The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-09
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.

Noah NJ. Reichelderfen makes inquiry re-
garding the explosion of Mobile Arsenal
in April, 1865. For the information of
Comrade Reichelderfen and others l wish
to state that it was not the arsenal, but q
large cotton warehouse where was stored
the ammunition belonging to the fleet Of
transports, blockadc-runners and gum
boats. commanded by Dick Taylor. son
of old Zachariah Taylor. Some ammuni-
ton was being unloaded when the explo-
sion occurred. 1t will never be known
how many lost their lives. Buildings near
the warehouse were blown to atoms, and
Others, even as far away as two or three
blocks, were greatly damaged. Besides,
considerable damage was done to crafts
and steamers tied up ut the wharf and
also to a train of cars on a side track.
Frank Sheppard. the tallest man in the
regiment, and the writer were in Mobile
that day and saw the explosion. We were
five or six blocks away. but thought that
the world was coming to an end. We
rushed from the house where we had been
eating our meal. Shells were still ex-
ploding, and the streets for blocks were
covered with debris. Dick Taylor had a
few days before surrendered his feet to
our forces. and this was the ammunition
that exploded
THE BOUNTY QUESTION.
Jacob Bucii, Sergeant, Co. C, 9Th q. s.
Cav, Champaign, H.. writes: "In The
National Tribune of March IL. Comrade
II. Il. Honghtaling says that he enlisted
Sept. IL, 1861; served over three years,
received when he enlisted S1OO Govern
ment bounty and 500 more after the wa
was over. Now, / enlisted at Baltimore,
Md. on Sept. 10, 1860, to serve FIVE
years, which 1 did. as l was discharged
on Sunday, Sept. 10, 1865. while acting
CommiSsary-Sergeant for FIVE companies
Of roOimppt dOiuor M on, C,an
Grants bOdy-guard at Washington. ID. G..
L was private eight months, Corporal 10
months, and Sergeant ~ months; was in
rebel prison. Libby and Belle Island frorg
June Is, '62, to Aug. II. 81; in hospital
two and half months, from June 8, '63.
to the latter part of August, 1863, with
bullet hole through the deltoid muscle
of my right arm, received at Beverly
Ford, Va; besides that l participated in
81 battles, as my discharge shows duly
signed by Capt. and Brevet Mai. Julius
w. Mason and First Lieut.. and Brevet
Capt. Alfred 3. Taylor, 9Th U. S.
Cav, dated at Washington. d. c.,
ceived one cent bounty for all this
service, because / had enlisted before
April 10, 1861. How is this?
NJ. d. Sanford, Co. E, 95th ILL.,, Cas-
|
II do not like to start a controversy, but
must correct Comrade Wellman, 4th
Mimi, as he is the first to deny that the
45th LII. was the first to enter Vicks-
burg. The 18th MINI. was fine regiment.
We first met them after the battle Of
| Champions Hill, where they divided ra-
| tons with US. have always had a warm
feeling for them. never heard one Of
them deny that the 45th Ill. was the first
to enter the city and raise the flag over
the Court House, and do provost duty in
| the city. l did not meet the 4th MINI.
on the 4th of July, at Vicksburg, but was
informed that they did not enter till about
D p. m. as Comrade Wellman states. He
| must know, ii he was there, that Ran
SONS Brigade and most of Logan's Divi-
sion were in long before noon of July 4,
| 1868. We ate dinner and divided our "a
lions with the rebels. He is mistaken
about the 4th MINI. being first, when he
acknowledges that they did not enter I'M
| til between 4 and 6 p. M, for the 45th
SERVED WITH THE 10th N. T.
Jacob r. Gunsalus, Ganahgote, Ny,
| gives the following sketch of his service
with the 120th n. Y: 81 was in the battles
of Gettysburg, Charlottesville, and Fred
ericksburg. Just at dark. when we were
relieved, the officer said he would like to
| take our names. He took about 40 names
of my corps. Then I was detailed with
others to carry Gen. Daniel Sickles to the
cars, he having lost his leg. When came
back to my regiment l was detailed by
the War Department to go to New York
on detached duty. Capt Jacob L. Snyder
urged me very strongly to do this, saying
he could fully depend on Inc. l was on
| Riker's Island five months, taking charge
OF recruits, and from there was ordered to
| Albany, where spent three months. Then
l was on Harris Island, taking charge Of
| recruits and deserters, until received an
honorable discharge at the close of the
war"
| sHERMAN's RUNNERS AT FAYETTEVILLE.
S. L. Bibbins, Corporal, Co. B, 22d
Wis, Beloit, Wis, replying to l.. B.
| Marsh, Co. B, 41st Ill, concerning the en-
trance into Fayetteville, N. c., says: 81
think that Comrade Marsh is mistaken in
his statement that he was attached to tho
| Fourth Division of the Twentieth Corps.
This corps had only three divisions-First,
Second and Third, to the last of which I
belonged. l was at headquarters of the
Third Division from Atlanta, Ga, until
finally mustered out at Washington. d. G..
l have never claimed to be the first to
enter Fayetteville, but do claim to have
been among the first. As previously
stated, We had considerable skirmishing
with the Confederate cavalry, and had to
make a second trial before we took the
city. If there We're any dead Wisconsin
men, as stated by Comrade Marsh, T
failed to see them. The only dead soldier
l saw was a Johnny who had been placed
on the stoop in front of church. There
may have been commissioned officers pres
clt, but l do not remember seeing anyone
holding rank above Sergeant or Corporal.
We were at least 10 or II miles in adj
vance of Sherman's army when We en-
L.