Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-11-02

ais compliments and saying in effect
that regiment which could do so well
under trying circumstances would find
1T easy to go through the evolutions of
dress parade under fire. The colonel
accepted this as an order and formed
ais men as If on dress parade. b..
II saw case like that" said the cap
tain, but 1t was an accident Our
colonel was given to sort of mechan-
ical use of the orders, shoulder arms,
40 order arms aud parade rest The
boys often thought he used these
phrases absent-mndedly. but whether
he did or did not the regiment was
o. Brought to a parade rest half dozen
.-,vr times on every dress parade. On one
OCCASION when the regiment was
formed as part of long line of battle,
1t was reported that the enemy was
about to charge and the men who had
been resting at will formed quickly in
line. h u h
The coloners voice rang out the or
der: Attention.; shoulder arms
Then, to the amaZement of the men,
came the order: Order arms; parade
$50 rest The regiments to the right and
left were standing at ready. The men
of our regiment were looking steadily
to the front at parade rest. The col
q. gonel afterward admitted that he never
meant to give the order, tina it was in
sac his mind to order the men to get ready
to fire, but instead came out the phrase,
parade rest and he took advantage
of the unexpected to compliment his
men for their GOODNESS in the face of an
enemy"
I'VE came nearer to a dress parade
sg4r than that at Shiloh" said the sergeant.
&S'Our regiment and think, the Sixth
Ohio were the first of Buell's army to
cross the Tennessee river on the even
ing of the first days battle. Gen. Nell
son, our division commander, was SO
anxious to get the men acrosstha he
rye, ordered that no horses be taken with
the first boat loads. So it happened
that our own regimental officers were
not present when we formed in line
$50. One of the senior captains took COM
1s-I mand and was forming a line on strict
~. parade principles, when a large officer
), taking short breaths said: That's
eight. captain, straight as a rule;
straight as rule, men, a E8,
tssSsl "Theotlicer was Gen, William Nelson.
whoiad crossedwith the first boat load,
r leaving his horse behind. Not one man
5 - in the Regiment had ever seen him on
( .nssfoot before, although all of them were
familiar with his appearance on horse
back. He seemed so different on what
the boys called his sea legs and was
q, soHifferent in manner that at first he
'D~'was not recognized He took COM
mand of the regiment as soon as formed
and moved along the line as if he were
an inspecting officer. He was the hard
est swearer in the army and yet that
evening he swore not once. The men,
4 used to his clustering manners, were
surprised at the look of anxiety and ap.
peal on his face. He said, in low soft
tones as he moved along the line: Now,
gentlemen, remember what you have
come. to do and do it like soldiers.
Make your line as straight as a rule,
and when You go forward let the line
of bayonets be as straight as if you
s We're on dress parade. This will show
the enemy that you are not afraid and
u 1T will give confidence to our own men
a. who have been fighting all day And
that night and the pext morning the
men, of Nelson's division went forward
-w'th lines as straight, with step as
regular. as though they were on dress
-VSrAde."