The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-04-16

burg, Drury's Bluff, Fort Harrison,
Cold Harbor and Fair Oaks. He was
also in the regiment that first entered
Richmond, having run a distance OF five
miles TO reach the city first. At Peters
burg Mr.. Guyette says: Our regiment
being held as reserve, Was posted not
great distance from the mine which
was blown up under the intreuchments
Of Lees army The NINE was blown
up about seven O'Clock in the morning
and shortly afterwards the troops were
ordered to advance,
Company after company rushed into
the gap which had been caused by the
explosion; but when they reached the
end of the passage, they found that
they had already gone too far, for they
could not climb the edges, and the sol
diers behind kept crowding in until it
was full; when the Confederates fell
upon them with tremendous force, and
in a short time thousands of soldiers
were lying dead in that horrible pit"
at was a most agonizing sight" says
Mr.. Guvette Ito see 50 many soldiers
slaughtered without having the power
to defend themselves"
Mr.. Guyette had manv narrow es-
capes; but was never taken prisoner
or wounded. He says that only once
did he think that his END had come,
and this is the way he relates it.
Il
that flowed a short distance from where
we were camping, and was washing
some clothes. The rebels were posted
some distance off and kept firing III our
to the sound of cannon, and az long rs
the shells did not come too close, paid
no attention to the firing.
Il stood on the bank of the stream
when suddenly something whizzed by
me ard seemed to shake the earth a
short distance from me. | looked
around i'll surprise and was amazed at
seeing a large hole which seemed to
have opened in the place where | had
heard the noise ! did not have to wait
long before l found out what had nap
pencd, for the first thing that | knew
| was tumbing through the air amid
water and mud. The shell had, ~ on
striking the soft ground, sunk t a
depth of about eight feet; and luckily
for me that it did, for had it exploded
near the surface, | would have been
blown to pieces. As it was | did not re-
ceive any injury, although felt numb
for a short time"
At Drury's Bluff the Federal army
stood at the foot Of the bluff and the
Confederatcs had a fort high up which
commanded the James River and pre-
vented the Union gun boats from going
up. Gen. Butler had previously under
taken to cut a channel SO as to divert
the river and thereby avoid the cannon
of the fort. Having failed in this lie
posted his army on point made by
the railroad gong to Richmond. In
this position the rebels had fair shot at
them and made it so announcement for
them that they sought shelter in a
swamp that lay at the foot Of the bluff.
This swamp was very low, and often,
after heavy rains. the river would swell
and water would foo the swamp. Tie
weather being very warm and the sol
lers not feeling the least breeze in the
damp swamp, had built shades of bush
es and poles to shelter them from the
burning rays of the sun. The rebels
who were strongly posted further up
the river resolved to flood the Union
army, SO they built a dam across the
river, and waited for a rain to help
them in their design. They had not
long to wait, for III few days it began
to rain. and fell with such violence that
in short time the river began to swell,
and when it was at its height the rebels
broke their dam, causing great Hoo.
To make matters still worse, the bushes
and poles which the soldiers had used
for shelters were carried down and
piled against the bridge short distance
below, causing the water ID rise still
higher. BEFORE the Union soldiers
could move to higher position they
found themselves in water 10 their
kneas, and not knowing where the river
and streams were, many fell IN and
were carried away by the strong cur
rent Those able to swim did not
( drown, but were shot 10y the rebels
I who had been sent below for that pur-
/ pose.
/ Mr.. Guvettc was making his way as
! we'll a. he could when he stepped off
the bank and was carried down stream.
. Not being able to SWIM, he was carried
away sometimes beneath and sOme-
T times above water. He succeeded in
/ climbing upon a clUmp of bushes and
! poles that WAS floating down and was
+ thus saved from drowning; but if lie
+ had fOa.ed down much further be
would be shot dovn by the rebels, so
that he was vet in as hard position as
before.
/ After drifting for some distance be
saw near the shore the limb Of a tree
WHICH extended from beneath the
water, and making for tins succeeded
in reaching it, but darkness having
come he was cou PEELED to remain all
night cliuging 10 that limb in the water.
Wet and shivaring he passed the dreary
hours of that lonely night Next morn
ing he succeeded in reaching dry land
AMI after searching for several hours
. found rs eginc-t,