The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-09-14
THE BOOMING CANNON
RECITALS OF CAMP AND BAT.
TIE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl.
dents Of Marches, Camp Life, ForaE-
ing Experiences and Battle Scenes.

| when we enlisted in April, 1861, oul
company believed that in some way
not understood and not to be explained
we would march Immediately with the
rest of our division to some selected
spot and fight a battle with the Confed
crates, and that when this had been
| settled to our satisfaction we would
fight another and another until the end
of three months, when, with a score of
victories to our credit, we would march
home in triumph.
"As n matter of fact the three months
expired before we fired a gun, and oar
first real battle came upon us after
| eleven months seasoning in marches
and skirmishes. After leisurely march
across Kentucky and Tennessee, with
| some experiences that made lis believe
| ourselves invincible, we plunged, WITH
| slight warning, into the battle of Shi-
loh. 1t was like being caught in a cy
clone, bewildering and terrifying, but
in blind obedience We did what was
expected of us, and at the end waited
for the next battle, which we believed
would follow quick on the heels of the
first. But there came n lull in which
officers and men relaxed, and in which
the army took what the boys called pie.
mic excursions after an enemy that
eyaded us. Then in the course of six
months we engaged in foot race with
Bragg's army back across Tennessee
and Kentucky, and were caught in the
thunderstorm at Perryville with no
umbrellas up.
There came another lull and more
marching and, at the end of two months
of waiting, Stone River. That was Il
terrific struggle between two well-disci-
plined armies, each 10000 strong, and
men lived three years in three days.
But after the storm came another calm.
When our regiment moved through
and beyond Murfreesboro two days af-
ter the battle we felt sure we would
strike the enemy at the crossing of
every stream. After we had marched
three or four miles what seemed to be
squadron Of cavalry bore down upon
us from the front. But instead of de-
ploying into line of battle we came to
a front face on the side of the road and
presented arms to General Rosecrans'
staff and escort.
"Old Rosy was in excellent spirits.
and as he rode along the line said. I
remember you, boys. in West Virginia.
and made remarks complimenting the
regiment to his chief of staff. After this
meeting we knew that fighting for the
possession of Murfreesboro was over
but we supposed we We're to pursue
the enemy. We marched rapidly for
ten or twelve miles, and that night
with the other regiments of our brigade
formed in line of battle along high
ridge facing the Cripple Creek valley.
The next day we lounged in the thick
growth of small cedarS awaiting or
ders, as we supposed, to attack. But
the next day our wagons came up,
tents were pitched, and we remained
there six months, gradually whipping
the ridge into a formidable fortified
camp.
EARLY In July we swung forward
and drove the enemy to the line of the
Tennessee and marched and counter
in the mountainous country to
the south of Chattanooga with as little
anxiety as though we We're on a picnic
excursion. Even when we crossed the
Tennessee River and fianked the enc
my out of Chattanooga the men We're
and frolicsome. and they
continued in this mood until they We're
caught in the storm of battle at Chicka-
mauga. This came eight months and
eighteen days after Stone River. Then
came lull of nearly two months, and
the battle of Chattanooga was fought.
This was followed by period of rest
from fighting for most of the army un-
til the opening of the Atlanta campaign
In May.
after the battle of Resaca the march
on Atlanta was almost continuous
skirmish. After the capture of Atlanta
there was a lull for the Army of the
until the battles of Frank
lin and Nashville. Our regiment, which |
had expected to fight half dozen bay
ties in as many months, really partici- |
pated in only eight battles in four
years. At the utmost limit we were in !
service /, ,460 days. We spent fourteen |
Of these in actual battle, but this was
more than enough. Inter
Ocean.