The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-03-31
MID GRIPPE AND CANISTER.
Illinois Comrade Tells of a Brigade Charge
Before Atlanta.


| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: There have
! been many interesting accounts of the battle
of Atlanta, July %, 1854, given in THE
NATIONAL. TRIBUNE, but do not remember
| to have read anything pertaining TO the charge
on the 21st, or the day previous to Hoods
| fatal flank movement.
| refer in particular to the charge of the
| First Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth
| Corps, composed of the Sd Iowa 4fst and 53d
| H., and, if memory serves me right, 32d
| Ind.
| During the day and night previous we had
succeeded in advancing and fortifying within
about forty rods of the Confederate works
and sometime during the day of which
write our brigade was ordered to charge those
works.
Immediately in front of our regiment (53d
Ill. J, and about half way to the rebel works,
stood an old deserted negro cabin, and as we
advanced across an open field the rebels re-
served their fire until we had nearly reached
the cabin, when they opened up on Us with
grape, canister, and musketry.
Soon men were dropping, killed or wounded,
on all sides. Those unhurt dueked their
heads and moved forward as though facing a
hail-storm, and those companies nearest the
center, or colors, obliqued slightly to the right
or left, as if to gain some small protection from
the log cabin. But this divergence was only
temporary, for at this moment our Colonel,
John w McClannahan, with drawn sword,
called out: Boys. move forward In line!
Don't you see they have the range, and it is
certain death to remain here?"
Quicker than | can write it the broken line
again moved forward, perhaps 80 yards when
we were ordered to lie down and load and
fire at will Owing to the nature of the
ground the enemy could not depress their
pieces sufficiently to reach US whilst occupy
ing this position but after we had used up
our 40 rounds of ammunition in picking off
their gunners, we were ordered TO fall back,
when their fire again became very destructive.
The sd had lost heavily. and in conse-
uuence of that fact, it was said, the survivors
were taken out of the line that evening and
moved off to protect the left flank. We were
strung out with only few in place for
picket duty.
The writer of this article was strip of a
boy 10 years old-a Sergeant-plaeed in
charge of squad of eight men on this occas-
ion, with very strict orders to halt anyone
approaching during the night.
The morning of the 22d the sun rose in all
its usual splendor The birds fitted music
ally from tree to tree, regardless of the boom
ing cannon off in the distance, near Atlanta,
and one of my boys expressed himself like
this: Haint We having picnic tO-day?"
Quite early in the morning Capt Frank
King, of Co. G, came along and instructed
me to let two of my men at time go down
to the brook in front to wash their powder
begrmed bodies. This brook ran down
deep ravins about 50 yards south of our re-
serve post. The men had all been down to
bathe, and / then took my turn and went
down alone.
While | was industriously engaged in rid
ding myself of some of the Georgia soil, with
not stitch of clothing on my person, the
rebs advanced to the top of the hill on the
opposite or south side of the ravine and COM
menced fighting duel with my men in my
rear.
Owing to the underground of bushes in my
vicinity | had been thus far unobserved by
them which gave me the advantage of being
able to hastily don portion of my wardrobe,
as l surely thought l was to be taken as
guest to some Southern prison-pen, and L
wanted to start on my journey at least par
italy clothed.
/ grabbed my gun and accouterments and
up that hill l went with the rebel bullets
cutting the bushes around me right and left
Hood had arrived suddenly and noiselessly
on Sherman's flank, the battle of the 22d was
on, and in few hours from that time our
beloved commanders (Gen. James B. McPher-
SOM body was pierced by rebel bullet
NJ. S. HARTMAN, Co. c, sd ILL.,, Robinson,