The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-25
DRESS pasaOts UNDER FIRE.
Incidents Of Great Cesiness In the War Of
the nsbellioa.

From the ChisaEo Inter Ocezs-
Il never knew" said the colonel. 'ot
but one case OF dress parade under fire.
and that was az the crossing Of Swift
Greek in the Petersburg campaign. The
Eighty-first New York. under command
OF Col. John y. RaulSton. OF OsweeO. was
under orders 10 cross 10 the Petersburg
side Of the creek. The enemy kept up a
constant fire. and Col. Raulston moved his
companies in a way TO attract the atten-
ton of Gen. Butler. who sat on his horse
some distance TO the rear. watching the
movements Of his own men as well as
these OF the enemy
After the first company crossed IL
formetI in line as guard for the second
company. When the second company
was across il took the place OF the first
which moved forward half company dis
iance. and so on. with the precision Of
parade drill. until all were across Gen.
Butler was so pleased with the bearing OF
the men. with their coolness and dis
eipline, that he seat a message 10 Col.
RaIlstOn, presenting his compliments and
sag ing in effect that regiment which
could do so well under trying circUm-
stances would find il easy 10 go through
the evolutions Of dress parade under fire
The colonel accepted this as an order, and
formed his men as IL for dress parade. At
least for the space OF several minutes the
Eighty-nrst New York stood in line with
guns at parade rest, and then moved for
ward as II passing in review before the
colonel"
i saw a case like that" said the cap
tain. but it was on accident. Our col
onel was given 10 a sort OF mechanical
use OF the orders Shoulder arm.' order
arms and Parade rest The boys often
thought he used these phrases absent
mindedly. but whether he did or not, the
regiment was brought to a parade rest
half dozen times on every dress parade.
On one occasion, when the regiment was
formed as part of a long line of battle.
II was reported that the enemy was about
10 charge, and the men who had been rest
ing al will formed quickly in line.
The colOnePs voice rang out the order.
attention. Shoulder armSp Then 10 the
dInazement or the men came the order.
Order arms! Parade reStr The regi-
ments 10 the right and left were standing
at ready. The men of our regiment
were looking steadily TO the front at a pa
rade rest The colonel afterward admit
ted that he never meant 10 give the order.
that II was in his mind TO order the men
TO get ready 10 fire, but instead came out
the phrase, Parade rest and he took ad :
vantage of the unexpected to compliment
an enemy"
we came nearer to a dress parade than
that at Shiloh" said the sergenat "Our
regiment and. / think. the Sixth Ohio.
were the first of Buelps army to cross
the tennessee River on the evening of the
first days battle: Gen. Nelson, our
division commander. was SO anx-
ious TO get the men across that he
ordered that no horses be taken with the
nrst Doatloads. So IL happened that our
own reglmental officers were not present
when we formed in line. One of the SEN
ior captains took command, and was
forming line on strict parade principles.
when large officer, taking short breaths.
said. 'Thats right, captain; straight as a
rule-Strdight as a rule men,
The officer was Gen. William Nelson.
who had crossed with the first bOatload
leaving his horse behind. Not one man in
the regiment had ever seen him on foot
before. although all of them were familiar
with his appearance on horseback He
seemed so different on what the boys call
ed his sea legs, and was so different IN
manner. that at first he was not recog-
nized. He took command of the regiment
as soon as formed and moved along the
line as II he were an inspecting officer
He was the hardest swearer in the army.
and yet that evening he swore not once.
The men, used TO his clustering manners.
We're surprised at the look of anxiety
and appeal on his face. He said in low
soft tones as he moved along the line:
Now, gentlemen, remember what YOU
have TO do. aid do IL 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 were on dress pa
rade. This will show the enemy that Won
are not afraid, and it will give confidence
10 our own men who have been fighting
all day And that night and the next
morning the men of Nelson's division went
forward with lines as straight, with step
as regular, as though they were on dress
parade"