The National tribune., 1899-08-03

tions filled with the Johnnies coming to
ward us, and we blocked the ways with
| large stones, so that they could not get up
We camped all that night on the top of the
mountain, being close to a dry creek.
| There was one pond of water there, but ii
was thick with leecheS and snakes, so we
could scarcely use any of it. Below the
pond there was a falls about so or 80 feet
deep, and gully down the mountain
about 40 feet deep. This was nearly 100
miles below Chickamauga. The next day,
| Sept. IS, 1863, We marched all day on the
| mountain towards Chickamauga, and on
| the same night we got down from the noun
tain. That was between so and 60 miles
below Chickamauga.
When We got down we put up our dog
tents, and thought we were there for the
night. Our regiment was then in the rear.
About one hour later we took down our dog
| tents, for the rebels were close to us; then
we marched all that night, and next morn
| ing rested about half an hour. We started
| on our march again towards Chattanooga,
| and could see the dust OF the rebels in the
rear coming after us, about five miles off
That night we got to Gordon's Mill, Chick
amauga Greek, which was about three
miles south Of the battlefield.
| There were about a dozen boys at the fire,
cooking, when the rebels played mean
trick on us; they threw solid shot across
| the creek, which struck the center of the
fire and destroyed our coffee-pots. We
never saw one of them again, but no one
was hurt.
| We left that night, and had sleep the
next morning. We fell in Sunday morn
ing, the 2Oth, and went to the battlefield
For about two miles and half We double
qulcked, and about half a mile farther we
got orders to right-about face.
Up the hill, little from the road, the
rebels were laying for us, and poured in
| their shot and Shell; SO we got orders to
retreat and firing ceased on both Sides
| One rebel General was riding around OH a
black horse making every one surrender,
when something struck him and he fell off
| ms morse, when 1t dashed away. Our
Col. West was taken prisoner, and about a
dozen rebels made dash to capture one of
our batteries that got all tangled up with
the horses.
When they were running, a comrade of
Co. A, Schwartz, and / thought that we
would run too. The bullets came thick
and fast after us, but none struck us. About
100 yards west Of the road we rested back OF
a big pine tree, and there | saw Sheridan
and two Aids over the ridge sitting on their
horses. went over and asked them where
our brigade was, and they asked me to
what regiment / belonged. ! told them
but they at first thought | belonged to a
colored regiment, for / was black from the
smoke of the powder. They told me to 20
across the ridge and ! would find the bri.
gade cOlors. / found Lieut.. Clark, of our
company.
About two hours afterwards all that
could fell in and went towards Chattanooga
about three miles to the forks of the roads
and TO the left of the battlefield. We went
on the road about a mile, when it got dark
so we went back again for about two miles
and went into camp. Lieut.. Clark had a
little tea left and that was all he did have
part of which he gave to me.
, The next day we built breastworks, and
that night had to go on picket, being on
the reserve. 1t turned very cold, but one
comrade had wide blanket and he shared
it with me. About II o'clock we were
taken in, got orders to make no noise, and
started to march to Chattanooga. beinp
. able all the time to hear the noise of the
rebels close after us.
| just as the sun was rising the pioneers
. were waiting to cut down the bridge over
Chattanooga Creek, and as soon as VIC
passed over we were marched to rebel camp
stacked arms, and lay down to rest. The
officers were trying to get us some rations
having had nothing to eat for five days
r and four nights but four crackers. We
were so tired and worn out that we did moi
feel hungry, so We slept for about three
, hours. We were completely covered with
rebel gray backs, and went to the Tennessee
River, took off our clothes, gave them a
good swim, and got some rations The
. night of the march we lost a good MANY OF
our men, some of them being side-tracked
on the narrow-gage to get something tt
eat, but they did not wait to divide with
us.-CORP'L JAMES S. FLEMING, Co. +
oath Wis. WeStfield Wis