Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-25
INTRODUCTION
TO SHOT AND
SHELL
By Dan Walden, Tenth Ca. RegIment.


During the greater part Of the first
year, after we entered the army, our
regiment, the Tenth Georgia, was quar-
tered in permanent camps, at Williams
burg and Young's Mill, on the peninsular
of Virginia, in training for the exception
ally hard service we were destined after
wards to participate in. Our training was
thorough and up-to-date, 1t having been
conducted by Colonel Lafayette McClaws
and Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Cummings,
both West Point graduates and both af-
forwards generals. When McClellan's ar
my landed on the peninsular, in the spring
of 1862, we broke camp and entered upon
our first active campaign. We started out
very much. over burdened with surplus
baggage which gave us much unnecessary
worry and discomfort In addition to the
regular military equipment. guns. accou-
terments, rations. and water, we undertook
to carry great ponderous knapsacl<s, pack
ed to their utmost capacity with clothing.
books, stationery, toilet articles ETC.,
strapped on our backs in such manner as
to very disagreeably chafe and torture our
backs and shoulders, also great rolls Of
bedding rolled lengthwise. bent in the
form of hoop, the ends fastened together
with cords and worn around the Shout
ders; and there was an occasional coffee
pot, tin cup or frying pan tied on to some
part of the load as an extra set off. We
SulLGIGu lOIB anu S6NGECly AAOAn NAOSC
wearisome burdens before we learned
from sad experience to prune them down
to the minimum limits Of actual necessi-
ties. Our first engagement with the ene-
my was in a skirmish near the mouth of
Warwick creek, the two lines of battle
being on opposite sides of the great tide
water stream. We were all snugly shell
tered behind trees that protected us from
danger and the Yankees were probably
protected similarly, though on account of
the distance the smoke and the danger of
exposing our heads. we could not see their
lines. We fought vigorously for several
hours and made a tremendous noise, but
there was very little blood shed. The few
slight wounds and the many hairbreadth
escapes furnished themes for as much
comment and discussion IN our camp rs
would be afforded by big wedding in a
small town. We had all had our close
calls.
We occupied a position behind some
breastworks at Dam No. l, for a few days
and there were sharpshooters concealed
in our front, whose craftsmanship was
intentionally true. We tried them with
hats placed on the muzzle ends of guns
and raised them slowly above the breast
works and such trials always resulted in
bullet holes through the hats. We heard
Of two or three men, somewhere on the
line, who were so inuiscreet as to raise
up In6lT mats with their nSdOS In them
and they got holes through hats and
heads Those sharpshooters upset com
pletely our fondly cherished theory that
"the Yankees can't shoot" Soon after we
left those breastworks we were introduced
to the unmelodious music Of the cassing
bombshell. We were marching over a
little hill in some woods and while our
company was passing over the crest of the
ridge bombshell came crashing through
our ranks with a deafening shrek of
timely warning; we were unprepared for
lodging until after the danger was over,
but after It passed we all lodged most
frantically and the confusion and gro
tesque capers OF the men in our ranks, at
that time. reminded me of the scrambling
of a great brood of chickens when the
hawk swoops down suddenly among them.
We were destined to become much ac-
customed to that kind of music later on
but no degree of familiarity ever lent any
sweetness to that diabolical shrek. For
some reason our commanding officers de-
clined to offer battle on the peninsula. and
we started on the retreat to Richmond.
AS we were passing through Williamsburg
1t became necessary for us to turn upon
our pursuers who were pressing too close
~ upon our rear, and check their mem
acing advance and our meeting with them
resulted in the very noisy, though COM
parativeY bloodless battle OF Williams
UuTE. 4 was HOl QIcSGnl WIFI lily COAA-
mand, at that battle. having been sent
to Kings Mill wharf on the James river,
five miles from Williamsburg, to help load
heavy cannon on a river boat. to ship to
Richmond. 1 heard the firing. and saw
the smoke Of the battle, and judging from
the tremendous roar that was almost deaf
ening even at the distance of Ave miles,
I expected to find our army horribly
Slaughtered, mangled and bleeding, but
was most agreeably surprised when. on
my arrival at the camp, about nine o'clock
p m, learned that not man of our
company had received even a scratch.
Some of the men attributed their marvel
Gus escape from danger to providential
protection, and began to harbor the very
comforting delusion that. perhaps. after
all, war was all noise and no blood. The
weather was very rainy. the roads became
muddy and the constant stirring of the
NUT with wheels of wagons, feet of hors-
es, mules and men. made 1t very disagree
able travelling. We would march in the
direction OF Richmond awhile and then
countermarch in the other direction, and
there was probably very little OF that road
we failed to pass over at least three times.
On account of some unfortunate mishap
we were separated from our supply train
on the way and suffered severely with
hunger, and finding flock OF sheep in a
pasture, we stopped. in time of a heavy
downpour of rain, killed the sheep and
kindled fires to cook the mutton, but be-
fore it was half cooked. we were ordered
to fall in and forward march.
AS we marched we ate our half-coolSed
mutton, without either salt or bread, and
on account of the sharpness of our appe,
tites, IT was quite palatable. That even
ing we got some flour, by some means,
but we had no cooking utensils. So we
improvised bread trays of poplar bark,
stripped from trees about our camp fires,
and after mixing our dough we wrapped
II around ramrods bayonets, sticks, etc..
and placed IT near the fire to bake. and
soon we had plenty of bread and that of
the most excellent quality. We had many
other interesting experiences on that jour
-. NE tt,fS iu ot1ffa enough IN fell AT this