The National tribune., 1899-08-31
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
WITH THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Graphic Pictures at FroHt and Rear by New York Com.
rade.

Graphic Pictures at Frort and Rear by New York Com
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: On May
3, 1864, the Army of the Potomac, 100000
fighting men strong, crossed the Kappa
hammock to engage in battle with the Con-
federate forces of the Army of Northern
Virginia. The bloody battles of May and
June have been fought. Lees veterans,
pressed back to their intrenchmentS around
Richmond and Petersburg, are held as i'll
an iron wise by the Army of the Potomac.
The graves of 1900 Union soldiers killed
in battle mark the routes of march and the
fields fought over. Forty-five thousand
additional soldiers of the Army of the
Potomac, suffering from wounds received
in battle. are lying in hospitals from City
Point all over the loyal North, many of
them dying daily; others, crippled for life,
eking out a bare existence; still others,
more fortunate than their comrades, getting
well, waiting and looking for the day
when their wounds will be healed enough
to be ordered to the front once more, to
again battle for the Union.
On July 1, 1864, our brigade, called the
Regular Brigade of the Army of the Poto-
mac, consisting Of the remnants of five
| Regular regiments, and the 140th, 146th,
| and 5th N. Y, then the First Brigade,
Second Division, Fifth Corps, commanded
ny tllc Sdnttflt Htfl cOSeDIl lays, uIdWU
| back from the front line, which we estab-
| lished on June 18, close to the works of the
enemy, the right of the brigade being near
the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad. While
holding this position our daily loss from
the fire of the enemys sharpshooters has
been two to SIX men daily in our small
regiment.
We have been ordered to the rear. Now
| we can take off our belts and shoes, stretch
our limbs, stand erect, get water to wash.
What welcome change! In the evening
the enemy is throwing few shells near
u.s. The morning of the I'd we are ordered
| farther back, to some tall pines three
| fourths of mile east of the Avery house,
south of the Norfolk e. Petersburg Rail
| road. We receive shelter-tents, and are
set to making camp in line, clearing out the
| under brush, hauling away the rubbish,
| making hunks 18 inches from the ground,
putting the tents over these, over the whole
| line building an arber 10 feet high, covered
| with brush, this and the tall pines keeping
| off the rays of the hot sun. In our rear
| are the officers tents and Headquarters.
| In short time all is cleaned and cleared
| up. We are at home in our new camp.
1t does not take a soldier long to make
himself comfortable.
Details are sent out daily to work on the
forts and trenches. Sometimes the bri-
gade goes out to work ON some fort at
night near the enemy. We then watch
and dodge shot and shell. Again we man
the trenches, ready to repel an expected
attack. We have a short drill in the morn
ing; inspection and parade in the afternoon.
A Short distance southwest of camp is
small grove. There our boys find fine
spring of clear, cool water. 1t belongs to
our regiment, the 9Th N. Y, by right of
discovery. We clean it out, curb it with a
half-barrel, put sentry over it to hold
possession. We get plenty of good rations,
and have chance to cook them.
fhtrc nod 1, H.
musketry and artillery fire on the lines
three-fourths of a mile west of us, without
intermission, night and day. The con-
slant roar OF the heavy guns gives mar
tial background to our apparently peaceful
camp. J.
On July 30 we support charging col
umn in the fiasco of the mine explosion.
On the 31st the Paymaster comes and
pays the BRIGADE With him comes the
sutler.
On Aug. 8. having had our morning
drill, a detail of about half the regiment
leaves camp to build rifle-pits near the |
line. The men in camp are passing the |
time in their own Way--reading, writing |
cooking, and resting. 1t is hot, sultry.
The needles on the big pines above us are
left are sitting on the limbs, letting their
wings droop to cool off. The sentry on
the color line walks slowly his beat, bring
ing his musket to q support" then back
to a 'shoulder-shift."
My. tent-mate, Edgar Price, who has
served two years with credit in Taylors
4th N. j., has been sent to hospital. /
occupy our home alone, and, stretched out
on my bunk made from young pine trees,
am watching four Of our boys squatted i'm
front OF me playing cards. Stakes which
seem seem to be high are lying near them.
They are deeply interested in the game.
explodes shell only short dis
lance west OF lis
Some fool put double charge of powder
in that gun" remarks August Rudi, who
occupies the tent next to me. The card
players have not changed a muscle, being
too deeply interested in their game.
Like lightning out of clear sky a shell
passes three feet over the card-players with
all the screeching of Whitworth. They
roll over-cards, money, and all. 1t is
impossible to describe their consterna-
ion. A soldier who has had similar
experience can imagine it. The shell
passes through the corner Of my tent,
trenchman, Martin Renaud, and passes
near Brigade Headquarters, without ex-
ploding. We run to Renaud, carry him
70 the hospital; all is over in a short time
Martin Renaud served, with credit, two
regiment at Fair Oaks, Gaines's Mill, and ,
Malvern Hill. then holding back Long
streets victorious column at the second
Bull Run; again pressing back the enemy
at Antietam. Escaping the slaughter
at Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, he
did soldiers part in the glorious battle at
At o'clock the regiment falls in. Four
men of our company carry the body of poor
Renaud on a stretcher. With muffied
drums the regiment and many comrades
from other regiments of the brigade follow.
We carry him west towards the breast
works; there, near fort, under an apple
tree, which has escaped the destruction of
war, is dug his grave, and we give his
body a soldiers burial.
We return to camp and ask each other
why has this death cast such gloom over
us? For headboard, Albert Terrace, the
friend and compatriot of Renaud, carves
on board from a cracker-box the inscrip-
ton: Here lies the body of NJ. Renaud;
died Aug. 6, 1864" Now, at City Point,
Va, on the banks Of the James River in
that plat of ground hallowed by the graves
of thousands of Union soldiers, who gave
all for our country, rests his body. Over
1t and all OF them float the Stars and Stripes,
that flag under which they so often rallied,
which inspired them to heroic deeds
HENRY NORDHAUS, 5th N. Y, Stanwood.
Iowa.
FIERCE FIGHTING AT ROBINETT.