The National tribune., 1901-01-10
FIGHTING A WATERY ENEMY.
1t Would Have Conquered Veteran Banks
but for Prompt Action by Comrades

| ~ "ouiu nave conquered veteran Banks
but for Prompt Action by Comrades.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the
Spring of 1862, after the battle of Stone
Ih'er, JohhsChs Division, to which | be-
| longed, was camped four or five miles
south of MurfreesborO, Tenn, between the
railroad and the Shelbyville Pike. along
thc north bank of the river from which
the great battle got its name Our duty
consisted mostly of picketng and forag-
ing.
As our picket work was all done on the
south side of the river, we had either to
go to the railroad bridge n mile above our
camp or the pike bridge, about the same
distance below, in order to get to the
picket line, making the distance a great
deal farther for us to get to our part of
the line.
SO we of our brigade thought to erect
temporary bridge opposite our camp, in
| order TO shorten our march to the picket
llhe. Ilmbers were cut and the stringers
or sllls were placed in position by the 9th
Ind, while the LIST Ohio were on nickel
| When we got back to the river the next
morning we found the bridge MS above
stated with the stringers across. During
| the night there had been heavy rain that
raised the river full to overlooking. 1t
being n very swift current there. the mud
dy water, filled with small debris, was
rushlhg past, dashing against the great
rocks, throwing the spray far above its
rough surface.
Some of us now thought to save the
long tramp around to the other bridges
by crossing on the stringers of the bridge
| and reach camp long before those who
went around. Some of the boys got down
astride the logs and "cooned it''-as we
| called 1t, over; but l thought was a little
bit smarter than they were and l would
show fhnnl -h0t II 4 Al,
Of walking log. l had walked a log
many times across little runs and spring
branches about home. But did not stop
to reckon with the danger caused by the
fast-fowing waters beneath, and started
with more confidence in myself than a
circus rope-walker. My pride was soon
lowered, and l was very much humbled,
for when had gotten almost to the mid
die of the stream the water was rush
ing down stream, and / seemed to be
spinning as fast the other way. / Topped
over into the surging waters quicker than
you could say Jack Robinson" and start
ed, not up stream, as / was before falling
but in the same direction as the debris.
had on all the paruphernalia of a
picket-guard, which consisted of gun,
cartridge-box, haversack, canteen, rubber
and wool blankets. / turned in my gun
the first thing, as it looked to me as
though / would not need it where l was
going. never Travelled so fast in the
water before or since. Before / was
| aware of what happened l was % or 80
yards below the bridge, tumbling over the
rocks at great rate. Sometimes 1 was
head-up, and sometimes my big feet ESQ
the boys said) could be seen flying through
space.
As it so happened, I struck 4 big rock,
right side up, and chung to it, which
proved to be better than a straw, as it
was the means by which my life was
saved.
| My comrades had not had time to do
anything toward helping me, until / struck
| the rock; but as soon as / had planted
myself firmly on the rock / became very
| humble and even went so far as to ask
the boys to help me to let loose. We did
not have life-saving station in running
order at that time and place. and had to
cOntriye a method as quickly as possible
in order to relieve me.
The boys were about as much excited
as l was. However, one of my dear old
comrades, named Samuel A. Hervey, who
had hatchet, ran TO the timber, at my
suggestion, and cut long pole and
brought it, waded in rs far as he could
holding TO the small end, had one of the
other boys take the big end upstream, and
throw it in and push it out until the cur
rent would carry it down toward me. II
being too short it did not reach me, so il
went by and left me still clinging to the
rock for dear life, sure enough.
| told the boys to try it again, and
would jump and catch the pole as it went
by me. | managed to strip all of my
things so as to tighten myself for the
jump, and was ready when the pole came
close to me, and l made the leap and
caught the pole so suddenly that il
jerked the poor fellow that was hold
ing it down into the water; but he held
to it, and. | believe saved my life. | was
no swimmer, and could not have swan
then if | had been, for / was bruised con
siderably, as well as badly chilled, and
the fast-rushng of the water to falls
| Just below could not have been stemmed
The cOmrade who did so much to save me
died afterward in Libby Prison, out OF
the reach of my help, which l would glad
ly have given him.
l walked to camp around by the rail
road bridge, and found out that time that
the farthest way around was the nearest
way home.
Our bridge was never finished, as we
were moved from this camp, known as
| Camp Sill, back nearer to Murfreesboro
to Camp Drake, where our picket duty
| was changed to the northwest toward
Nashville, about the battle ground. There
we had a beautiful camp. Our quarters
were shaded by being covered with sheds
of cedar brush. We stayed in this camp
until June, when we started on the Tulla-
homa campaign, or mud march," where
we had little too much water for march.
ing and not quite enough for boats, al
though we had pontOon boats, great heavy
structures, almost large enough for Gov
eminent transpOrt.-CHAs. BANKS, Co. III
| Let Ohio