Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-03-04

Col. Heg Post G. A. R.. of Willmar. /
ground. My emotions must have been
seen by the old gentleman, who said,
"Mr. Watson has recommended you
to US and we must do all we can for
you, and will cut you a cherry stick
from which you can make a cane and
remember that it grew at the very foot
of the graves of your comrades and 7
reckon I must see about the she'll when
1 get back to the house, On arriv-
ing there council of war" was held,
in which all the Wooddalls', even to
the women, participated, the result of
which was decision not to sell the
she'll, but that they had concluded to
make me present of it, and thus it is |
that your humble comrade is now the
happy possessor of the shell which
opened the battle of Pickett's Mills, |
and which proved so disastrous to
Woods Division of the Fourth Corps
aud Johnson's Division of the Four
teenth Corps. The federate forces
opposing the Union forces were what
they called "Joe Browns pets of
Georgia. and to the left were the
troops from Alabama.
From New Hope went to Resaca,
here the old earthworks are in a re-
markedly good state of preservation.
The citizens seem to have taken great
price in keeping them so. AS I now
stand where I think is the very ground
where our beloved brigade commander,
General Which, was shot and, being
close by, was one of those detailed to
carry him to q little ravine in the
rear of our works. He asked the sur
geon in attend ance if he was going to
die. If SO he wanted to 60 back and
bid the boys goodbye, which of course
the doctor refused to permit him to do.
I also wildly remember the occasion
as I stand here and look across
the field toward the rebel works,
where the brave Illinois regiment, to
which our beloved comrade ]. B
Boyd belonged, made their gallant
charge across the open field almost
within reach of the rebel lines, bat
were unable to dislodge the enemj.
Yet the bravery of the boys was clear
~ demonstrated. About shutdown we
were relieved by Stanley's Division
and retired out one-half mile to the
left and rear, being tired and hungry
besides resembling negroes more than
white men, this from the fact of tear
ing Off the paper covering on the car
tridges with our teeth. More or less
powder would get into our mouths,
and when wiping the Precipitation off
our faces with our hands the African
color was given to our physiognomy.
Just as we were preparing to cook
our coffee and bivouac for the night
we were startled with q terrific dis
charge of musketry and cannonading
Immediately toe our left and rear.
Every man grabbed his musket and
stood in expectation of being attacked,
but to our surprise and relief the
fusilade died out as suddenly as it
had commenced. We afterwards
learned that the Confederates had
swung around to our left flank and
had gotten in the rear of our troops
which would in all probability have
ended disastrously to our troops and
to the regiment which Comrade Boyd
belonged, had not the Twentieth Corps
that was on it's way to the front hap
pened In the nick of time to meet the
rebel troops at the junction of the
roads. The advancing troops were
quickly swung into line of battle, as
we'll as old Leather Brooches with his
battery, and gave the rebels such
reception as they never expected and
sent them flying back from whence they
came, thus allowing us fairly good
nights rest.
The above was written before I
reached Chattanooga, AMI glancfng
over the same it will strike you that it
15 little too personal TO mysel1.
This is my impression and what fol-
lows will be less SO, dealing more
with the subject in general way.
The battle of Chickamauga Is pro-
baby less understood than any battle
fought during the Civil war, especially
as to it's effect on the war itself. Inn
mediately after the battle some pro-
nounced IL crushing defeat, others q
great victory. Was it then 9 victory
or defeas? II were asked to answer
the question, I would be. compelled to
say that both may claim some reason
for their opinions, viewing it from
different stand points. Those who take
no deeper view Of it than the fact that
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