The National tribune., 1902-06-26

that will cause excitement. and shake oil
the ennui induced by this hot weather.
Excitement at last-a woman i'll camp.
Mrs. Hoge. of the Sanitary Commission.
1t is amusing as she passes to see how
quickly the boys leave off their rude
pranks and settle down as demure as kit
tens. She stops and talks kindly TO al
most every group. and the boys all feel
better after ii. They are as polite and
proper in their conduct toward each other
FOR full five minutes after she is gone. as
if they haG suddenly been transferred to
civilization and the drawing-roon. Oh
what refining and restraining influence
even this one woman can exert. She Is an
old lady. and not very handsome: but,
then, to use the rough expression of the
bows. "She has n soul as large as wagon
wheel" and somehow reminds each of his
mother.
Wednesday. June 10.-Rain today. On,
how tedious n rainy day is in camp. We
eat breakfast, then lie down; get up. eat
dinner. and then go to bed. Nothing to
read. nobody to talk to. nothing TO do but
to dream of home and loved ones. Dur
ing a heavy shower firing ceases. but
whenever it quits raining firing breaks out
again along the whole line.
Thursday, June 11.-Last night was
dark. rainy and the ground muddy. L did
not steep every Nthl WINS.
We had sick man in our camp. who
kept us awake part Of the time; then
Capt. White got a bug in his ear; he SAID
il clawed like a team of mules. So we
had to pour water in his ear to bring the
gentleman out; the second application
proved successful. and out crawled a very
diminutive spider. We had just got set
tied down after the spider chase. when
the enemy opened Il most wicked fire: the
L Hxh ~
along in the darkness. Some cut branches
from the trees, which fell upon our tent.
while others struck the ground around
us with a heavy ''thud' which made one
feel rather '.overish," especially as he did
not know where the next one was going
to strike. / think one man in an adJoin-
ing regiment was wounded, though L be-
lieve we all escaped: but we did not sleep
much during its continuance. Nothing out
side Of the ordinary operations of the
siege occurred during the rest of the day.
Friday, June 12-Many rumOrs today.
Some say Johnston. reinforced by Bragg.
is threatening our rear. Others say that
we have been reinforced by a large part
of Rosecrans's army. l know not what
the truth is. but we are doubtless on the
point of important events.
Saturday. June 13.-Several days ago
visited the batteries to orr left. Today
several of us started together to visit our
advanced works to the right. We went
first to our own picket post. From there
we crept through narrow passage to the
post of the 9th No.. and fiom there to
that of the Sth Mo. In all these posts the
pickets We're firing with great spirit, thu
object being to keep the enemy down. so
that they could not fire ON our working
parties.
From the post of the Sth Mo. we crept
through a narrow trench running obliquely
over the rise of the hill toward the enc
my, and at the same time inciining to the
right This passage led into an earth |
work calculated to mount eight or nine
guns. 1t had been thrown up after night,
and is situated on the brow of hill with
in 100 yards of the large fort Of the enc
my. which is at the northeastern angle of
their works.
This work of ours is not yet finished; |
there are no guns mounted i'll it, but there
was a large body of infantry in it, who
kent I'D such an incessant fire at such
short range that the enemy did not dare
to show themselves upon their works.
This is the point over which our own
regiment attempted to charge on the 18th
and 22d of May, and the appearance of
the logs shrubs and trees bears testimony
to the terrible nature of the contest. They
are everywhere cut. torn and splintered !
with balls One large oak tree standing |
on the crest OF the hill is literally riddled. |
There is scarcely space three inches |
square from the ground upward for 80
feet but what contains ball.
VISIT TO THE ADVANCE TRENCHES.
In this earthwork we found Gen. Smith,
who invited us to enter with him into
deep trench leading out from the north
lend of the fort. This trench looked sus-
|picious, and we followed it with caution.
1t wound round the base Of the hill, and
though making many angles led directly
toward the enemy's large fort. At several
points we passed working parties silently
engaged in widening and deepening this
trench. At last we came TO the end Of it,
and saw a contrivance which was certain |
" invented by Yankee brains. In the first
place an open basket like gabion. only
longer and about q foot and a half in d.
ameter. was formed of grapevines, cane
to the thickness of nearly 1S inches was
laid all around this, and outside of the
cane another network of grapevines, the
whole bound tightly together formed
bullet-proof roller, which is laid on the
ground and rolled forward in front of the
workmen as the trench is dug. 1t is about
five feet in diameter. and is complete
protection, for to shoot down over 1t
rebel would have to expose his whole
body, and that they well knew would be
certain death to anyone who should at
tempt it.
We peeped cautiously between the roll
er and the ground, and there about 20
feet before us we beheld the hostile fort.
1t would have been an easy matter TO toss
a clod over into il. After examining things
as well as we could we left this dangerous
locality and passed to the outer works.
Here we saw some batteries practice fir
ing at the enemy's stockade, which they
brea ched in several places.
At last we returned to camp, having
passed through what we would have call
ed great dangers if We had not seen great
or. After supper | went up to the divi-
sion hospital and had several interesting
conversations with the wounded.
Sunday. June 14.-Had meeting at 10
n. IN. Balls whizzed over us as usual, yet
The congregation was the largest which |
F,:,vc ever seen since / have been in Dixie.
All our regimental officers, as well as
those of the 18th ILL.,. were present. The
theme was this: "The path of the just is
as a shining light. which grows brighter
and brighter until the perfect day" oh,
that all men might see the glories of that
way and walk in ii. In the after part of
.hc day there was heavy canI'anading on
o,.- left went up 10 the rife pits l.. GO"
II could ascertain the cause of it. While
there a large bomb bnrsted high in the air.
II must have been thrown from a mortar
which the rebs have lately got in position.
arEEsr OF MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
\ while before night a man was arrest
LII. TO- ,rf.f Spta ha