The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-13
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE CONFEDERACY.

General Green for us to hasten on, as the
small force at his command had virtually
surrounded the ironclad fleet of Commo-
dore Porter, whose boats he believed to be
aground. but as they were some distance
apart 1t would need larger force to make
a successful attack. When we arrived
within about five miles OF Blairs Landing,
near which place was the ironclad fleet,
we dismounted, leaving few men to care
for our horses We proceeded on foot,
and when within about mile OF the fleet
she opened a broadside on us. AS soon as
we saw the smoke from the fleet every
man dropped fiat on the ground until the
danger from the bursting shells had
passed. One shell burst in front Of US,
killing one man of Captain Mile,t's COM
pany. He had often said that he would
be killed In the first fight, as he had been
warned In dream just before leaving
home
When the men fell to the ground po-
lander In Captain Ruckman's company,
from karnes county, dropped his gun and
broke for the rear. He never stopped tor
five miles until he arrived at the camp,
where our horses were left He told them
every man was killed; he saw them all
fall, and he alone escaped. Shells now
fell thick and fast. One soldier pulled
out burning fuse of 13-inch shell that
rolled along among us. There We're three
I,
but the middle one did most of the shoot
ing, and our two regiments were soon in
'front.' OF 1t, lying fiat on the ground, load
ing as We lay ON our backs and turning
over to shoot into the port holes az the
trap door opened to run out the cannon to
shoot. This was our only chance. The
river was so low that the guns were some
ten feet lower than the top of the bank
where we lay. Most Of the shells went
above us. but some plowed under tho
ground and burst among us, tearing a
hole like cellar. Here we fought for
two hours General Greene. with Colonel
Woods, rode by where we We're lying
Says General Green: Those are brave
men and they don't seem to care for the
danger they are in. These two regiments
shall be brigaded together after this
But the havoc of death was doing its
work Men were wounded and dying all
around. Lieutenant Colonel Benton lost
an arm. The adiutant's horse lost his
head and bursting shell broke the skull
of General Green. Brigader General Ma
1ors now took command His first order
was for the men to fall back in double
quick. Green's body was laid across his
own horse, with a man on each side and
one to lead the horse. Our route was one
mile through a pasture covered with head
timber, which, with the bursting of shells,
played sad havoc with our men. AS wo
left the pasture the ground was much low
err and we turned to the left and in an
hour were back TO the camp where we
left our horses. Many We're killed aud
wounded coming through the pasture. The
gunboats shelled the timber for an hour,
thinking We went straight ahead into the
timber.
The mistake of General Green was III
believing the gunboats were aground and
could be easily taken. The one we were
fighting passed down the rivor over a
hundred yards while we were crossing tho
pasture. A few days after the battle we
learned from citizen living near the bat
tleground that they buried twenty eight
before leaving and took away many more
with them, killed and wounded.
E. &. Houston, Wards Regiment.