The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-09
Orders

not remember that either Of these divi-
sions went out with us at any time. A
day or two after our arrival the enemy
got rather saucy, pitching several shells
into camp, and the Third Division was
sent out to attend to them. We found
no difficulty in locating them, but they
did not seem to desire q closer acquaint-
ance, for it was with great difficulty that
we could get within gunshot Of them.
BRUSH WITH THE JoHNNIEs.
The first time we went out we had just
passed through a strip of what we would
call woodspasture, and the Second Bri-
gade was just correcting their alignment
when the Johnnies threw several shells
just about this time, and was sitting on
his horse, under large tree within n
few feet Of where our regiment was stand
ing in line. The first shot passed througha
log cabin about 80 feet to the right, an
other passed through the ranks of the
oath or 2Sth Iowa, in the front line, and
another went through the tree about six
him with leaves and twigs. He did not
wait to see where the next shot would
strike, but "limbered to the rear" in a
great hurry, which caused much amuse-
ment among the boys, as they liked to
have company in the fright rear vault"
occasionally.
We did not advance very far that day,
! and returned the same evening and went
into bivouac just in the rear Of the woods
pasture mentioned, in a very large field.
This field had a hedge fence around three
sides, composed Of what the natives called
the Cherokee rose." something very much
resembling our wild rose found through
| the woods of Ohio and Indiana. 1t grew
| to the hight of 10 or II feet, and droop-
inc cd haIu II
| so wide that fence rail would not reach
| through. At what I will call the south
east corner, for SO it appeared to me at
the time, there was an opening. through
the hedge leading out into the woods
pasture, which must have been closed by
gate or bars at some time. About
midway, and running east and west
across this field, was ridge about two
feet high which looked as il division
fence had been there. We went into
bivouac IN line Of battle just behind or
north of this ridge.
By the time we had settled down and
were getting things ready for supper it had
grown quite dark, SO much so that we
could no longer distinguish the opening
All at once there came flash and report
from this opening and a shell or solid
shot struck the ground Just in rear of
my company. Almost before we had time
to think, another fash and report and q
second shot dropped into the regiment n,
our right. which l think was the 56tt
Ohio; still another which fell amongst
the horses of the 10th Ohio Battery, i'm
mediately in our rear. II they were
shells, not one of them exploded; but the
most wonderful thing about the whole
occurrence was that not man or horse
was hurt. l do not think the distance
could have exceeded 500 yards. They had
our range to dot, and no doubt put theil
shells just where they wanted them, anG
do not think it could have happened
again, once in 1000 times. There was moi
shot fired in return, and the rebs did moi
return to repeat the experiment.
DEATH OF MAI. MNEIL,
Perhaps 1t was the next day or da,
. after that we again advanced and drov'
, the enemy to and across Bayou Rapid,
bridge, about Is miles from Alexandra
, At this place Maj. Mcneil, Of Texas
was killed and rebel Captain dangerous
ly wounded while attempting to craw
, up on our pickets. The Major wher
killed had on a new uniform, which hi
7 wife had just brought him from home
when she came to visit him a day Or tw,
previous. He also had q beautiful pai
Of Colts iron-handled pistols, which w
g presented to the man who shot him.
think this man was a member of the 2Stl
l Iowa. saw these pistols frequently, a
e he gave them to a friend who was Oh
, orderly for the General.
t The Majors wife came in next day
D accompanied by an escort, under q fla,
? OF truce, and recovered his body. TIL
wounded Captain escaped in the gather
i ing darkness, as the guard was afraid O
an ambuscade and did not follow the trai
: Tar, but from the amount Of blood on tn
: ground he must have persisted unless b.
D received medical aid in very short time
5 Our regiment, like the 4Sth Ohio, ba,
been promised our veteran furlough, OF
, reen!istment, but 1t failed to materializ
e at the time promised. The 18th, 9th
Q Bath and 47th Ind, all belonging to GU
2 division, had all gone home, and we mus
t wait until some of them returned. TIL
47th Ind. rejoined the division at Alex
? andria, and here Gen. Banks offered u