The National tribune., 1901-11-21
GLOBE TAVERN.
A Soldiers Recollection of the Well
don Railroad, Aug. 1871, "a.
b. eoRpL VIZ. BoscoeK 1HRnAplEros, Co. K, SSH Pa.

north bank of the James River, Gen.
Warren with the Fifth Corps was with
drawn from the lines in front of Peters
burg at o'clock on the morning of Aug.
is, 1864, and by a route well away from
the enemy's lines sent TO seize and hold
the Weldon Railroad at the Globe
Tavern, some four or five miles south of
Petersburg Globe Tavern was known TO
the soldiers as the Yellow House, being
4 very prominent landmark OF the Wei
nifty.
The morning of the 18th was a beauti-
full morning the sun shining with its ac-
customed Southern brilliancy; but while
Ii might have been fine weather for the
buttermilk- hunter the gentry known as
the cavalry. who had nothing TO do but
ride along like gentleman. looking for a
scrap. and then letting the infantry fight
1t out, TO the dough-boys who were doing
the marching and carrying gun, equip
ments. 40 rounds, blanket. tent. and three
days rations. we failed TO see where the
beauty came in.
The day was 4 hot one presently there
were things hotter than the atmospheric
and many of the men We're overcome by
the heat before we got into the fight.
was somewhat affected by the heat my
self. but DR.. Rawlins gave me very re-
freshing drink which he called sDiritus
frumenti. or something like that, and it
revived me so much that l was enabled
TO go into the battle and earn my $40
month and roast beef-when | could get
II.
The first recollection that | have of the
contest was when we formed line of bat
tie in the cQrnfield east of the railroad.
The First Division was IN the woods
hunting for the Johnnies, and as they
were not hard to find the battle was on,
brisk firing resOundinG from the woods in
our front. However. this was only the
preliminary skirmishing, kind of notice
from the rebs that we We're on their part
of the farm and that they didn't like it,
and John Williams said somebody would
get hurt II the thing kept up much
longer. and we all said Amen"
After many shiftings and changes in
the afternoon we marched into the woods,
brigade front. and were soon under fire,
but the woods and brush were so thick
that we could see no enemy.
The SSth Pa. at this time was com-
manded by Major from another regi-
ment, all our own field officers being alb
sent from disabling wounds; and, unfor-
tunately for US that officer had a canteen
full Of commissary which did not all re-
main in tie canteen. so when an Aid gave
him orders where TO go with the regi-
UlenI- ne UlSlOlleG lne lnSlIuCilOHS luIo
the unmihtary order to stack arms and
Jay low for black ducks He was re-
Geved and Capt. Jacob Houder, of CO. ii,
was placed in command.
After the usual number of preliminary
facings and marchings in and through the
woods, throwing up light breastworks
every time we stopped, we halted about
dark, when the regiment was sent on
picket with no relief. at the extreme
f-I,% h. II -ol ,l,F,Y. = hot
] sat on a small stump with my gun be-
tween my knees, and about every half
hour or So the officer in charge would
come to inpsect the line, and as l sat
there, every once in a while sleep would
get the best of me, then l would nearly
fall off my perch, which would rouse me
up again.
We had orders not TO fire unless at
lacked; but the rebs kept up a spiteful fire
all night, / suppose just to let us know
that they were at the old stand and ready
for business, and every once in a while
the zip and whir of their bullets sang
overhead.
The morning of Friday, the 18th, after
being relieved by some regiment of the
Ninth Corps, we marched TO the left and
rejoined our brigade, then commanded by
Col. WheelOck, of the 9th, and consist
Ing of the 9th and 9th n. Y, and 18th
and SSth Pa, all veteran regiments of
hard fighters.
We found the brigade building breast
works, and of course we had to pitch in
and help. And after the works were
constructed we were set to work to cut
down all the trees in our front, and for
about 80 yards in our rear. The trees in
front lay just as they fell to form a bar
rier 10 the Johnnies but they were TO
wise 10 come that way.
Hictorv ef9fac fhaf al h,ut 1.on ~ ~, Co.,
Malone, with his command formed in
column Of fours. broke through our Gen.
Brsggs skirmish line on our right, at the
place where We had been on picket the
night before: then Malone faced to his
right and swept down the rear of Craw-
ford's Division, taking his line at a great
disadvantage.
/ did not know whether it was Malone
or some other Johnny reb, but ! well re
member the CONSERVATION il caused when
the firing came from our rear.
/ well remember Lieut.. Sylvester II.
Martin calling TO Col. Wheelock and ask
Ing II we had better get on the outside of
our little breaStworks, which we expedi-
t0usly did; but / am happy to say that
the full force OF the rebel impact never
reached the Ssth's part Of the territory,
because ! imagine they took all the
prisoners they could manage before they
reached US. Pardon a personal rcm-
pisceHce that occurred just here. hap
pened 10 see young Johnny through the
woods IN the act of picking up q gun. i
think be was confused and lost, but
raised my rife and shouted TO him to
Drop that gun and come back into the
Union" all Of which he promptly did.
and said he had been trying to get into
our lines; that the war was now over so
far as he was concerned. and when | sent
him 70 the rear with some other prisoners
he appeared to be the happiest fish in the
net.
After the firing had slackened some
what, Col. Wheelock, standing on the
earthworks. with his revolver IN his hand,
said 10 the men, IF you will follow me,
We will make way out Of this
We then formed a thin line Of battle
and marched directly TO our rear, in the
mean time receiving the fire OF one OF our
own batteries, who, suppOsing we were all
captured and the woods being full Of
rebs. were shelling them out.
We came ont Of the woods directly in
front Of the cornheld, where we met Gen.
Crav ford, who asked what regiment that
was, and Wheelock replied, Second Bri-
gad". Second Division. Fifth Corps. Craw-
ford asked why we had left our position
In the woods, and We were sent into the
woods again 10 retake the works, but had
not gone far when we received n brisk
FIRE directly from our front, which be,
came 50 heavy that our line was com.
PEELED to lie down. 1t was here that our
commanding officer. Capt Jacob Houder
was killed by n rife ball. making the fifth
officer who had been killed or wounded
while In command Of the regiment | was
very close 10 him when he fell.