The National tribune., 1899-09-14
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
ON THE JUMP.
Trials Of Some Of the Green Troops with Fake Alarm.
and Sudden Skirmishing.

III and Sudden Skirmishing.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I hay
l not seen anything. of late of the first re;
acts of green soldiers in drill, and so
. thought would give brief account of m
recollections of it. We were rushed dow
and the flag from an invasion by Kirb
, Smith and his horde, and were hurrie
across the river to Covington, where W
went into camp. 1t was named Cam
Stern, in honor of our noble Colonel.
We were formed inio a streak of fight, a
our greenies called it, and soon put to wor
throwing up breastworks, which we calle
ditching. to protect ourselves and CovinG
ton. 1t looked hard to us when we got a
order to cut down an orchard in front of us
laden with apples; but they told us it was t
get clear sweep for the artillery. We wer
called up nearly every morning before day
light and marched to the works. We di
not know why we did this, as we could hea
no firing from the pickets.
One evening about dusk the long rol
beat. We had been taught that the lonl
roll meant immediate danger, and We mus
| at once arm ourselves and rush to our plac
in line. We tried to obey the order, and tn,
line was quickly formed. 1 know tina
many of us felt our knees smite one another
Some of them had their guns and not thei
cartridge-boxes. Some were suddenly
taken ILL., and some forgot to fall-in, anC
started to the front, as they supposed, OF
an independent expedition of their own. j
was soon found out that it was sell" anC
nearly every one was hot and swOre to whiI
the fellow who started it. By bed time al
| had cooled off, and had a hearty laugh ovel
it, and then turned in for a good nights rest
1t was not many days before the dose was
repeated. This time a few shots were fired
in our front to give it color Every one
buckled on his armor and rushed to the
| breaStworks. There was one in my COM
pany who got so excited when the first
shots were fired that, after letting his gun
fall several times, he finally spilled all his
powder and rammed the ball in so tight that
it took him all the next day to get it out.
Another said to the Captain: IF l don't
get out of this alive, send my body home. u
And the Captain said: 20, you are all right;
just give them H."
1t was not many days after this before
my, company was detailed to go out on
picket. We reported at the Colonels tent,
and were marched down the pike to brick
church, where we turned to the left on a road
coming east and west. Part of the COM
pany, under Capt. Parsons, was ordered to
stop at a long rank of cord-wOOd, where we
turned to the left and marched short dis
tance. Here the reserve picket stopped,
and the balance of the company, under
Lieut.. l.. G. Parcher, marched still farther
to the east.
The company was divided into three re-
liefs, and it was not long before the first re-
lief was posted and was peering to the front
through the timber and brush for any sign
of an approaching enemy. 1t was warm
day, and we tried to make ourselves com
Portable. A few of us took the notion of
going to the rear after something good to
eat, while the rest, or at least some of them
took off their cartridge-bOxeS and went to
climbing trees. Some of the boys up the
trees had their shirts off, and We're looking
inf
grayback. T.
We who had gone after some edibleS, ran
into an old German woman'sy truck-patch
and were just helping ourselves to sweet
potatoes, onions, watermelons. etc, when
she came out and put in a protest. But we
could not understand a word she said.
When we got all We wanted we walked out,
and the old woman started to the house on
a run, but never troubled us any more
Before we got to camp q shot was fired on
the right of the line near the pike, and again
we got back to our company: Our Lieu
charge of the picket lines, and he came
down To us as fast as his horse could carry
him, crying: Wall in, effery man of you; de
debelS are coming"
There was climbing down from the
trees, and all were in such hurry that they
into harness and into line behind the wood
pile. The Colonel returned to the pike, and
it was not long before he came back with
the same old cry. In the interval we made
way with the melons, and the rest of the
stuff we distributed amongst the company.
1t was a narrow escape from being taken
prisoners to get to the pike on which to re-
treat to camp. Just as we reached the pike
the rebels gave us few shots from bat
terry they had brought to an elevated spot
and that made us step more lively than ever
The first shot we heard had been fired at
two of our men who had gone outside to
spring and were returning. The ball
passed through the pail that they were car
rying.
One Of the squads did not hear the order
to rally, and came very near being captured.
But the Lieutenant had seen service BEFORE
having been wounded at Pea Ridge, and he
brought them out all right. They fell back
shots with the rebel cavalry, but none of
the squad was wounded or captured
There was brisk skirmshing for a few
days. One morning everything seemed
so quiet In our front that a reconnaissance in
force was ordered, and developed the fact that
the .JOhnnies had left for parts unknown
We learned from citizens that when Capt
Parcher had made a stand on the edge of the
cornfield the rebels had LOST one killed and
a number wounded. My company was on
the skirmish-line, and we failed to see any
Of the enemy. We took in preacher who |
d
We were sent out a few days later to picket |
the same line that We had before only a |
little farther to the east, our left resting on |
the Newport pike. We were all placed in |
different squads, and relieved at intervals |
)f two hours each. Between and o'clock |
at night the order came laundering around |
TO rally on the right, and that again was a |
puZzler to us. We got our traps in shape,
and then came the order repeated Many |
Df our company We're past rallying on the |
right and had settled down to sleep off the |
effect of too much grape-juice. There was
lne officer who had not made Il hog of him
self, and two Of our company who got eX-
cited when the order came, and instead of /
rallying to the right, they rallied to the rear
over the hills in the darkness toward Cow
ngton.
We soon started to the right, and when
we got there We're told tl,.it we had Just been
called i'll from picket, and were 10 march to
amp, pack up, and start for Louisville,
Ky. We soon got to camp. got our mail,
irew ratiOns, packed up.evefything, and,
rs was common with soldiers, made bon
Tres of the debris. We were soon on our
way to Cincinnati, o., to take the cars
The two privates Just referred to had come
up close enough To see the whole camp on
ire. The one was an IfiShman, and the
)ther was an Englishman. IN the morn
ng at the break of day they wandered
lown out of the hills to-a farm house to
make inquiry as to who the devils We're who
rad set the camp on fire! They We're told
hat there was no devil, butt that the troops
lad all started for Louisville. KY, to head
,ff Bragg, who was marching to that place.
So they took up their line of march to Gin
innati too, much wiser than they were the
light before.-WILLLAM DEWALT. Ser
'eant, Co. Il, 1O1st Ohio, Ashley, N. d.