
until now, and that is how we came to be
here, as it is too wet to shoot.