The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-26

1--WE PRESSED THEM INTO OUR SER
repeatedly charged by the Confederates.
who left the field strewn with their dead.
As | walked among the bodies L could
see just how they met their death; some
with faces set toward the stone fence as
they advanced, others with backs to the
foe as they retreated from the unsuccess-
full charge. Many brave fellow had
rushed up close enough to the stone fence
10 look into the very nuZzles of the guns
leveled on its top, and there left his body
as the silent witness of his gallantry.
What poor reward for heroism! Aban-
doned by comrades, neglected by foes,
their bodies exposed to pitiless rains, at
last to be dragged like carcasses of beasts
into long trenches that would be mock
cry to call graves, there TO moulder into
dust, unrecogniZed and unknown.
Sick at heart with such scenes, | con-
tinued the search for my regiment through
the camps where Buelrs army was bivou-
acked and preparing for the march. The
organization of brigades and divisions had
been changed during my absence. so that
my inquiries were restricted to the where
abouts Of my own regiment. l did not
know that it had been assigned to Gen.
Silrs Division and dispatched before the
battle from Louisville to Frankfort to in
tercept Kirby Smiths advance toward
Cincinnati, and that the division had not
yet rejoined the main army, but was with
in a few hours march, while Buell. only
awaited its arrival to continue the pur-
suit of Bragg.
PURSUIT OF BRAGG.
When the troops began to move | sta
toned myself on the Danville Pike, three
miles from Perryville and watched the
steady stream of regiments. brigades and
divisions marching by, without the sight
of familiar face uutn night hid them
from my view; but still / could hear the
trampling of feet and the Jingle of pots
and pans which each man carried.
Worn out with fruitless watching and
inquiry for my regiment, / was glad to
find straw shed near the pike, where,
rolled in my blanket, l might obtain 40
winks" of sleep without danger of being
trampled on by the passing troops.
At the break Of day, Oct. II Sunday.
| was up, to continue my inquiry as regi-
ment after regiment passed. but none that
| was familiar with. Indeed, it was diff
fcult to get Il correct answer, as the usual
reply would be 18th Methodist 18th
Presbyterian" ''Buell's Foot Cavalry" or
some such outlandish title, which APP
peared very funny to everybody except
me.
At last l recognized n familiar face,
that Of Gen. Phil Sheridan, riding with
his staff at the head of his division In
question | had vainly asked of hundred
Others. His reply was, Stay where you
are. and your regiment viii pass in a
little while"
When it did come little later / placed
myself under its protecting wing with all
the eagerness OF a helpless chicken that
has long been separated from the mother
hen. Thus ended three weeks of pre-
carious subsistence as a detachment Of
one" chasing after the marching column
whose 'bivOuacks" were 20 miles removed
each day. True, my comrades did not
| have u roof or bed TO offer me, but they
/ gave me- part of the road to walk on, a
place nj the campfire, my share of ra-
tions, the privilege of cooking them and
/ spot of ground to sleep on.
As | marched in the ranks with light
step and a light hayersack. chatting with
my old messmates, who had interesting
experiences to relate, / had TO laugh at
their ridiculous appearance, with frying
| pans, coffee-pots and tin cups strapped on
| their backs or dangling at their sides,
| juggling with every step like tin pedlers.
! The baggage wagons Of the regiment had
been captured and destroyed long before
| All we now possessed was carried ON our
| backs.
Officers as well as priyates were orna-
mented with kitchenware-the skillet dis.
puted honors with the sword.
All were bronZed with five weeks ex.
posture to the elements, smoked with
campfres, creased and blackened with
handling skillets and pots, stained with
mingled colors of dust and mud picked
up in the highways and byways of noun:
tains and swamps of 600 miles centinu.
GUS marching. But all were in good
health and spirits, anxious to overtake
Bragg, who during all this time was jus,
a little way ahead, yet not SO far that
| he could hope to enter Louisville oil
Cincinnati and scare away the Home