The National tribune., 1901-09-12

attracted my comrades, and with short
sticks they thrashed the lower limbs, but
every attempt toireaeh the upper branches
by climbing brought the adyenturer into
greater danger. .
| One, however, was reckless enough to
mount the tree and thrash berries for his
comrades below, and whenever a bullet
clipped the leaves near him he would
strike at it with bis stick in such a conf
cal way, as il he was fighting hornets,
that he kept u.s. all1in laughter, although
our situation was not suggestive Of mer-
riment, taking part as we were in q great
tragedy, where our. comrades and mess
mates, few yards, in front, were shoot
ing and being shot. Occasionally one
would crawl back with wounds, others
carried back with pallid face and lifeblood
ebbing away. But the ludicrous is pres
ent at all times and places, as we found
when another scene provoked hearty
laugh.
GEN. BUELL. A TARGET FOR REBEL SHARP
SHOOTERS.
A party Of horsemen appeared at the
entrance OF the lane where a few hours
before we had started TO run the gauntlet.
They were greeted with a similar fusil-
laGe from the treacherous brush border,
when all retreated hastily to cover but
one, who cantered easily toward US, seem
ingly paying no heed to the whistle Of
bullets about his ears. He stopped at our
post and greeted US pleasantly, when we
recognized in his erect, spare form, iron
gray whiSkers and fearless gray eyes our
army commander, Gen. Buell.. He asked
Capt. Miller a few questions about the
condition of affairs in front and instruct
ed us to hold our position without at
| tempting to advance, but if pressed too
| hard to retire within the breastworks il
our rear. He charged us specially to
avoid bringing on general engagement
by an obstinate resistance that might
cause the enemy to reinforce his Skin
mishers.
Boys, be patient" he said; 1--WE are
not quite ready, but you will not have
long to wait"
During this conversation our Captain
advised him to dismount, as he would be
! less exposed, but he declined, and when
our instructions were completed he turned
and waved his hand toward the thicket at
the end Of the lane, where his escort
awaited the signal.
Now began a wild race along the lane.
| the riders lying fat on their horses necks
and squirting their flanks while the Con-
| federateS, awakened to redoubled energy
| by the sight of horsefnen and the CHATTER
of hoofs, kept up a rafting fire of mus
| kerry all along the route So furiously
did they ride that their chief was almost
overwhelmed by the onset when they
reached and surged around him and our
! little squad, in vain endeayor all of
them. to get the log hut between their
bodies and the treacherous brush, where
| the Confederates appeared to be Operat-
ing a lead mine for free distribution. Gen.
| Buell. did not lose his composure, al
though his horse danced with excitement.
He merely remarked, rather testify:
well, boys, you seem to be in a hurry"
| AS for ourselves, we could not TeEreSS
| our laughter and cheers, forgetting that
we did not consider it a laughing matter
while we were running the gauntlet.
Leaving our post, Gen. Buell. with his
escort, continued along the line to our
| left, where he was not brought within
| view of the Confederate skirInishers, but
was still exposed to- random shots.
Meanwhile we were not unmindful OF
our comrades on the skirmish line, where
their muskets Joined with those of our
other companies in constant fusillade
as they lay concealed as much as possible
behind logs and trees, exchanging shots
with Confederates in similar positions
Various pretexts were adopted by our
boys to draw the enemy's fire. One would
hold ur his cap en-, the end of stick,
while his companions. within speaking dis
lance, watched for the fash of rebel guns
fired at the supposed Yankee head, and
poured their shots INTO those particular
spots, hoping to catch their antagonists
exposed.
1t was necessary on both sides to shell
ter the body quickly after firing, and also
TO change position frequently, to avoid
being located in a particular spot, as that
was sure to draw continual and trouble
some bullets. These changes of position
on both sides caused the exposure of here
n glimpse Of blue and there a glimpse Of
gray, which We're sure to attract one or
more shots. These shots in turn betrayed
hiding places and drew fire from the OPP
posite side, the object being forced to lie
close under cOger until the bullets quit
calling for him. 1t was good policy then
to slip to another hiding place, unob-
served, and watch for the man who was
watching for him.
Sometimes a position became so unten-
able that it had to be changed under fire,
and narrow escapes were numerous on
both sides; in fact, it is astonishing how
many narrow escapes there are to one IA
tally, under such circumstances.
Our boys did not all escape. Ten min
utes after the first detachment of our
company was sent into the brush one of
my messmates came back with hands
pressed to his side and blood running
down into his shoe. With his first shot
he exposed a portion of his body and a
Confederate, noting the spot, planted n
bullet in his side. soon after another
cOmrade came with bullet in his
arm, and later a Sergeant OF our
adjoining company was dragged back
with great difficulty and danger, shot in
several places, completely helpless and up-
pnrcntly in dying condition.
AT p. M, when our regiment was re-
ieved from its position, we found our
loss 10 be one killed and six wounded.
1t was sufficiently dark at this time to
cause a cessation of firing all along the
Skirmish line, and all was quiet during |
the night, except i'll the direction of Co |
rinth, where the report of heavy explo- |
siOns naturally started the rumOr that the |
Confederates were abandoning their
stronghold; but we were all too thorough |
ly exhausted to speculate, even upon such |
an important event, and dropped on the |
ground to sleep, prefcrring to let our com
manders worry about what the enemy was |
doing, or what next remained for us to do. |
END OF THE SIEGE.
When the dark curtain of night was |
unrOlled by a merciful Providence, clos
ing scenes Of preliminary strife of May |
%, it was expected to rise in the morn |
ing with the accompaniment of battle mu- |
sic, exhibiting upon the field of Corinth |
two great armies Of nearly 100000 men |
in battle array, ready to enact a great |
tragedy in which the fate of half a con
tinent would be determined
But when the skirInishers in blue upon
the outposts, warned by the first rays of |
dawn to seek shelter, glanced cautiously |
from the cover of logs, trees and stumps |
to catch sight of slfirmishers in gray, they
looked in vain. ..v