The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-11-27

after them and almost upon their heels
followed Mahone's Division in a counter
charge. There was no earthly reason why
we should abandon the works in our pos
session to MahOne's men If there was any
advantage to be gained by holding them.
and if it was the intention of the Com,
handing General to abandon them he
should have so ordered hours before, when
we could have withdrawn at our leisure
and without severe loss. Therefore L very
naturally presumed that Grant wanted to
hold what we had gained, and was plan
ming to give us some assistance. and when
l saw. the stampede made by both white
and black troops before MahOnes column,
which was perfectly ineScusable on our
part on any other grounds than the one
have already mentioned. that our troops
were so crowded, mixed and jammed to-
gether that it was impossible to resist q
charge, l thought if we could hold one
fourth of our men until the other three
fourths, in their rush to the rear, cleared
the ground sufficiently to give us room to
form line, we could repulse Mahones
advance: and so we could, but most of the
men in that death-trap who could run were
wiser than l was, and they broke for the
rear in almost solid body.
WOUNDED.
4 few of my colored boys, who knew no
better, stayed with me, and we all got it
in the neck, or where it answered the
same purpose. As Mahones men leaped
upon the earthwork in our front, my First
Sergeant, James A. Coats, shot their color
bearer, and man and flag went down. The
next moment the Sergeant was Shot dead
and fell at my feet, while 1 was wounded
and for a time disabled, and Mahone's
men SwpDt over us,
The ground where we had been stand
ing was honey-combed with caves, ditches,
and bomb-proofs. in which the Confeder-
ates had sheltered themselves from our fire
in days bygOne, into one of which l fell
when 1 was shot, and for few moments
l supposed had received my death-wound.
Possibly wounds that are not dangerous or
seally severe are as painful as mortal
wounds; man then being in the condition
70 sense every particle of suffering thus
reduced. In my case l cannot imagine
how a mortal wound could more complete
" PROSTATE and overcome. For few
moments lay at the bottom of the bomb
proof just as good as dead, without power
to help myself, while if had fallen into a
boiling carldron or fiery furnace, the all
consuming heat that seemed to overpower
me could not have been more intense.
can account for this feeling only from the
fact that my blood was as near the boiling
point as it could well be, although l did
not realize it until the pain produced by
the wound concentrated and intensified in
this heat. With this burning sensation
came thirst that no man who has not ex-
perienced it can comprehend or imagine. l
believe it is necessary for a man to be
wounded on a battlefield with his blood
at a fever heat in order to know and un-
derstand the full value of a drink of water.
In my case 1 did not have to endure the |
thirst for hours, as thousands of my
comrades did while they waited for the re-
lief which in many cases never came, for |
my canteen was full; but l got the sensa- |
ton with all its unutterable agony in those |
few minutes, while l was recovering my |
nerve. Then l made long and vigorous
pull on the old canteen, and though the |
water it contained was as warm as July |
sun could make it, it was the coolest and |
most refreshing draught ever drank in
my life. With the shaking of my thirst |
the consuming FIRE IL my veins moderated. |
Tren l examined my wounds and was abb
salutely surprised to find that l was not |
injured.
A few minutes later a struggling Con |
federate, who loitered behind Mahone's
line, which had passed me, took me in |
charge, stripped off my belt, and conducted |
me to the rear, prisoner of war.
A SABBATH DAYS JOURNEY.
After the battle of The Mine was over,
the prisoners taken by the Confederates |
were gathered together in the rear Of their |
lines and systematically and otherwise |
robbed OF nearly everything they possess |
ed. Money, watches, and everything of
that sort that a prisoner was not able to |
hide, had to be given UP. They even rob-
bed us of such articles of clothing as they |
could most readily snatch, and by the time |
they were done with US we were sorry
looking set.
Many of the prisoners, especially the |
wounded, suffered for want Of water, as
no opportunity had been given us to pro- |
cure a supply. Just after sunset an ap-
parentiy kind-hearted Confederate ap-
peared among US and offered to fill our
canteens. By this time was in need of |
water myself, but having seen Confeder-
ate tricks played before that day, had
no confidence in his disinterested kindness,
and told my comrades to hold on to their
canteens, if they did not want to lose
them. Some of my comrades resented this |
aspersion on the honesty of purpose of our
Confederate friend, and called me a fool,
and other pet names not necessary to re-
peat, and I said: "All right, gentlemen,
you. will probably have more sense your
selves when you've had more experience"
unu uoupt uot tuey udu, lOT IHey lOdueu |
the fellow up with canteens, which, for |
some reason or other, he failed to return. |
Among our officers captured were sew
eral field and one general officer. This |
man, Gen. Bartlett, wore a wooden leg |
In place of one previously lost, and in the
battle his wooden leg was broken, SO that
the General was unable to walk; the bear
Ing of which will appear in the context.
We seemed to be within the jurisdic- |
ton of the Confederate Gen. A. p. Hill, |
for he was there in person both during the |
evening and the next morning, and it was |
noticeable that he was planning some
scheme or arrangement in which he SEEM
ed greatly interested. About o'clock |
my recollection is that it was Sunday-this |
wonderful undertaking of Hills mater
ialized and proved to be for two objects;
first, the diversion of the people Of Peters |
burg; and, second, the humiliation of the |
Union officers who had fallen into his |
hands. The prisoners were therefore |
formed in column by tours consisting of |
alternate files of colored soldiers and COM
missioned officers, beginning with the |
highest in rank and continuing the forma- |
ton as long as the supply of colored SOL |
diers held out. As there were 500 colored |
prisoners and about LOO white officers |
and soldiers, the greater part of the col
umn presented fantastic and variegated |
appearance that, am free to confess. was
amusing. At the head, and as leader of |
this column, Gen. Bartlett was placed, on
an old spawned horse, and the wonderful |
Eabbath-day's journey began.
We were marched through the principal |
streets Of Petersburg, and so far as the |
humorous Hills first object was concern
ed, of affording little innocent amuse-