The National tribune., 1899-11-02

II stopped. then started towaving again.
/ took aim in the direction of the point
where the holder of the flag would likely
be, and fired. The flag came down swiftly.
did not know what might follow, 80 ran
back tows rds the battery.
] met con,rade and asked him where
the regiment was i,isi 1t Up there by
only 100 yards or so from where the flag
had been waving a few moments before.
After awhile l went back to look for the
flag, but our men were all around there, and
never saw it again.
On the evening OF May II we began to
march again. and were told not to shoot.
strike n match or talk louder than whis-
per. never felt so sleepy in my life before
nor after that night. | was sleeping while
marching, | believe.
A MORNING DASH.
Suddenly we We're ordered into battle
line ny some staff officer, who said: Boys,
we are going TO take those works over
there"
did not see nor hear another commander
but saw our color-bearer marching ahead.
followed, and another Young fellow
joined us. What made the delay OF the
others | don't know. We climbed over
some fclled trees and other distractions
We rushed up; tho color-bearer struck the
staff into the ground, and cried: Surrender
The rebels had really Deen alseep. |
saw some sheter-tentS on the other side
of the pit. but there was no one there
nothing but knapsacks. ] thought they
belonged to the Johnnies we had Just
made prisoners. The color bearer came
over to me and said: Let's go ahead. Our
| boys are coming.
We met some rebels coming through the
| brush. They stopped short and uncertain
| iy when they saw us. Some of our men
caught up to them, and an officer caught
one Johnny by the collar. why don't
you halt when ! tell you?" he shouted.
| We went 10 the right, and coming to an
open space. saw very low breastworks.
but no one behind them. Upon high
| hill further on was a battery. The color
| bearer said: I'VE are going to take that. 3"
| | laughed at him. 'Ihey are not asleep,
| said, for | could see them getting ready
either to fire at us or leave.
BY that time some more Of our fellows
had come up. The color-bearar asked for
| volunteers. and about 10 brave fellows
stepped forward. We deployed down the
| hill, and at the foot the color-bearer cried:
Now, boys, follow me" (He was n good
one; he wanted to take the whole rebel
army that morningD Up that hill we
went With a cheer, but when we got there
the battery Was gone; | saw Johnny
with gun in his hand, and followed him,
| Hut missed shooting him, as he disap-
| pearcd in Il thiciiet.
| | kept on, and soon found haversack
containing a package Of cartridges.
vas trying TO see if they would fit my gun,
when through the trees saw {. rebel sharp
shooter looking towards the CtErr hill.
| He stopped close by, and | knelt down
| behind Il tree. | was cut off with an empty
gun. | could not load lest he should hear
! the noise.
TAKING IN A SHARPSHOOTER.
| ! showed the cartridges had found into
my trousers pocket, and skipped on tip-toe
| To within q few steps Of him then made q
rush, and struck him on the shoulder with
my rife. He looked around, much sur
| prised, and asked
What. are you fellows coming this
| way"
"Of course / replied Didn't you
know that? We eurrouEded you last
night"
IF that's the case" he Responded ft's
no use" and he handed me his gun. 1t
had a telescope on it. 1t was rare thing
to catch siIarpshooter, 50 | was CORE
spondingly elated. / fired the gun, and
threw it away. | directed :ny prisol'r 10
my comrades at the foot Of tllc hill, and told
MIN they would shoF him where his COM
rades were
1t was not long itfter that that a stray
bullet struck me, and down | went sense
less. When | recovered the army were
not yet on top of the hill. They were in
the woods on the other hill yet. and the
bullets were flying fast. My rifle was
lying where ii would have been suicide to
try TO get it. | managed to get down the
hill in another direction, and found some
OF the boys there, who said they had made
eight prisoners. ] said that that was
dong well, !or a dozen men to take eight
prisoners.
Ny wound proved but the stunning Of a
spent bullet | went up the hill with the
others where the troops were. | saw Il
handle sticking up out Of the ground, and
pulling at 1t found sword in my hand
A Captain called for volunteers to 20 10
the other hill. l exclaimed:
You ought all 10 have been over there
long ago. ] just came from there"
Who was over there exclaimed some
one behind me peremptoriy. 1t was Gen.
Barlow, in his Shirt-siecyeS and on horse
back. / told him that about dozen OF us
had made a charge on a battery that was
not there when We got to It's position The
General ordered me 10 the rear when he
saw the condition of my face, and went.
Soon terrific cannonading began, and
all able 10 walk were sent farther TO the
rear. | do not remember much more, e,-
cept that 1t was my Impression that our
success was not SO great as II should have
been.
| was at White House Landing on May
II, expecting the remainder OF the regi-
ment 10 come to go home. June came, and
they had not appeared, so one morning
started for the front. | found them with
the army, waiting to be ordered home
Finally we were sent home. We reached
home with about 90 men. When we left
New York in May, 1861, we had l,O4G.
We We're mustered out June n, 1864.