The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-09-14
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans OF the Rebellion Tell OF
WhistIing Bullets, Bright BayOnets,
BurstinR Bombs, Bloody Battles.
Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.

81 do not get a pension" said the vet
eran, who had trotted his first heat at
Bull Run, breaking into n wild gallop
before he passed under the wire at
Washington and finally stopped to re-
tire from the turf at Appomattox, "nsr
10 | want one, though | suppose if
were not in comfortable circumstances
might try for it, and still had about
as much of the scrap as anybody
know of, for l began early and quit
late. Luck is with some people, though,
FOR | came out without n scratch, and
didn't lose n day on account of sick
less, but am flying the track. l think
you said you wanted that story about
the man who killed himself trying to
kill me.
ut was in one of those innumerable
small fights that were happening in
Virginia all the year round, and was so
little that ii didn't even get name.
was in an infantry regiment. and
detachment of 150 of us had been sent
10 the front of the Skirmish line to feel
around and see what we might find
that we did not want to tind-namely,
some part of the enemy's advance. In
a clump of trees we found it in the
shape of a hundred or so of cavalry,
wearing the gray uniform we had seen
good deal of in that neighborhOOd.
1t meant business, of course, and in a
very few minutes there was a mixing
Of contending forces which was, to say
the least, extremely democratic.
''The troop of cavalry was composed
Of hot headed young Southerners who
had no idea of anything but rushing
right into the midst of us, yelling and
swinging their sabers around their
heads as if they were riding in tour
They seemed to be utterly regardless
of our feelings, too, and before we
could say scat they had slashed the
scalps off of half a dozen of us like
Il lot of young butchers out for pic
uic. At the same time we We're not
entirely idle or negiectful of such op-
pOrtunities as might be presented, and
may say that the general result of the
meeting to the eye of the casual OBJ
server was real hot stuff if l may use
bit of modern language.
81 had had very little experience in
military affairs of any kind, and up to
that time Bull Run had been the only
real battle IN which | had taken an act
I'VE part, the activity on that occasion
not having been of the kind, you may
remember, which gives soldier wide
experience in fighting, Notwithstanding
there was enough experience in con-
ducting retreat to last lifetime.
Gee, how we did run that day! 1t
now," and the veteran smiled at the
thought and puffed mildly in reminis-
cence of his run.
las l was saying, being ineXperi-
enced in fighting, l didn't know just
what to do, as is the way with most
new soldiers, so l kind of ducked my
head and went into it on the blind luck
style, trusting in Providence and keep
ing my powder dry. In such a scram-
BILE nobody ever knows what is going
to do. 1t is slap, bang, shout, shoot
slash, jab-a rush and roar, throat
ful of nasty sulphur smoke, possibly a
bee sting in body or limb, fall in the
leaves or dust or mud, sense of some
thing, one scarcely knows what, and
the end has come either to the fight or
the fighter.
Il had reached the ap and the bang
period, and was feeling pretty good,
seeing that | had knocked a man or
two over, and hadn't been knocked over
myself, and was getting into the spirit
of it in fine fettIe when found myself
hand to hand or muSket to saber with
young lieutenant about my own age
and build. He came straight at me,
cutting with intent to kill, and | tried
to shoot him off his horse, for had
somehow got load in my musket and
was ready for that kind of business,
but he was so close that shooting was
out of the question, and l could only
use my gun as a guard 70 keep off the
| fierce onslaughtS of his SlaShes. | made
several efforts to swing around so |
could shoot, but he saw what | was
after and k.pt it SO hot for me that l
| did not dare to take away my guard
| long enough to use it on him instead
Of on myself.
Il put up the best defense l could
| trying to punch him with my bayonet,
| but the young fellow evidently had
some military training in sword exer-
else, for he knocked my gun around
| pretty much as he pleased. Indeed, he
me out fast, and l felt that IL some
thing didn't happen for my side very
soon there would be one more blucoat
grave to dig on the morrow. He saw
| his advantage, too, and with a yell he
came at me again, swinging that big
saber so high and strong that it seemed
to me to be the sword of Michael or OF
some other of those picture people
| remembered to have seen in my books
and made up my mind to give him one
more poke with my bay0net for lucl
and let him have my scalp if he wanted
| 1t.
"But he would not give me a chance
to do even this much. He banged tha,
confounded sword around my head un
til could only hold my gun up and tr!
to save my face so that my friend:
would have something to identify III,
by after the battle was over. He rain
ed his blows so thick that | weakened
fast, and just rs | began to sink from
exhaustion he reached around with
terrific blow to settle me once for all
l had sunk down half to my knees
with the musket fallen forward, ant
as he let the sword fall it struck th'
hammer of the gun instead of the bar
rel, and with a crack that could dis
tinguish in all the row and the rumpus
nv old niusket went off with 4 concus
sion that threw it clear out of IN,
hands and sent the entire charg
square into the face of my foe.