The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1900-12-20
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
STILL ANOTHER REGULAR.
A 14th U. S. Man Sends a Breezy Story
About Second Bull Run.

1
j. Kilmer, of Corpus Christi Tex, and
when | saw he once belonged to the bully
old 18th L. S. / was all attention at once
| can assure you. For he it known that
same old command had the honor to in
| cude the writer in its ranks from Aug
ust, 1861, to near the same time in 1865.
First of all l will say TO Comrade X,
| Lets shake, old boy; glad to meet you
again, if only on paper
! have found that when n cOmradc
writes up his recollcctionS of de wall
| some other lad will Jump him and give
| a different version of the affair. Now. we
must all remember it has been many long
years since we stood in the ranks in Dixie,
shoulder to shoulder, in support of the Old
tlag, and memory fails even the best of
us sometimes. / am willing to let char
ity cover all the mistakes | may make in
writing this article.
Comrade kilmer wrote of his recollcc-
tons of Second Bull Run. There are
some statements ! can hardly understand.
COmrade Iilmer says he belonged to Capt.
Locke's company, G., of the I'd Battalion,
18th u. s., and was in that company at
Bull Run fight, and saw Capt Coppinger
wounded. Now, here is my trouble to
understand how that can be, but explain
have mistaken the 1st Battalion for the
ID Battalion, unless the I'd was formed
on the left of orr LIST at that battle, which
| fail to remember.
Now. will give my recollections of that
Gentleman-C Cow Run affair as | saw it
from the standpoint of our LIST Battalion.
Not later than 8 o'clock a. III. OH the
morning of Aug. 80, 1862, we filed to the
left from the road on which we had
he hiotn,.ic fold formal limo Of
battle in n large field, advanced about 60
rods, and halted in the edge of large
cornficld, near two or three large apple
trees. We at once commenced to break
our fast on the ears of green corn. There
was some scattering musketry and n few
heavier shots in our front, which gave us
TO understand that Johnny Reb was on
hand as usual.
We lay there awaiting orders perhaps
20 minutes, and lost our first man, from
Co. Il, | think it was, by q cannon shot
from the front.
Capt John ID. O'Comell (''Old Paddy")
was in command of us at the time, and
no better officer ever wore sword in ac-
ton than he. He had a voice you could
hear above the roar, of artillery, and for
fear, do not think he knew what it was;
he led us on many fields, and never saw
him exhibit the least sigmoof it.
TALON" Forward, guide, were
given, and away we went through the
corn, then advanced through q strip of
timber, across Il road int9 n large field,
and halted our line. And what sight
met our gaze! About 40 rods in our front
on rise was a rebel battery, and at the
foot of the knoll ON the slope lay line
of red brooches. We thought at first
sight they were there TO gobble that bat
I'D th.,-. sol
diers of Brooklyn regiment, we were
told.
The rebel battery turned its attention
to our line, and we fell back to the road
about four rods in our rear and lay down,
our right resting near n log cabin. Then
there was music in the air. Shells burst
all around, and on the sandy land in our
front it looked like taking a handful of
gravel and small stones and throwing
them onto the surface of mill-pond. l
suspect it was grape and canister they
were feeding us there.
l witnessed one Of the coolest things !
ever saw during the war. Odd Paddy
rode his old stocking-leg horse about five
rods to the front Of our line, wheeled, and
said:
"Oh, Adj't LuciIee, come out here"
Our Adjutant dashed out to the old
Captains side, expecting some order,
Il
ed to the rebel battery, and said
"Adjutant, just see those rebellious peo-
pie up there"
We'll. it was worth n haversack Of mon
keys to see that Adjutant. He turned,
and with look of the most intense dis
gust | ever saw made dash to the rear
of the line again.
Now occurred another little event to
keep our spirits up. Many of us had our
rn1InI and tin1 and
shoulder and under the arm on the other
side, which made a roll as large as your
leg On my right lay tall New Eng
lander. 4 missile struck that roll over
his right shoulder a smart slap. All
heard it and looked to see the damage it
might have done. The New Highlander
shut his eyes, Strengthened out his arms
and legs, just as a frog will when hit with
n club, and yelled:
"Oh, I'm dead"
We could see that it was the blanket |
and not John it had hit, and set up yell. |
| have no doubt most of us would have
done as he did, but it was fun for US. |
John still lives in New Hampshire.
/ never knew why we were not ordered |
to go for that battery, but soon it was |
evident the rebs were coming in on our |
left and rear, and we were ordered back |
to meet this new condition. We about
faced and fel. back to the strip of timber,
halted, about-faced, and lay down again.
The Johnnies kept up their practice on us
all the time. A shell burst over and in
front of my company. A piece as large
as my hand came tumbling along and
stopped little before it reached my head.
Another solid shot cut a tree nearly
through near the right of the company.
had much rather go fishing than be
where it was so unhealthy. In about two
minutes we were called to Attention,
md back we went again.
There was with our company young
nan named Kendall. be had had his
land crushed in pump on our march
lere, and had turned in his gun, as he
,arried his arm in sling. He had fol-
owed us into the fights but was not re-
luired to be there at ALL When we now
ell back through this strip of timber he
vas in our rear. When we had nearly
cached the other side tof the wood we
eard Kendall yelb and looking back saw
i'm standing bent over and stream OF
Hood running from aobve the belt. A reb
TODD with a smoking gun in his hand lit
lie distance from him; he had just shot
'oor Kendall. A yell went up from the
Whole regiment to shoot him. The rebel
urned to run, then held his hands and
ried: Don't shoot; I'll surrender" But |
oor Kendall was mustered out"
We fell back about so rods, went in on
he left flank and I've fstruck yellow
ackets' nest for sure. i'ih {
"Old Paddy saw there was to be some |
eavy work here, and seeming to have {
more fear for his old horse than himself
e dismounted, turned the animal around