The National tribune., 1898-10-13
AN EXPOSED POSITION.
How n Comrade Made 1t Possible for His
Regiment to Build Breastworks.

| now a COlnrnUe hb8Ne III IoSSsDio All
Regiment to Build Breastworks.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
| Fighting Them Over column do not remem
Der of seeing anything from the 147th n. Y
| But it was there, and served in every scrim
mage of the Army of the Potomac from the
Fall of 1862 until the wind-up at Appomat-
fox.
In the Charlottesville campaign our regi-
ment was attached to the Second Brigade,
| First Division, First Corps. 1t was directed
to cross the Rappahannock River below
Fredericksburg, mt a place called Fitzhngf
Crossing, on Pollock Mill Creek. Ours was
the first regiment to crossShe pontoon bridge
| TO the south bank of the river.
In the afternoon of April 30, 1863, we
were oidere1 to throw up breastworks and
as soon as we commenced to do so, the enemy
le-an TO fire at us from battery in front
with 12-pound shells. Three guns of this
battery were nearly in front of our regimen,
and one of them directly in front Our bat
teiies in rear t Us replied to the enemy's.
firing over our heads. One Of the three guns
of the enemy fired to the left of our regiment
and one fred TO the right ut our batteries
that were firing at them. The other gun
was in The center of the three, firing directly
| at us. Soon two Of our men were hit by
pieces Of bursting shell and died few days
after from the effects.
| The regiment was commanded by Col. Jno.
| G. Butler; Co +, to which the writer be-
longed, was commando by Capt. II. G. Lee.
Right after the men were struck the writer
was given an order by Capt. Lee 10 occupy u
special position in front OF their gun and to
watch, and when it was fred to give the
order: Down. :" when the men by falling
Hat upon the ground were enabled to protect
themselves until the she'll had passed over.
occupied this POSITION. exposed to the en-
emy's fire from this gun for over an hour,
until the breastworks were high enough to
project the men, and it was no LONGER neceS-
sa,y for him TO remain, when by order
resumed my place in the company.
From my position on n knoll. which was
directed to occupy, could look into the
month of this gun. and when it was fired
could see the red fame down in The throat of
the gun, lighting up the inside, and in the
center of the flame l conld see dark spot
that | knew to he the she'll starting on its
mission Of destruction. AS the flame came
from the gun it almost seemed as if | could
feel it scorching my face, for l was boy
then, and not man enough to wear q teard,
and my cheek was as smooth as q girls
VI dfAtctg VI upDl lily
nervous system wa great. not only on account
of my personal danger, bnt that / might not
warn the men in time for them to protect
themselves by dropping upon the ground
when the gun was fired. But none were
injured.
Right behind where / stood, at some dis.
tance where the ground sloped towards the
Rappahannock. was low stone building
with shnglc roof. II / looked back when
standing, my eyes were about OH a line with
the middle OF the roof When the gun was
fred would give the word, Down!'' then
would drop on hands and knees One time
heard n noise in this building; az | got
up and looked barkwarl saw hole in the
roof abont third Of the way from the caves
to the peak, and looking in the direction of
the gun, hal been standing if this shell had
not taken my head off it would have gone so
close to it as to be extremely uncomfortable
One experience of that kind will dome for
a iif.tiMe. / AM not in "a hurry for another
/ was very glad when / received the order
from Capt. Lee that l might retnrn to my
place. / received report Of this service
from Col. Butler in the Fall of 1897, over "a
years after the battle Of Pollock's Mill Creek,
Va; but it is now on record in the War De-
partment at Washington. d. C.-B. L. PARK
HURST, 147th N.-Y., Pulaski, N. Y.