The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-12-06
Cniuuc Artillery Contest,

Il witnessed the only artillery duei
that took place during the war;" said
a veteran wearing badge of the Sixth
Wisconsin Artillery. 1T WAS fought
at Port Gibson. Miss. and was arrang
ed with as much formality, if without
seconds, as marks one of those person
nj affairs of honor in France"
The Wisconsin man did not give his
name, but said he had fought through
the war with the old Sixth, and little
red badge fastened to his vest by a
safety pin and inscribed with the
names of Il dozen battlcficlds bore tes-
| timOny to the truthfulneSS of his claim.
| 1t was a mark of honor bestowed on
him by Congress and went bond for the
| story.
There were good many artillery
| fights during the war; he continued.
'At Malvern Hill Gen. Lees guns eX-
changed tons of solid shot. shells and
canister with McClellan's artillery, and
at Gettysburg 100 Confederate guns,
stationed on Seminary Ridge. thunder
ed at eighty of our pieces on Cemetery
Ridge, commanded by Gen. III. J. Hunt.
Gen. Meade's chief of artillery. But
these were parts of great battles, not
duels, although | see they are called
duels by these fellows who write his
tory. The artillery fight ut Port Gibson
was a duel-nOthing more and nothing
less-and was witnessed by the greater
part of two armies, who did nothing but
watch the gunners and shout when the
fur flew"
In the spring of 1868 Gen. Grant was
maneuvering about Vicksburg in an
effort to get near enough to the forti
fed city to strike an effective blow.
Troops below Vicksburg crossed to the
east bank of the Mississippi ut Bruins
burg. Port Gibson Is ten or twelve
miles east of Bruinsburg, and at that
point the Confederates We're in force.
At dawn Oh May 1, 1868, the two armies
were face to face.
when we reached Port Gibson" he
continued. both armies halted to take
breath. Way off toward the Confed-
crate line was solitary house. and
near this was the rebel artillery. While
we stood there battery of Confederate
artillery left the line. trotted out as if
on parade, swung around into line, and
unl,mbered. 1t was all done with the
precision and nicely of parade at
West Point. Every man was in his
place. We could see, although the dis
tance was three quarters of mile.
&,
statues in gray. Everybody asked what
ii meant, but no one could say.
by Jove. it's a challenge" some one
finally calculated. And sure enough it
was.
There was no move in our line for
minute or two; then the bugle of the
First Wisconsin sounded, and out went
the six guns, swung into line. and un-
limbered. In thirty seconds the Johnny
rebs saw that the challenge was accept
ed, and both batteries opened fire.
while the singular duel was in prog
ress from twelve 10 twenty shots We're |
fired from each gun. The First Wisconsin |
was commanded by Capt. Jake Foster, |
an old OZaukee County boy. who went |
out to Minnesota and enlisted at La |
Crosse He was a good soldier himself. |
and his gunners We're crackerjacks. and |
those percussion shells made the John |
MES jump. 1t wasn't five minutes be- |
fore the Confederates had enough and |
started to withdraw the battery.
Our boys disabled three guns, blew
up caisSon or two. and, if remem-
ber right. killed a rebel captain. and |
wounded three or four sunners. Every
shot that told was greeted by loud
cheer from our boys. Our loss was not |
very large. The rebs were soon demOr
allied after they learned our style Of
sending them our visiting cards"