Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-30
Battle of Missionary Ridge.

don't hail them: don't provoke night
fight by shooting at objects of magma
ton. If. you see anything and it is not
coming in, don't fire, but keep quiet and
watchful; I will relieve you at the proper
time Now, listen, jackson is the coun-
tersign; don't forget, nor don't go to
sleep for that means death"
The officer went his way. was the last
picket put on. Just about fifteen minutes
after he left, / saw objects just about
thirty yards away in front OF me.
whispered this to my companion and told
him was going to fire on them. could
see and heard plainly 1t was the enemy
dark clouds were fitting between us and
the moon; at times 1 could see a man
plainly outlined and then again I could
not. 1 raised my gun to shoot and bore
hard on the trigger but something seemed
to say, Don't shoot, his blood will be
on your hands before God: don't shoot"
took down my gun and whispered to
my companion: my heart has failed me,
l can't shoot that man. 1 will watch
him." And did watch him. until the
moon was covered with darkness and L
heard in my rear creeping footsteps very
close by. said in low tone, who
comes there?"
"A friend with the countersign," he ans
wered over the point of my bayonet
jackson. he said, II came to take
you back"
We stealthily crept out Of danger. then
made our way to Mission Ridge. Just af-
ter crossing the bridge over that wind
ing stream of death (Chickamauga) going
through an old field 1 stumbled over. the
biggest bass drum 1 ever saw. IT was
fully four feet high and twenty inches
wide. Feeling about 1t I found the should
er straps and strung It on, then went on
q ~ g. 90 Y
came up with hundreds of men rolled up
in blankets asleep.
I did not know what regiment they
were as all were asleep, so I stopped near,
corded up the drum ct was about an
hour before day., and thought I would
try it. tapped it pretty hard with my
fist and every man was on his feet in a
moment. There came near being a stam-
pede, but my colonel, AK A. Greene, who
was nearest, recognized my voice. He
quickly Quieted the men and taking the
drum felt about over it and pronounced
II a good drum; adding that we needed
drum and for me to just lay my gun
down and hold on to that drum.
When daylight came that drum was a
sight for all to look at. Nobody had
ever seen or heard of such a drum. 1t
was wonder to everybody and all were
wondering who it belonged to and where
IT came from. But oh my, when I got
OAA my b1Sh o4Ah
started on the march everybody whooped;
they hallowed, Where you gwine with
the commissary?" "Going to wash for
the brigade" Come out from behind that
drum--I see your legs weighing" were
some Of the comments that greeted me.
Well. we went upon Mission Ridge and
formed line of battle along the top Of
this ridge. The Thirty-seyenth Alabama
was held as reserve.
Fighting soon commenced on the ex-
IRENE right. We passed the whole army
or very near 1t, going to the right, the
soldiers keeping up their fire of comment
At one low place on the ridge, the Yam
KEGS caught sight Of me and they sent
shells screaming over us. After getting
to the right we were ordered back to the
left-back and forth we marched-the boys
whooping and yelling.
The colonel told me not to mind the
boys, but to hold on to that drum and
ordered me to lay my gun down, but
didn't do it, for 1 thought would need it
before night.
have thought about it since and have
come to the conclusion that General Bragg
had us march backward and forward
from right to left for a purpose. The men
would whoop at the sight OF the drum