The National tribune., 1900-04-05
TWO DAYS IN THE WILDERNESS.
The Bucktail Brigade's Part During Period
of Fierce Fighting

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have
been watching the columns of THE Ma.
TIONAL TRIBUNE, hoping that some
member of the Bucktail Brigade would
write an account of the part it took in the
battle of the Wilderness. This brigade
was separated from the corps to which it
belonged on the second day, and no his
torian gives it credit for some important
fighting in that very important battle.
On the morning Of May the brigad g
formed in line Of battle in an old field moi
far from the Wilderness Tavern. noticed
that our brigade was on the extreme left;
there were other commands to our right
! The regiment to which belonged, the 10th
Pa, was on the left Of the brigade
We marched in line of battle through q
pine thickct about half mile, when wc
came to n hollow or a ravine covered SO
thick with alder and green briar that we
could not get through. We were ordered
to lie down. To our right the rattle of
musketry gave us to know that the right
of our brigade and Griffin's Division had
| found the enemy.
We lay there but n short time before the
balls began to sing over us from the rear,
when We We're ordered by the right flank,
and we got out of that as fast as possible,
losing heavily, especially in prisoners. the
enemy following some distance out of the
pines.
We reformed and got ready for fight
again in front of the Wilderness Tavern,
and remained there. listening to terrific
musketry firing by the Second Corps and
the enemy about Il mile TO our left, until,
| about p. m, We went into the woods again
on the flank Of the enemy to relieve the
Second Corps. We did not meet the enemy
i'll much force. The shades of night closed
4 til.. FNfNtI for tlr.a. .t.lKs
After dark the Iron Brigade moved in
between us and the enemy. We lay on
arms all night, feeling pretty safe, for we
| had i'll front of lis what we considered the
best brigade i'll the army.
On the morning of the 9th as soon as it
was light: the command was "Forwardr'
We moved off with quick step towards
Parker's Store, the Iron Brigade in our
front making plenty of music with their
Enfields, driving the enemy before them
and taking line of log breastworks
Our brigade had crossed these breast
opened on us with artillery, sending the
shot and shell through the timber thick as
hail. We Were ordered to lie down We
had la in about five minutes when the Iron
Brigade ran over us, fully one-half of our
brigade going with them, and all our
mounted officers, except the Colonel and
AdJutant of our regiment. The balance
of our brigade fell back behind the ap-
tured breastworks, and by rapid firing
checked the enemy and made them seek
| shelter; but both sides soon ceased firing
and all became quiet on this part of the
field.
Some of the boys were lying around talk
ing, others were sleeping, and but few Were
apparently paying any attention to the
enemy. Knowing that there were no
skirmishcrs out. kept sharp eye in front
and to the right and left. About D. m
| saw through an opening i'll the timber to
| the right an officer, spleudidly mounted on
a tine-loohing dark horse; the officer had
| full dark whiskers and was dressed in a
fine suit of gray, with as many stars on his
| coat collar as there was room for, without
croWding. He filled the descriptions of
Gen Iongstreet calculated the distance.
| raised the sights on my gun To 300 yards,
aimed for his sword-belt and fired. Two
or three seconds afterwards there We're five
or six shots TO my right in quick succession.
| saw that they Were at the officer. His
horse turned and he was out of my sight.
| heard some one TO my right say he fell
| from his horse.
| About 4 p. m. our fraction of a brigade
| formed in columns of fours and marched to
the rear and right until we came to the
| Orange plank road; thea to the front again
for about Il half milo. We formed in
line Of battle on the right of the read n a
thlnly-timbered swampy piece of ground;
we remained there but II short time, when
the enemy made another attack on our
left: We could hear the rattle of mIsketry
advance until it passed in our front. Men
in the front line soon began 10 come back
and pass through our line. We saw by