The National tribune., 1901-03-28
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
FOUGHT S.NGLE.HANDED.
Maine Comrade Tells of Battle Against
Terrible odds.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The
question is quite often asked: Why DO
not more of the old comrades, especially
those from the Eastern army, write Of
their experiences? So far as / know
the question remains unanswered. Yet
there are no doubt many and widely diff
ferent reasons why they do not, and per-
haps one of the greatest is the fear that
we may not be able to write well enough
to entitle our humble production to 4
more exalted place than the waste basket.
Another reason is that - years is Il long
time, and TO many old comrades the past
has become quite indistinct, and memory
refuses to call up anything worthy of be
ing written out. Then, again. Il private S
opportunity of knowing what was going
on in the rest of the line to the right or
the left was very small, indeed. or at least
that was my experience, for / always had
all that | could do to look out for my
self and obey orders. | had no time left
to scan, or criticsc, the movements and
tactics of others, and | only know about
what affected my own company. and this
seems to be the opinion, generally, of the
men from the Eastern army, and must
account largely for their silence.
However, there are incidents in the
form of "reminiscences of camp life that Of
to remember. Many such have graced the
columns of TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE in
the past, and have been read with deep
interest, for we feel that we are reading
that which came under the writer's imme-
diate notice.
Now, for one, l cannot recall much,
neither do l wish to, about my army eX-
perience in the field, or what | or my
regiment did. | only know that | succeed
ed in picking mp goodly portion of Con
federate lead, the effects of which are
only too plainly visible today, and will
continue to be until | am mustered out.
But enough of this, and, with an Incl
dent of camp life not particularly of mill
tary nature, / will close.
In the Spring of 1863 my regiment (the
1st Me. ii. Al was strung along the POto-
mac from Georgetown to Fort Sumner,
some distance above Chain Bridge, my
company (K) being stationed at Battery
Cameron, Georgetown Hights. This bat
terry was composed Of four guns-two 100
pound Parrot rifles, and two SIS that
had been rifed over. One cold, rainy
day, the writer was placed as guard over
No. gun and n magazine attached, and
to escape the storm and the cold wind
| stepped into the outer bomb-proof which
was open, and permitted a view of the
gun and its surroundings, and was there
fore permitted in stormy weather.
Now, this magazine was among the first
built and had been finished in hurry,
and the air-space between the stockade
had been filled with corn-stalks, and these
had become perfect rendezvous for col
ony of rats. While | was standing there
| noticed that there was an almost un-
broken line of these rodents coming out
of n hole on the one side, and passing
over and disappearing on the other.
The thought struck me to see how many
of these little animals | could gather in
ere my time was up. SO taking my sta
ton near the inlet, l stood motiOnless,
my rife in my right hand. held perpendic-
ularly, butt down, and few inches above
the hole.
In a moment out popped n rat some
four inches long, and down went the dead
fall, and rat No. l was gathered to his
fathers. Again and again was the act
repeated, until satisfied with that kind of
amusement / reversed the piece and made
an effort to exercise the bayonet drill upon
them. But my success in this form was
not great, although several were speared.
But in all succeeded in securing 80 odd
rats. from three to five inches long, and
these / piled up in a little heap in the
open ground, just outside the magazine
door.
Soon after this along came the Ser
geant with the relief, and, espying the
pile of rats, he exclaimed: Good heavens,
what has that creature been up to nowE"
And could only report that almost uncon-
sciously / had invaded Ratville, and after
a hand-to-hand conflict the result was be-
fore him.
This IS the only engagement that I
fought and all alone, being not only pri-
vate soldier, but non-cOm. and general in
command, and / feel that l can with per-
feet accuracy describe this engagement.
Write on, Comrades, all your recollec-
tions, hut remember that it Is long
and dangerous march back to 1865; so
be wary.-G. III. HAYWARD, Co. *, list
Me. II. A., Dennysville, Me.