The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-04-16
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell Of
Whistiins Bullets, Bright Bayonets,
bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Caup Fire. Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.

Few men," said the Colonel, "were
entirely satisfied with their own con
duet in battle This was not because
they failed in courage or in their duty,
hut because the greatness of the occa-
sion made even the most heroic effort
seem inadequate There was so much
10 do under stress of circumstances,
and So much left undone through mis-
chance or misunderstanding that the
man WHO was in the thick of the fight
generally came out of it with II very
poor opinion of himself.
Il was reading the other day letters
written by soldiers on the battlaaelds
of Shiloh. Stone River and Missionary
Ridge. and | was astonished ut their
simplicity and humbleneSs of tone.
Writing of the second day at Shiloh.
one man said: We started forward
at sun up. our line as straight as Il
rulG. and during the day l think we
musi have covered several miles, We
didn't do much. however. except drive
'A'- AN'NiS p't'h. anu W Ht'll
six of our company We're among the
wounded That mans regiment was
in the movement described by General
Grant as one of the most impressive
and effective of the second days bat
tie.
Another man, writing of the third
day ut Stone River, said: We didn't
do much yesterday except get ready
for the rebs. 1t was like working in
the old gravel bank mt home. About
2 o'clock two more divisions came over
from the right and settled down near
us. and we heard artillery and wag-
ons moving quite near us in the rear
Everything WAS quiet in front, un-
usually quiet. and we thought things
We're moving all right. when there was
a roar of musketry and the air was
full of flying bullets. Before we could
lower our rifles TO the ground, chips
and splinters were flying from them.
We blaZed away as hard as We could.
Our own cannon fired over us. We
hugSed the ground close and kept peg
ging away 1t didn't seem to me we
were doing much good. but we fired
as rapidly as we could load
Suddenly our own artillery ceased
firing. and | thought the game was up.
Then we were ordered forward, and
we went at n full run down into the
smoke in front. We crashed into a
rebel line and went over Some of the
boys who found themselves in the
rear of the first rebel line dubbed
their muskets and ran back. Others
dropped their muskets and grabbed
the men nearest them. There was Il
rough and tumble fight and it seemed
10 HE we We're wasting our time when
the rebels surrendered. After resting
minute we started forward again,
and it seemed to me the whole army
was going forward with us. Just at
dusk the General rGde up. said we had
lone very well indeed, and ordered us
to return to our intrenchments.'
This is Il description of the repulse
Of Breckenridge's corps on the left, one
Of the most decisive and picturesque
battles of the civil war. The man who
wrote tie letter was i'm one OF the regi-
nents that led the charge that drove
back the flower of General Bragg's
army. The artillery firing to which
he refers was from sixty cannon mass
ed in the rear and on the flank of
his division. The defeat or repulse of
breckenridge gave the Union army the
splendid victory of Stone river, and
yet this man in the front line of the
battle wrote of it simply as if he had
been describing a county fair at home.
Among the old letters was one from
man who carried rifle in the first
lays battle ut Stone River 1t was
written in the early morning of the
next day, and in it the soldier says:
We had 4 hard time of it all yester-
day. We Were in the fight all day.
We did the best we could, but the
rebels broke our lines and ran over us.
Eight of the boys were shot. but we
did pretty well until the third charge
made by the rebs in front Of us. when
It seemed to me everything went TO
pieces. / was struck on the head. and
had no more sense than a pig. but
when l opened my eyes 1 looked for
The flag. About twenty other boys did
the same, and We all went creeping
toward where the color-bearer had
been shot.
1--WE got the flag, and while there
ftpl,t oil
A rush and got out. We had a terrible
time in getting back to the main line
but when we got there we settled
down to business and for the rest of
the day kept up our end of the fight
pretty WELL This is the story of the
fght on the center and the right at
Stone River. at which there was dis
played the greatest heroism on the
part Of the regiments overwhelmed
aad the greatest devotion TO the flag
by men cut off from their commands
who fought their way out, yet there
Is not note of eXultation in the |
whole letter.
That reminds me-" said the Major. |
that l met the other day a man who |
never refers to his army life and nev-
ar tells Il war story. You would think |
there was probably something wrong
in his record 10 be ashamed of, but / |
happen TO know that he is the man
that, when our regiment was surround |
ed on every side by rebel cavalry. |
tore the flag from the staff. wrapped |
II around his body under his blouse.
and, as the boys were preparing to |
surrender. shouted. Let's make run |
ior il: here goes Dashing into the |
1.gil weeds lie ran under the horse of !
he nearest cavalryman and struck |
out for the hills. Two hundred other |
men followed, going every direction, |
and the rebels after them. but 150 |
escaped. and the leader of the party |
reported to his colonel with the dag |
all right.
.He admits that lie did all this, but |
hn asks. .What'S tha rSn Of TALKING |