The National tribune., 1902-06-19

dismount it. We spent until p. IN. visit
ing the different forts aud examining the
cnemy's ii!I.s. We have Il great amount
of artillery. but could not find single
piece to 40 the work which we desired.
We found one point where a battery
might be established which would com
maEd this gun, bt he position is very
dangerous. being within 100 yards Of one
of The main forts Of the enemy. Notwith-
Standing the Danger we stayed at this
point for somc time tI'artiaily sheltered by
| little .e:cn trecsi. ard discovered by the
aid of glass that the hill in the rear of
| the fort to our right is incloSad by an in
| dependent line of intrcnchments, which
will have TO be stormed after the outer
| lines are in our possession. The hills 10
| the left of eur position are bare, and al
though more broken than any part of Hi
nois they have yet been planted with corn
| to the very top. With the glass | saw all
| around the enemy's lines to the left to
| whore they seem TO terminate in Il very
| large earthwork, which l think faces upon
| the river.
After satisfying ourselves that we had
| no gun mounted that would bear upon the
| point desired, we returned to our quarters.
covered with dust and almost suffocatcd
with the heat. During this tour of inspec-
| ton we made several narrow escapes; once
while in battery Gt was shooting 10
pound shells at an old house inside the
enemy's lines, and could not hit it, bali
struck The bastlon, throwing the splinters
around us Pretty close, VT we We're not
| hurt; several other balls came in rather
uncomfortable proximity, but they were
all either n little too high or too low or too
| far to one side. so we escaped.
| Among tie minor incidents Of this trip
| I will state that saw Maj.-Gen. McCler-
uand. who looked as dusty as any other
nun. ! ATE some blackbs rries, saw n corn
| tasse!. and last, but by no means least, got
my fingers full of prickles OF prickly
pear. After darll-I again went to our rifle
pits. Just as l was crawling up the steep
hill to them l was bewildered for a no
ncnt by a dazzling glare and a stunning
reI ort: n defective shell from our own bat
tory had bursted directly over my head
was not hurt, however, and WAS scuI
| afcly 'rsconced an the trenches, watching
the ti;gbt Of Our shells. They passed III
rectly over our heads ut an elevation OF
about 20 feet, though, just to listen to the
sound, they seemed low enough down t.
atnke our heads off. About o at night
returned to camp, and so ended another
day of danger.
Friday, June 5.-Heavy firing all night
both from the land batteries and the river
| slept well, however, although retaining
a distinct remembrance Of hearing a deep
heavy roar almost all the time. Early il
the morning | again went up to the rifle
pits. While there percussion shell strucl
a tree just in front OF us and explod 4
another struck a large limb which cam,
down with a crash, and yet another burst
ed high in the air a little to our left. w,
are in more danger from this battery O.
our own than we are from the rebels, al
, though they succeeded in shooting on,
man through the head this morning in tn,
pit just to the left of ours.
Saturday, June 6.-Last night was yer,
warm. There was considerable movemen
OF troops and more firing than usual.
was walked up at one time by heavy vol
, leys from our pickets, and almost came t,
the conclusion that the enemy was abou
! to make a sally from his works, but b
did not come, SO / went to sleep and lie
them shoot away. Several balls have al
ready fallen in our camp this morning
} but nobody is yet hurt that know Of.
SUNDAY SERVICES UNDER FIRE.
Sunday, June IA most beautiful day
though hot enough to roast an egg in tn
dust. Early in the morning, while 1t wa
! yet comparatively cool, went out bac
! Of the tent and commenced to sing. Quit
: congregation was soon collected. IN
: members of 1t representing the 9Th and St
: Mo. and 4lst and 18th ILL.,, as well as on
= own regiment. I attempted to urc
upon them the necessity Of a chang
, Of heart. Al upon last Sunday 4
today the balls Of the enemy passed owe
!, US or dropped in our midst, and our ow
. cannons from behind US sent the shell
over our head, but Notwithstanding all tai
Z we had 4 pleasant and would hope
. profitable hour Of worship. After servic
: obtained and distributed a few religion
! papsrA N3a. noon Z minister from Oh
: went to bear him. which was Q great trsa
. to ma ID the evening thsye we're mar
juniors In camprrumeTs Of rebel raid o.
Mlliksn's Bend and - Youn4s Peint, bu