The National tribune., 1900-08-30

and landed about four miles below For
Henry the gunboats in the advance.
We left the boat, marched about half
mile, and camped for the night.
On the morning of Feb. 3 we marched
out toward the bluffs and again camped
We were without tents or shelter of an!
kind. We had our blankets and overcoats
Rubber blankets were unkonwn IN those
early days of the war; ut least, we were
not supplied with them.
During the day there was some Smelling
from the gunboats and heavy firing from
the fort. As night came on cold, peltinG
rain set in and kept it up nearly all night
We were encamped in an open field, on q
side hill. We had plenty of rails and
wood to make fires, and kept them going
all night. We lay on rails to keep up out
of the mud, and as fast as one side soaked
through turned the other toward the fire
and thus we steamed and chilled all that
long, terrible night, wet through. But we
took care to keep our ammunition dry and
accepted the situation as part of sol
dier'S life Many stout hearty young
man caught his death-cold, and many have
suffered long years from the effects of that
cold dismal bone-aching shivering. | never
experienced such another night during my
four years of service. However, i'll the
morning it cleared up. The boys twisted
and wrung out their wet blankets and
could. then marched through mud and
water sometimes four feet deep, intending
to cut off the retreat of the rebels from
Fort Henry to Fort Donelson. We were
too late; they got out before we reached
the road.
At Il o'clock the gunboats opened fire
and advanced up the river. We were in
hearing of those guns and at times could
see the fort through the smoke. The boys
would cheer when the heavy reports
echoed among the bluffs. supposing it was
the gunboats' guns, but we afterwards
learned it was the big rife in the fort.
THE WHITE fling AT FORT HENRY.
After one hour and - minutes of heavy
firing the fort ran up the white flag. The
infantry all escaped and a few artillery
men that worked the guns We're taken.
Four We're killed in the fort by the burst
gunboat fire was terrible; nine-inch shells
had torn the works and passed through
Tcws of cabins back of the fort, carrying
terror and destruction with them. Seven
teen heavy pieces were found IN the en-
brasures.
We arrived about dark, but the 18th
boys got in ahead and ''gobbled' up every
thing of value. The log cabins and breast
works were intended to be manned by
thousands of men, but they fell back on
Fort DOneison. We got hold of several
tents. The one We occupied was marked
-NtiSOu IL very "
shelter u.s. as the GrayS had fed.
There we remained two days. Several
prisoners and horses were brought in. At
4 p. III. on the 11th we marched out about
four miles and camped in the woods. As
we left our camp we beat the drums at
the head of the regiment.
On the 18th We marched and had skir-
miShing all day, moving toward DOnelson,
II miles from Fort Henry. The road
passed through the woods and over the
hills until we came in sight of the rife
pits and Notifications ON the hill above
the little town of DovGr, on the Cumber-
land River, breastwOrks and batteries
guarding all the approaches, as well as
heavy guns in pits the approach by river.
We took our position, after marching
end countermarching through the brush
and over the nils and across ravines, on
the extreme right, ours being the right
regiment Of the Second Brigade of Nc
Clernand's Division. The First Brigade
was to our right and their right, resting
near the overflow from the Cumberland
River. The 31st H., Col. Logan, was the
left of the First Brigade; our right joined
their left. TaylOr's battery of six brass
guns was placed to our left. A detail of
our boys dug out places on the side hill
near the top for these guns.
About II q. N. on the 18th the gunboats
engaged the water batteries, and the boys
were firing at the men in buckram," as
Private Wright expressed it, in their rife
pits, not more than 200 yards sway. We
had not yet learned the range O. our mus
kets, for the boys stood ont openly AMI
fired at anyone exposing himself.
| went down TO a small stream TO fill
my canteen. / could see The enemy's
tents, works and flags flying. Our sharp
shooters (of not much experience them
managed 10 keep them from firing their
cannon our way.
RESTLESS PICKETs.
We lay down to sleep. About o'clock
h che morning we were aroused and or
dered to fall in. Bullets were WI iZzing
past US. As we threw off our frozen
blankets, covered with snow that hal fall
en- during the night, the cold chill If that
morning air penetrated our very bones
We took our places in line, b Ut as it was
only picket firing we built up fires low
down in the ravineS. where We made CO..
fee and sat by the fire until daylight. We
were sheltered from the rebel fire by 4
Line of hills thickly covered with a growth
OF Jack-oak trees; many had been CT:
down in order TO prevent us from charg-
ing.
On the morning of the 18th we were in
line at daylight. We made COTE and it
was distributed as the boys stoo1 in ranks
Shortly afterwards u close, quick vollrv
came, striking down five men of Co. X,
the extreme left of the regiment. This
was the lFSt time we had stood IN battle
line and faced death. ] looked at those
EIen lying on the snow just as they had
fallen. They were dead. / could hardly
realize il. This was war in earnest.
GooD-BY TO THE DRUM.
Scattering fire now commenced off 20
the right, and in our immediate front As
was drummer up to this time, | was
only Spectator. and remained near my
company. My drum was covered with
snow aud became the spoil of war. as
never saw it afterwards About this time
German boy in Co. | was hit just under
one eye. He was sitting in the snow and
looking very dismal. | took his cartridge
box, bucklcd it around my waist, and also
glasped his musEet. / was now fully
armed and equipped. The Captain pointed
with his sword and ] took my place in line
with the tlc-cloScrs. We were armed with
French riiled muskets, caliber 90: the bull
let was elongated, pointed. with hollow
in the back end and weighed one and q
half ounces. One of these missiles crash
ing through a mans ribs. would make 9
wreck of the human frame.
Our uniforms were gray. We changed
10 blue on the battlefield. We all had or
long blue OvcrcOats with capes; hence tn,
rebels afterwards said that they fought tn,
''long-tailed blues
Our line was rather in semicircle TO con
form with the brow Of the hills we were
TO defend. Pretty severe musketry begar
a all aipp.. r. :;