Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-01-08

1uS laAS VI hb aaA
who keep moving to find out some time
in life that There are more things in
this world than are dreamt Of in our
philosophy this by the way Of intro
duction to some simple battlefield mar
ratives pertaining to the Seventy third
Illinois volunteers, the preacher regi-
ment," led by the famous soldier min
lister, James f. jacques. Colonel JAG
guess served a short term as chaplain
of the Sixth Illinois cavalry and Gov
ernor Yates authorized him to raise
regiment Of infantry among the Metho-
dist fraternity His name was so power
full that he had the pick of 30 compa-
MES, and two other regiments were
formed out of the overflow contingent,
and it would have been possible to raise
a preacher brigade" but for the fact
that the government had ordered re-
oruiting stopped.
The Seventy third is not on the list
of commands glorifed by passing
through horrible slaughter just to win
"jeweled cup and sword" for some po-
litical favorite. 1t simply placed itself
under orders and obeyed them, was
tithed its tenth to dot by the enemy s
bullets, another tenth by disease and in
the general wear and tear of three years
service dropped 500 men out Of the 972
who mustered with it at Camp Butler
in August 1862.
Curiously enough, the preacher reg
iment" was assigned to the division of
Phil Sheridan, that tearing, swearing
Irishman $50 the realism makers say
whose unministerial language punctu-
ates the narratives of his would be
chroniclers Perhaps the histories | am
following have been expurgated for
surely there is three years record I'M
der Sheridan depicted in all detail and
"nary an oath" to serve as badge for
Little Phil +"
The first battlefield narrative l shall
quote is that pertaining to Stone River,
where Sheridan had something in the
nature of a rehearsal for Cedar Creek.
His division was the third in line from
the right of the army, which was at
tackled and oyerrun by the Confederates
on the morning of Dec. 81, 1862. Says
the narrative written by man in the
ranks:
We were warned to be ready for battle at
daybreak on Wednesday morning. An hour be.
fore this time General Sheridan, foot and
alone, went the whole length of our division
line, visited each regimental commander saw
personally that the men were aroused and I'M
der arms, posted his artillery and made every
thing ready well in advance Of the time named
in his orders. Nearly an hour after daybreak
the attack came on Johnson's division, few
hundred yards on our right. Driven by the
overwhelming force of the onset, johnson,
then Davis second division in line, fell back,
throwing the augmented weight of the army
ON Sheridan, who WAS relied to check him
until the disaster was retrieved. Sheridan held
his ground until fanked and pounded out Of
it. then stubbornly retreated across an open
cotton field, where he left one third of his men,
killed and wounded, and two Of his brigade
commanders
We executed this movement under n heavy
fire, and Captain Alsop of Company was kill
ed and many others Of the regiment wounded.
We crossed a high rail fence-however, it was
not so high after we crossed it-and soon after
formed in in line Of battle in the edge of
thick cedar woods. Here we plainly rebel
flags and two lines of battle, with bayonets
fixed, advancing rapidly, with the "rebel yell"
accompaniment, We repulsed several desper-
ate charges by the triumphing rebel host,
naming again until fanked and nearly cap
tured, when we fell back slowly through the
thick cedars, without orders, purpose or ray
of knowledge as to what was Transporting out
side the limits Of our short line of sight. Under
US the surface was piled with rocks and rent
with caverns; above us the thick, green foliage
intercepted the sunlight. Around us at every
point Of the compass seemingly, the roar Of
battle was deafening at an unseen though not
great distance, while nearer, as far we could
see, the woods were filled with disorganized
masses Of troops, flying they knew not whence
nor whittier, but utterly panic stricken and
uncomfortable.
Our regiment kept well in line as it fell slow
ly back, but all around us, and often breaking
through us, was a yelling mob Half an hour
later these same men, on emerging into the
open field and sunshine, fell into ranks and
fought through the remainder Of the battle
heroically. When we had nearly passed through
the cedars, we met an aid Of sheridan, who
led us 10 assigned place in the reorganized
and impregnabe line Of battle, where we re-
sumed our bloody work.
During a lull in the battle General
Rosecrans, the army commander, passed
along the line, and this is what the
choniclers of the Seventy third heard
him say: "Too much ammunition has
been wasted during the day. Hereafter
1 want you to wait until you can see the
whites Of their eyes. Then take good
aim Aim low Shin them. Do this
and every shot will tell.
AT Chickamauga Sheridan's division
had worse fortunes than at Stone River
I'll let the story be told by page from
the diary Of Captain Kyger of Com
pany G:
on the battlefield Of Chickamauga, Sunday.
Sept 20, lS63.-We were up at a. All
a.. q al
picket shots. Al O'Clock VIC changed position,
making the extreme right flank Of the army
had a good position on a hill II a. IA. the
bail opened on our center and 70 the right Of
the center, Charge after charge was made by
the rehs, with hide0us ycls, and about Il 10 a.
IN. they commenced to turn our left, We were
called TO support the center; moved down
took position in front OF a battery. Il was in
an open field about 80 rods wide Then came
pine thicket, furnishing fine protection for
the rebs to pass through.
AT y O'Clock m we were ordered TO fix bay