The National tribune., 1900-05-10


battery posted, to wait for daylight. ]
went TO sleep, but was walked at 1880 by the
battery opening upon us. A battle en-
sued, lasting about two hours, when we
charged them and captured the battery
and an immense amount of stores, the rebs
skedadd!ing at a ,great, pace. Moved out
half mile and fed. While feeding, Homer
Marsh, veteran of Co. NJ, accidentally
shot himself through the heart, dying
instantly. Our loss was three slightly
wounded. Went into camp about ) o'clock
Dec. 17.-Marched at daylight in pur-
suit Of the enemy upon the Princeton pike.
Dec. 19-Came up with Lyons forces at
Ashbyburg, on the Green River. Most of
them had crossed, but we fought them till
darkness put stop to proceedings and
they all got across during the night.
Dec. 21.-Got aboard the steamer D. B.
Campbell with dozen of our sick, and
after ferrying the brigade across, started
down the river from Ashbyburg. U had a
cold in my face and was forced to go to hos
pital at Evansville. After various dis
agreeable adventures | reached my regi-
ment at Nashville, Jan. 81
Jan. 3.-Ifeceived orders to march at
daylight Having another load of ord
nance to turn over, / went down town and
| through the same labyrinth Of red tape as
yesterday-only more Of it, for a change.
| finally completed my business about 4
O'Clock, started for the regiment, and after
a two hours ride overlook it near Franklin
| Tenn. Marched at daylight the next day
and camped near Springhill.
CROSSING DUCK RIVER.
Jan. 11.-Reached Duck River abou,
noon. and it proved a duck river in earnest
| for about 30 of us. We undertook to cross
the river, which was very high, on a rickety
old bridge. 1t looked rather scaly, but as
the rest of our division, the artillery and
heavy supply and ammunition trains had
Just crossed, we apprehended no danger.
| When halfway across, Maj. Harnden
commanding the regiment, the staff and
non-commissioned staff and about Is mer
of Co. G, the leading company, all there
were on the bridge, down the structure
+, went, horses and all, 80 feet and into the
| roaring water.
AT the first crack I Slipped my feet from
the stirrups, and landed on the highest
par: Of the bridge without getting wet, and
started for the shore, about six rods distant
/ but saw some of the boys fastened under
their horses, some in the water between
timbers Of the bridge, and went back to helI
| them out.
Jimmie Aplin, the Majors Orderly, was
| in the water and wedged between two
| timberS in such a manner that | saw he
would be crushed when the bridge struck
an old stone abutment in the river a short
distance below, and | hurried TO get him
out from his dangerous position. In doing
so myself slipped in, but succeeded in
eXtricating him just before the bridge
struck the obstruction and broke up into
small RATS.
About third OF the horses got away
| from the bridge when it first went down
and swan ashore. Others were fastened
| in the timbers and drowned. Most of the
men jumped before the bridge had swung
| far from shore and got off easily. Lieut.
Chase, of Co. &, ran past me and jumped
toward the Columbia side of the river and
had long, hard swim before gaining the
shore. My horse lay down on the bridge
as quietly as though on the ground, and
was out of the water entirely.
There were several pieces of the bridge
and they were being swiftly borne dowr
stream by the angry waters. There were
now only seven men aiiOat and all be
longed at Headquarters: Mai. Harnden
Albert Morehead. Pete Walker, clerks
Shell Vosburg, Commissary-Sergeant
Aplin, Orderly, and myself. The Majol
was on raft by himself. On the one
ahead of him were Morehead and Vosburg
while Goodrich, Walker, Apln and man
ned the hindmost one. My horse anC
accouterments were on the raft with tn,
Major, and had not tried to get up.
| ANOTHER DIFFICULTY.
Our raft soon caught up with the one OF
which the Major was, and | made a bis
jump and got aboard with him and helped
in getting the horses loose. After goine
down about two miles we saw rapids ahead
and were nearly wrecked. Only q mil,
ahead we could see the false works at
railroad bridge in course of construction
with bents thckly set. Thinking W,
would have to take swim when we reached
them, l threw my diary, in which hat