The National tribune., 1899-03-16
PICKET SHOTS.
From Alert Comrades Along the
Whole Line.
In Front of Fort Hill.

FL. 0. Neil, Co. F, 7th Mo-, Smithfield
Pa, writes: 1.-THE item in the issue of Jan.
26, Running the Batteries at Vicksburg,
brought interesting letters from three of the
regiment; viz, Adj'tW. ]. Farrell, of Water
| town, n. Y; Capt. Thomas Whelan, Big
Fork, Ark, and Dennis Mccarthy, of the
National Military Home, Kan. Mccarthy
was member of my co mpany, and in the
hold of the Tigress with me on that night of
the 22d of April, 1863 Capt. Whelan also
was with that ex edition on the steamer
Capt. Whelan impaired the sad intelligence
| to me of the death of several officers OF the
| regiment, among them Capt. Z. ID. ToOmer,
| who han died the throttle of the Tigress that
night and the brave and chivarOus Lieut.
Bowen, who, after all the color bearers went
down in that pitiless hail of minies in the as
sault on Fort Hill the 22d of May at Vicks-
burg, snatched the co!Ors from the dying
grasp of Serg't Fitzgerald, and waving them
aloft broke out in his clear tenor with the in
spring strains of the Star Spangled Banner.
| would like to hear from the big Ser
geant of the Sth Ill. who took me On his back
like kid that was and carried me off the
field in front of Fort Hill the night of the
ODD of May, 1868. l have forgotten his
name, but | know that he was good stuff,
and had heart in him as big as an OK"
Not All Captured by Morgan.
A. B. Straw, Co. NJ, 9th Pa. Cav, Anson-
vile, Pa, writes: 'In the issue of March 2
l see an inquiry made by w. Fl. Bush, Ser
geant, 10th Ga. battalion, c. 5. A, regarding
Maj. Jordan. At daylight on the morning
of July ., 1862, Gen. Morgan attacked and
surrounded three companies of the 9th Pa.
Cav, commanded by Maj Thomas J. Jordan,
near Tompkinsville, Ky. We had four
killed, seven wounded and Is taken prisoners.
John Kuhn, Porter Shannon, of my company,
were killed, and John Burke, John ID. Dillen,
William X. Haines and Serg't Sheffield were
wounded Mai Jordan's horse was shot,
and he was captured. He was afterward ey-
changed, and came back to the regiment
He was promoted, and commanded the regl-
ment in 1864. The regiment was attached
to Gen. Kilpatrick's command on Shrrman's
march to Savannah. He commanded bri-
gade in Shermans last campaign until the
surrender OF Gen. J. f. JOhnston's command
in North Carolina. He returned to his home
in Harrisburg, Pa. at the close of the war,
wearing the star of q Brigadier-General. He
lived in Harrisburg until his death q few
years ago.
LAS to Morgan capturing the entire COM
mand and paroling ali but Maj. Jordan,
would say that Mr.. Bush is mistaken. /
know one that got away after the fight was
over, although he had a pretty close call.
We had about $50 men in the fight, and at
least 200 of them got away, although they
had to run pretty fast. Capt. T. S. Nc
Cahan, of our company, who kept diary,
says in that fight we were surrounded.
Morgan had 2, 300 men in his command.
The rebels lost 81 killed and 56 wounded,
among their wounded being Lieut.. Col.
Hunt, who died the third day after at TOmp-
kinsville. He was said to be in command OF
the I'd Ga. Mounted Inf. | would like the
Sergeant to write his version of this fight, not
for the sake OF controversy, but that we may
know what was their view of this fight at the
time"
Letter from a 32d wis. Comrade.
A. j. Wells, Milton, Wis, writes: " Let
me say word for The NATIosAL Tribune
Any old soldier who does got take that grand
paper has no idea how much he loses 1t is
chock full of valuable information, wit and
humor. l often wonder that l never see Il
word in it from the old sd Wis. boys. We
cimpaigned it with Uncle Billy Sherman
over 4 900 miles, and are not all dead, |
know Wake up, sd, and let US hear from