The National tribune., 1900-10-11

20 prisoners were captured by our scouts
and four wagons loaded with army stores.
We struck the rebels again next day at
Big Shanty. Nos. held horses and the
brigade got quickly into line. The 18th
Ind. Battery placed its guns in rear Of
US on knoll and threw shells over into
Big Shanty. A line of skirmishers went
ont, supported by the shells of the bat
terry, and we charged and the rebels broke
and fed for the mountains. We lost one,
Royal Fancher, boy much beloved in the
regiment.
WITHOUT HONOR OR GRATITUDE.
After we had started back the writer
and one of the 9Sth Ill. boys came across
a wounoed rebel crying for water. l had
two canteens full, and gayA him a drink,
laid him in the shade and put his blanket
under his head and left him with full
canteen of cold water. He was like other
men Of the South however; their hatred
for the Union men overcame every SEN
tment of gratitude or honor. l started
on toward Big Shanty, and the 9Sth Ill.
man started back toward the spring to get
some water i'll q bucket we had picked up
close to where the wounded man lay. Be
fore | had gotten % yards from the rebel
ly: Look out, Jerome" Just as l
turned my head | heard the crack of
musket. The ball passed through my hat
rim. The wounded wretch had reached
out and got gun that lay close to him,
and Ben said he took aim at me, and just
as he fired reached him in time to strike
his gun. When 1 went back and demand
ed why he had shot at me he began to
plead for his life. But l was angry and
excited. All l wish to say is that he
never fired another gun. 1 have often
thought that / might have done differ
emily than 4 did, but when / think about
it the question comes up in my mind, Am
| murderer, or was l justifiable? But
be it as it may, all the money in Clark
Co. would not tempt me to do as / did
then, for | did not go to the army to kill
or abuse the helpless.
GUARDING BRIDGES.
By 6 o'clock in the morning we were
on the road. The rebels had retreated
We left Big Shanty to our left and
marched in front of the army. Our
scouts came in contact with the rear of
the enemy's column retreating, which we
followed until evening. when we fell back
close to Big Shanty and camped. All day
there had been hot work off to our left.
We could hear cannonading the next
morning. We saddled up early. About
noon we were ordered to build breast
works. l was put on duty with others
to guard to the hospital some 20 escaped
prisoners who had come into the lines the
night before in a very wretched condition
from their ill-treatment in rebel prisons
and their hardships while on the way to
our army, and their stories were sad ones
We got back to camp about 2 o'clock in
the morning, very tired and hungry.
We were put at guarding a bridge at
Moody Branch and saved 1t once from
destruction. Being camped on the farm
Of the rebel, Gen. Miller, we had several
feasts. Matters remained rather quiet
about this time in our brigade.
We started off again June 10 to the
bank of Sugar Creek, where we built tenn
porary works close to the railroad bridge.
Johnston's army was retreating, and we
could hear heavy cannonading to our left.
also toward Big Shanty, but we learned
that the enemy was concentrating toward
Kenesaw Mountain. We went into camp
four miles west of Kenesaw Mountain ON
the 10th. Friday found us in line wait.
Ing in heat and rain. We could hear can
nonading all along the lines of the army.
who had taken possession Of Kenesaw
and around Marietta Sherman had com
menced flank march to the left of Ken
esaw.
Our regiment was on picket on Satur-
day and could see the rebels manuyerinp
on kenesaw and learned there was heavy
! lighting. We filed to the right and cap
tured train of cars, got up high pres
sure of steam, and turning the throttle
, open let her go right through the rebel
lines and Marietta at the rate of so miles
an hour. The rebels opened fire with
their artillery, but they failed to hit IL.
and it ran to within ave miles Of Atlanta
before the steam failed.