The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-03-17
A NEW HOPE EXPERIENCE.
No Safe Side to Tree or Log in That
Battle.

Editor National Tribune: ! wish to tell of
my experience at New Hope Church. i
was a member of Co. i, 93d Ohio, belong
| ing to the Second Brigade, Third Division,
Fourth Corps. The morning of May n
| broke cloudy, and the forenoon decidedly
sultry. The very atmosphere was omlnouS.
| The expression was frequently heard dur
/ ing our advance: "Oh, wei catch it to day.
| Wen get into it," My comrades marched
steadily and TeSOutely, 1t proved 10 many
of them, to their death ~ q
Our brigade was commanded by Gen.
| HaZen and composed OF the 9th Ky, ON
| Ind, 12ith Ohio, and Old Ohio. we formed
| line of battle, and with fixed bayonets adj
vanced. with orders, as we understood IT.
to charge rebels wherever found. The
march through fields, over hills and hoi-
| lows through brush and timber during
| that hot day was tough on us. In alter
| noon we halted on top OF a ridge, where we
lay, seemingly awaiting orders. we aIter-
| wards learned that Gen. HaZen and Gen.
Wood. our division commanders, did not
want to make charge at this point, 1eel,
| ing it would turn cut lust as 1t dld, ana
that HaZen received the order the third
, time before ordering us TO advance.
About D. m. the bugle sounded the
advance. and our brigade moved down into
ravine and up "a hill, the left wing strik-
ing an open field, the right wing the TIM
Der: the left of my reg iment was In the
field.
Here we encountered tie icDCI Shi-
mishers driving them across the held TO
their breastworkS. Part OF our brigade adj
vanced some of the way across the field,
but fell back to the edge of the timber,
where our line battle was held. The
right of brigade rested on ridge at the right
of the field in the timber. ] followed the
fence at the right of the field, passing
through a thicket beyond which could,see
a big log and made quick run, dropping
down behind ii.
A Lieutenant of the 124th Ohio and
anot. her soldier sought protection at my
right The firing was very BRISK from Doth
sides. Looking over the log could see the
rebels about one hundred and fifty yards
i'm our front, and one Johnny in particu-
lar drew my attention.
rested my Enfield on the log and fired
at him dropping down again to reload. /
heard a rebel bullet strike the log ON the
side opposite me. 'ftt.
Again took Il shot at the fellow, and
dropped behind the log again just in time
| to hear neighbor Johnny $ bullet thud INTO
the log. ] reloaded, took another survey,
and could, as | thought, see plainly
Johnny reb. Leveling my gun third
time, / fired. and dropped Just in time
to hear tie t!lird rebel bullet hit the leg. q
At this stage the 12ith Ohio Lieutenant
at my right arose and pointed with his
sword in the direction of the rebeIs.f he
was at once badly wounded, and fell back
behind the log again. One of his company
ran from the rear to him, and leaning over
him said: Lieutenant, are you badly
hurt" Scarcely had the words been
spoken when he fell, killed outright. ~
The rebels had charged around on Qnr.
left and had an enfi'ading fire on cur line,
and my log was no protection to me. SO
made another run to a big tree little in
the rear and Strengthened up behind il.
A rebel bullet from our left passed be-
tween me and tree knocking the bark into
my face. convincing me that there was
no safe side to that tree, and heat re-
treat to where ! found most OF our regiment
and company under cover OF the ridge.
The Lieutenant wounded behind the log
was the same man who after our brigade
had charged and taken possession OF the
ridge at Resaca, when that rebel masked
battery on our right opened fire OF grape
and canister enfiladinE our line, persisted
in walking up and down the line directing
his men to keep that battery silenced."
! never saw him with his regiment the
l2sth) after he was wounded. What be-
came of him and what his name was, / do
not know. He was brave soldier Il ~,
Our brigade was relieved about shutdown,
or dusk and that night built line of
brea stworks to the right OF the Battlefield.
Next morning we found our breastwOrks
were endways to the enemy, and OF course
had to change them.
This was on the csth, and a fearful
thunder storm came up. 1t seemed as if
the clouds were almost in the tree-topS,
and peal after peal of thunder rolled,