The National tribune., 1900-08-30

cerned as to the surroundings. His de-
meanor cheered us not q little. We boys
thought him very brave. Our Fife -Maojr
was busy handing ammunition to men in
ranks, also caring for the wounded. Our
officers kept closing US to the right, in or
der to connect with Logan's men. My
company was the color company. In these
movements of closing to the right the regi-
ment formed almost a right angle with
the colors at the apex.
The ranks were thinning out as the fir
ing grew severe again in front. We were
loading and firing as rapidly as possible
now, some on one knee, some standing,
others crouching. Private Hess, on one
knee in the line in front of me, was hit
in the shoulder; the bullet passed clear
through and lodged in the skin of the
blade. He looked at me, put his hand to
his shoulder. turned and walked out Of
ranks without word, and / saw him no
more. | did not hear man groan or cry
with pain that day.
The constant "spang, spang. of the
muskets on the damp, frosty air, blending
with the roar of Taylor's guns and the
heavy thunder Of the water-batteries and
Uncle Sans gunboats, made a noise that
was deafening. Round shot would pass
over our heads, cutting down timber far
to the rear. The snow was trodden down
and stained with the crimson life-blood of
many of our brave boys.
CLOSED UP TO THE CoLoRs.
We closed up, keeping the colors for
our center, and by doing SO made a gap
between us and the next regiment to our
left.
1t was now noon, and they were press
ing US sorely. No reinforcements came to
our relief. We had orders sent to give
way and fall back, but the messenger new
er reached us. None of us thought of any
thing else but to hold the position at any
and all hazards. The fact is, we did not
know enough of war to run away and live
to fight some other day..
BY 2 p. IN. Forests cavalry cut out
and got away through the gap in the lines.
The rebel infantry at the same time
charged, and they were so earnest in the
matter that we broke (having no supportsj
and got over the next hill without stop
ping to consider the order of our going.
No orders were given by any Of our Off
GERS to retreat that l heard Of; it was
every man for himself. However, we
brought our bullet-slitted flag with US. The
Color Bearer had been hit three times, and
was down but not dead; all the color
guard had been wounded and were left on
the field.
While slipping in the snow and climbing
| the opposite hill, / looked back once, and
| there on the crest Of the hill, where our
dead and some of the wounded lay, the
position we had so long defended and with
| such fearful loss, the rebels stood shoulder
| to shoulder and every man in the act of
| firing. Bullets cut the snow at my feet,
| cut off twigs and branches about my ears;
| one went through my oyercoat and bruised
| the point of the hip-bone not even break
ng the skin. | felt the sting, but never
stopped until over and out of range.
| AS we broke ranks my musket caught
| n a broken tree-top and had to relinquish
| i. So l got off with only my cartridge
/ box and few cartridges left in it. One
Of my comrades stopped to pick up his
cap. He did not try it the second time;
he was shot through both arms. Our Cap.
| the heart, in the act of jumping over a
log. He fell on his face, and later was
i Eobbed of coat and sword, besides a yalua
bic gold watch.
AS we drifted to the rear in broken, sui
len, scattering groups of men, we began
ID think we were whipped, but the rebels
| after plundering our dead and wounded
taking some prisoners), came no farther
but fell back into their intrenchments, ex.
cept those who escaped during the night
SIGHTS IN THE REAR.
OFF to our left we could see line after
line of our troops that had not been
brought into action. In the rear were
sights never to be forgotten-wounded mer
and others all moving slowly, one man be
tween two. some limping, some bare head
ed, others holding a wounded hand, nearly
everyone had bullet holes in his clothes OF
a ragged rent in cap told where the bul.
let passed through. Private Eagan was
hit IL times.
overlook Comrade Whitfield limping
with three bullet-holes through one leg He
placed one arm over my shoulder.
grasped his hand, when, "Ouchm looked
and, the middle finger was hanging by