The National tribune., 1899-08-10

NOW, ever SllIct llitl Ddttlt, even oll stiii
up to the present time, although nearly
40 years have passed, comrade after COM
rade has related and still relates, how his
regiment captured that battery, the IA
nous h Miss. There was Capt. Gray, of
Co. B, 10th No, and Comrade Frasher,
of Co. d, 18th Iowa, who long ago told
more or less minutely and elabOrateiy how
their regiments captured it. Then Com
rade Condor. Co. A, Goth Ohio, told how,
lying with his company Immediately TO
the left of the sd Ohio, he saw this regi-
ment charge and capture it, And there
have been others and still others making
the same claim.
THAT MISSISSIPPI BATTERY.
Comrades, for every soldier of the three
divisions on the right that day there WAS
enough of desperate fighting for all, and
for all enough OF glory gained to render II
needless to either reflect on the valor or
honor of any.
Then, when say that the 10th Mo. and
18th Iowa were not on the field of battle
when that battery was captured, / simply
state a truth; and when / say the 20th and
32d Ohio were not within a mile of it. only
state another fact; and when | assert em-
phatically it was captured by the men of
the 18th Ind. and 23th Wis, only desire
that the honor, so valiantly and gloriousiy
won. be given to those to whom it belongs.
Comrades, read the official reports of the
bate, and you will find | am right. In
this grand charge Of Hovey's Division
three full rebel batteries were captured
AS | have stated, the 9Th Miss. battery
of four guns, occupying the crest of the hill,
was captured by the 11th Ind. and 29th
Wis. The 18th Ind. rushing farther west
to and beyond cabin that / will speak of
by and by, captured two guns; while the
oath Iowa, OF the Second Brigade, charged
and captured n battery of five guns, occu-
In q nj
But all this was accomplished only after
the most desperate resistance of the enemy
At the crown of the hill, along the ridge
and beyond. our gallant men, having
rushed through the smoke Of the flaming
guns, shot and bayoneted the gunners,
crushed and overpowered the rebel sup
ports, and hurled the fragments of fleeing
regiments down to and beyond the forks Of
the Raymond and jackson roads.
A glance at map of this battlefield will
show that the possession of the forks of
these roads was Of vital importance to the
Confederates. 1t was in truth the very
key to their line of battle. It's possession
by us threatened the utter destruction Of
their army. knowing this the enemy
hurried forward overwhelming forces, and
hurled them with desperate fury on our
two exhausted and unsupported brigades.
1t is estimated that at this time our division
already depleted by hundreds Of dead and
wounded, was outnurnbered more than
four to one.
AS it was, there then commenced one of
the most terrific contests of the war, a con-
test that left hundreds more of our brave
boys dead or wounded on this bloody field.
| By sheer force OF weight and numbers the
rebel masses, overlapping to right and left
our little brigades, slowly pushed back our
stubborn regiments. The men in gray
| facing in full ranks the storm of shot and
shell and canister that greeted them, bought
| back all the ground they gained at a cost
simply appalling.
At this time the two guns of my battery,
having advanced gradually, were at the
right and left OF the cabin to which | have
already alluded. My own gun was imme-
diately to the right Of this cabin, which
had the usual smoke-house so common
in that country still a little to the right.
A POINT OF VANTAGE.
We were splendidly situated for effective
work, being on little knoll, with few
acres of cleared land in our front, this land
sloping down into little valley, beyond
which was a heavy growth of timber
When 1 say that our guns were back a
little from the brow Of the hill, every old
artilleryman will at once recognize this
advantage OF our position.
Close to the right of the muZzle of my
gun was a well, over whose mouth hung
a long sweep, and attached to this by rope
| was
"A moss covered bucket,
| An iron-bound bucket'-
or some other kind of an old bucket. Blu,
be it what kind or style matters little, only
| know that, in the lull of the battle, it was
used quite frequently by our soldiers, who
da 3hing from the front, quenched theil
thirst there, and then, taking position in
and about the cabins, awaited the advance
of the enemy. Whether the people of that
place were at home that day or not an
unable to say; but if they were | am quite
sure their cellar accommodations were at q
premium.
Right here, in the tumult of battle, oc
! CURED one of those little things that remind
US that it is indeed only step from tn