The National tribune., 1901-09-05

conviction that not one shot out Of the
so rounds per man that was fired did
any execution. 1t served to draw the
terrific fire Of the enemy upon us, and
to render our position very dangerous and
uncomfortable. This we should not have
cared SO much about IL we had had a
chance to return their fire effectively; but,
sheltered as the enemy were by an almost
impregnable stone wall, it was impossible
to do so. However, the regiment kept
up its fire, and did not cease until every
man had expended his ammunition. Had
the enemy then charged on them they
could not have repulsed them for want Of
ammunition. Orders had been sent to
them several times to cease firing; but we
suppose the near proximity of the enemy,
though defended by stone wall, was too
tempting an opportunity to be passed by
such enterprising marksmen.
The 9th kept their place upon the hill
in full enjoyment of their 'Otium cum dig
nitate." Many of the officers surrounded
Col. Quincy, smoking, telling stories,
cracking jokes and perpetrating such
conundrums as would win the envy of Joe
Miller, We're he then in the land of the
living. Whiz-whiz-came the bullets,
without cessation, hundreds of times I'M
pleasantly close to us; but the puns would
come, the joke would be cracked, the story
told, Notwithstanding the authors thereof
stood most likely chance to be hit by
the deadly missiles that were flying
around.
If we remember Alright, a great deal of
tobacco was consumed that day; and orr
soldier had his pipe knocked from his
mouth by bullet. This was a great mis-
fortune, as pipes were very scarce, and
the poor fellow could not borrow another.
Whilst we lay upon this hill the firing
continued very heavy, and we We're anx-
iOusly expecting orders to charge the en-
envy, when, looking around, we noticed
tall, stout fellow of our regiment, whom
we had remarked some few minutes be-
fore, calmly sleeping amid the crashing
and roaring around, start up from his
with a cry of pain, and press
ing his arm, moan piteOusly. "Arrah, hold
yer whistr' cried a companion near 1.-The
bullet didn't hurt ye-look at that!' and
the ball from the inside! 1t seems the
bullet had glanced from the arm of the
sleeper and perforated the cap of his COM
rade, whose head was lying in close prox-
unity to his companions elbow.
The Colonel of the 10th Pa. happened
to to be looking at him, ! and -, when he saw
Irishman to crack joke"
We lay on the hill that day, chatting
with impatieDce for more active part IN
the battle then fercely raging. Many Of
our men were hit, and sometimes wound
ed as badly as though in the midst of the
conflict, and we were in infinitely greater
danger from the explosion of the shells
than if farther in the front.
However, there we were ordered to re-
main. We must curb our impatience,
and, if we could not actively participate
in, await the issue of the conflict.
1t was now evident to the soldiers of
the Army of the Potomac that, however
well they might fight whatever valor
they might display, this great assault
would be attended with only one result
the falling back of our entire army.
The flights of Fredericksburg, of i'm
mense natural strength, were strongly
supported both by artillery and infantry;
and Lee, having the best position it was
possible to select, could easily repel tie
of our troops with much
smaller force of his own. On the other
hand, our forces were massed upon his
front, literally piled up before him, and
position, one-half of our army paralyzed
the other.
The attack upon the enemy's works
was continued throughout the day, our
artillery on the right doing splendid exc
cutiOn. q
The forces upon the flank of our line,
under Franklin, had thrice unsucccSsfully
assaulted the works of the enemy, but the
binding storm of bullets, grape and
moved down the gallant regi-
ments as they advanced. literally destroy
ing them before they reached the works.
\ ct still the hopeless task was continued
The brave men of our army moved stead
ly in the footsteps of those who had
fallen only to share their fate. Thus regi-
ment after regiment, brigade after bri-