The National tribune., 1900-06-28

IRlED, W h WANT TO SURRENDER.
and the four guns of Knapp's Battery
placed in the rear Of the 111th and 1O9tl
IA. on rising ground, so as to fire over
the infantry and be supported
The firing on the pickets proved to be
feint, but we still lay on our arms and
many went to sleep again. I had Just
got my cartridge box fixed to lay my head
down on when the rattle of musketry on
the picket line again aroused US, and the
officers quietly gave the order to get in
place and lie low. This was about u
CLOCK p. m., with nothing but darkness
around US and few twinkling stars over.
head. We waited the advance of our un-
seen foe. As our pickets fell back they
dld very little firing, but we were soon at
II ourselves, as the Confederates pushed
very rapidly toward us and showed by the
liish OF their muskets their position and
then commenced one of the most furious
ana important battles of the war.
HOLDING IT OPEN.
The Army Of the Cumberland was then
on short ratiOns, and supplies were being
hauled over mountain road 80 or 60
miles, which was very tedious to man and
beast. The route by the Tennessee River
was much shorter, and we were there to
take and hold it. So these 400 troops
Of the Second Division, Twelfth Corps,
covered kelly's Ferry.
i1ow well we maintained our position
and defeated a superior force in numbers
we remember with pride. From three to
nve thousand of Stonewall Jackson's old
troops, undcr the command offLongstreet.
were thrown against us for tie purpose of
either capturing our little command or an
nlhllatlHS 1T and gaining possession of Kel-
ly'S Ferry and our wagon train, which
was large one, with supplies and much
ammunition. The rebS poured into lis
three concentrated fires from the front
and right and left fanks, but these brave
and tried old Potomac veterans fought
with determined and steady fire. The
attempts of the Confederates to break our
lines were unavailing, and their advances
were so close that we were prepared for
hand-to-hand contests should they come.
which we expected every moment
A tent which had been erected in front
OF our regiment for the officers had been
ripped open iu the rear by Confederate
officer, and we found him dead inside after
the fight.
The 1O9th fought without field officer.
under the command of a Captain, but
every man realized the Importance of the
night and his own individual importance
where so few were lighting against 50
many.
This night battle lasted until after 3
o clock Il. IN. the 18th, and at one time il
did appear as if the enemy in their des-
perate and continued attacks would gain
the rear of our right and capture the guns
of our battery. We could hear their off
GERS giving orders, and believed that they
had received reinforcements, for their fire
at this point became terrific; but by most
timely movement one of the guns was
thrown across the railroad on the right.
which gave the enemy a rakiug fire and
saved the flank. At this gun Gearv's son
lost his life; bullet pierced his forehead
while sighting the piece.
As the guns of the battery would flash
the rebs would pour deadly fire into
them, and they lost both commissioned
officers killed; "a of the men out of 4S
were killed or wounded and 81 out of the
4S horses were killed
The lO9th Pa. also lost heavily in killed,
and wounded. Upon mastering the reci-
ment for roll call little after daylight
company X numbered one man besides
the sergeant; Company G mustered Z
men; Company T., the color company, ont
| OF 81 men for roll call the night before
mustered II men that morning after the
| hght, and the other companies lost in like
proportion.
After the enemy retired they left in our
hands l33 killed, including six commits
stoned officers, and % wounded, ipcludinp
three officers. '''' Q
A little after daylight a comrade md
l went over a portion of the battlefield
He had picked up rebel gun, and we
were both examining name cut on the
stock. L had pulled out the ramrod and
inserted it in the barrel to see whether II
was loaded, when, in looking over INV
comrades shoulder l saw three Confeder-
ates coming toward US. One of them cried
we want to surrender" So we grace,
fully led them back to camp They had
lam IN the tall sage grass, and waited un-
~ they could come into our lines without
being shot at.
A GENERALS TRIBUTE.
Our regiment, the old Curtin Light
Guard" in this fight added another page