The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-07-11

1864. we We're lyin;
EASNlHX~ within thirty step
lhSkJ of the rebel in
trenchments, hold
| NZ5u<SS Ing the position
S2:>E g reached in tn
charge of June -
By this time We We're used to the rebels
and they had become accustomed Il
our presence and pernicious activity
, This day they suddenly began to throw
stones, and the range was so short the!
hurt a good many of our men. Occa
siOnally a cold corn-dodger would come
over with the stones, and our boy:
rould shout: For Gods sake. John
MES, throw rocks, but don't throw any
more cOrnbread. And then some Of
our men threw hard tack at the rebels
and the JOhnnies called for more. Al
this time there was brisk rifle fire
but the flying stones and cOrnbread ant
hard tack gave to the scene the appear
ance Of frOlic, and there was cOnsid
erable hilarity and confusion.
In the midst Of the excitement a sol
dier with 4 tin bucket in his hand
stepped over our works and marched
straight over to the rebel works. He
was n stranger in our regiment, and
none of the men seemed to know where
he came from. Suspecting that he was
spy, l ordered some Of the men near
me to shoot him. But before they fired
he climbed up the rebel works and was
pulled inside. While we were In state
Of wOnderment over the strange affair
the rebels asked us what We sent such
q blamed fool over to them for. The
man, who belonged to the Second brig
ade Of our division, had become insane
during the battle, and he went into the
rebel works raving maniac. We af-
terward found him In the hospital,
where the rebels in our front had hur-
ried him as soon as they discovered his
condition.
The strangest thing about the adven-
ture was that hundreds Of men had
been trying for four days to do what
this crazy fellow did, and had been
killed or wounded, and Jet this man
with mind astray walked deliberately
across the narrow zone Of fire, climbed
up their breastwOrks, and was not in
jured. On the day Of the charge and
the night after the rebels hauled a good
many Of our boys over their fortifica-
tons, so that part Of the business was
not new. But that a man should leave
our works and march straight over to
theirs was a new experience to all Of
us, and we could scarcely believe our
eyes. But for that matter the whole
of kenesaw was new to us.
We had charged right up to the rebel
works and had remained within twen-
ty-seven steps Of their ridemen. and
dead and wounded lying between the
two lines.
Il know 1t was just twenty-seven
steps because I counted them June %.
when the rebs and ourselves buried the
dead. The armistice was asked for by
the rebels, and General JEFF G. Davis
sent an officer half way to make terms.
Our officer went forward thirteen steps.
when he stood within foot of the Con-
who had taken just fourteen
steps from their line. The Confederates
at this conference claimed the arms
that lay where our dead and wounded
had dropped them. General Davis re-
piled that the arms were ours, and
would be ours as long as We could fight
for them. He would not consent to
IN armistice unless this point was con-
,eded. The Confederate burial party
stood with their backs to our works
and our men stood with their backs to
the rebel works. Under this arrange
nent there could be no spying by either
party.
'The graves were dug on the top Of
he ridge between the lines, officers and
men in the works on either side watch
ng the details at work. During the
saw at short range Generals
Cheatham, and others, and
'ancied there was great curiosity on
heir part to see the Yapks who had
remained % close to an enc
ny in Overwhelming force. But had
,ther things to think of. The orders
we're not to remove any of the arms
lropped by the wounded on the 27th,
,ut Lieutenant Rodgers carried on that
lay a sword sent to him from his home
It Ell Paso, Ill. When he was wounded
,e dropped the sword and the boys
wanted to get 1t for him, SO detailed
IS one Of the burying squad a man from
he lieutenant's own company. The lat
er was instructed to wear a long coat
md, when opportunity afforded, to Sc
'rete the sword under the coat and
,ring it to me. He acted up to his in
tructions and the sword was in due
ime sent home to Lieutenant Rodgers.
"Just before the burying party start
q from our works a man Of COMPANY
came to me and said his cOmrade,
filed on the 9th and whose body was
o be buried. had a large roll Of money
ecreted on his person. 4 man was
etailed to look after the money and he
rought it to me. And yet a strict
Fatch was kept on all our men by the
ebel officers. As soon as the dead
vere under ground the two burying
quads marched each to It's own lines,
fficers on both sides saluted, ordered
heads down." and in two minutes the
attic was renewed in all its fury.
hat night We started a tunnel to blow
p the rebel works and the Confeder-
tes opened OH us with new batteries,
heir shells passing over us because We
'ere SO close to the guns. On Saturday
light Colonel Dilworth and myself had
tanned to charge the works at .
clock Sunday morning. But about l |
clock some one called from the rebel |
forks and asked permission to come |
lto our lines, saying that the rebels
al retreated. We sent over Il guard |
nd, finding the works deserted. report
4 the fact to General Sherman and be- |