Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-12

a government wagon was driven UP to
the store and all the tobacco was taken.
Afterward Dewey got three plugs for his
share, and he said it was as good tobacco
for smoking as ever he put into a pipe.
Soon after they left there and went back
on a hill and camped there for the night.
Dewey was on guard that night, and thu
next morning he had a good breakfast.
with plenty of fresh meat, which was
very agreeable to the boys. Just as he
had finished his breakfast Tom, the gum
ner, came in for his breakfast, and as he
sat down to eat a shell came whizzing and
screaming over their heads. The boys
rushed for the guns on double quick.
Before they had time to load along came
another shell. AS soon as the guns were
loaded they opened fire. The guns were
on the top Of the hill, and it was hardly
daylight. and it was difficult to sight
them. At this time the infantry and cav
airy were not engaged, and one of the In
fantry boys was curious enough to see
where ther rebel guns were. He went down
the hill and got on the top Of a rail fence
to get a better view. One of the artillery
officers told him he had better get down
from there, as he was liable to get hurt
where he was. oh, I guess not" said
he. The words were hardly out of his
mouth before a shell came whizzing
| along and cut his body nearly in two,
killing him instantly.
Soon after the union artillery had the
rebel gun silenced. The artillerymen
mounted their horses and went on as If
nothing had happened. AS they we're
passing a house they saw a man dressed
in rebel uniform.
One of the union men rode up to him
and said: Here, you are the man We
want. You just come along with us" He
replied: II am no soldier" That is too
thin said the union man. You must
come along" The rebel said: Cali right.
I will CO." and on he came. The reb said
he was tired and wanted to ride on the
gun carriage. He got on to rid and Tom.
| the gunner. says: Get off that gun. I
may want to use it before we get back"
A cavalryman then took the REBEL, say
ing: II will show you where to go, ana
he found a place for him to walk along
with his captOrs.
EVERYTHING went all right for about two
miles, when the rebel cavalry opened on
them. The bullets began to hum very
loudly. Then the artillery placed their
two guns in short order. AS Dewey was
a new man they gave him the position Of
horse holder. There were two to hold
the horses and eight to work the gun. The
rebels had three runs and the union men
two. Dewey saw Tom Kelly, the other
horse holder. dismount and hide behind q
clump of bushes. Dewey thought he had
better find another clump of bushes, and
he did so. In a minute or W Dewey saw
a cavalry horse just where he had stood
killed by a shell. If he had not hid in
the bushes Dewey himself would have
been killed. The union artillery were
supported by the Twenty-third Wiscon-
sin infantry. One of the rebel gum was
silenced and then they were even n
Then the Wisconsin troops began to
leave in great haste. Many of them threw
away their uns The artillery lieutenant
ordered the artillery back n told them
to open on the rebels. Then Dewey be-
gan to think he was under fire, sure
enough. The shells came thick and fast.
Then Dewey saw the general go past,
and when the shells came he would duck
his head and try to- dodge them. The gen
eral finally ordered them to timber to h
rear. They went down the hill quite rap
idly and soon found a place where they
could choose a good position in an open
field. Soon the rebels came. Dewey could
see that they had white horses on their
guns. The second shot that the rebels
fired hit the wheel of the MO gun
turned it half way around, bent the tire
in one and one half inches, broke the felly
and drove the spokes in the hub. The
shell broke by striking the tire n one
piece hit one of the horses n another
hit No. 1 man in his knee. Dewey said he
could see the horses flying around the
No. / man, who was rubbing his knee.
The gunner asked No. 1 if he was hurt.
and the latter replied that he was. He
was ordered to go to the rear, but he said:
Il guess | will fire once more" He had
the fuse cut for six and a half seconds,
and he gave it to them with good effect.
The rebels got out of there as quick as
they could. Then the union artillery
went back to the boat. They had been
engaged in three different positions and
had silenced two guns for the rebels. The
union mems casualties We're one man
wounded. one horse badly hurt and one
gun disabled.
Then when they got on the boat a rebel
officer came with a flag of truce. He
claimed that our troops had killed a wo-
man and asked them not to fire any more.
He spoke of the artillery duel, but did but
little Dragging about it. When the union
men got back their comrades told them
that they had been cut all to pieces. In
the ~wspa account of it it was said
that a large force of rebels had been sent
from Port Hudson to cut off the retreat OF
the union men, but they We're unsuccesss
full.