The National tribune., 1903-04-23
KILLING OF GEN. POLK.
Part Played by Knap's Battery-Ths Story
of Bundy's WHISKY Shot

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Just be-
fore Gen. Polk was killed Knap's Bat
terry had taken position on Little Kene-
saw directly in front of Pine Mountain.
Maj. Reynold pointed toward the group
on the mountain and said: Captain, can
therc?', The Captain replied: Il think
we can. At least we have a man who
can. stir them up Well" said the
Major. give them my compliments" Cali
ing Serg't w. Z. Atwell. who died short
| time ago. and in whose behalf l write
this, the Captain said: 'See what you
can do for those fellows up there" The
Sergeant ordered the gunners. of whom
| was one. to unlimber and load No.
gun. Having trained the gun, the Ser
geant requested Maj. Reynold to look
through the sights and suggest any change
he might think necessary. The Major
glanced along the gun. said it was all
right. and ordered it fired. Immediately
thereafter there was a cOmmotiOn among
the group Of hOrsemen on Pine Mountain,
and ! saw one of them fall from his horse.
The others dismounted, picked him up and
carried him away. Shortly afterward
some prisoners, when passing the battery,
said: THAT is the battery that killed
Gen. Polk" One of them, a very intelli-
gent fellow. pointed to No. 4 gun and said
to me: THAT gun is responsible for the
death of Gen. Polk" He said that he
was on outpost duty when the shot was
fired: that he saw the smoke and heard
the shell as it passed over his head; that
when relieved from duty he viewed the
Generals body, and saw that he had been
shot through the left breast and shoulder
without taking off the arm. That fact
clearly shows that in this controversy
some of us are right while others are
wrong. If the arm was not severed, not
torn into fragments. the shell surely did
not explode when it struck Gen. Polk.
In fact, an exploding shell would have
so torn the body as to render it unrecog-
nizable.
There was no such battery as the 18th
Ind. in the Second Division. Twentieth
Corps. The battery commanded by
Bundy was the 18th n. Y. and will say
that l never saw better one. There
was no more gallant officer than Bundy.
At a critical moment in the battle of
Peachtree Creek, when the rebels were
running over us, Bundy stood with fash
ing sword and exclaimed: For Gods
sake, men. do not let them take our guns.'
His heroic example saved the battery-the
18th n. Y.
The following, which appeared in the
Kenesaw Gazette, entitled 'The Story of
Maj. Bundy's Whisky Shot" is interest
ing reading. although the story may not
be strictly true in all it's details:
Lieut.. Bundy had taste for good toddy,
and one morning at Kenesaw Mountain
he had sampled. with other officers. some
Diamond Is Commissary. When he
reached his battery he was in excellent
spirits. Soon Gen. Geary rode that way
and. observing the Lieutenant's condition,
gruffly addressed him: Lieut.. Bundy,
you are drunk Quick as fash Bundy
answered: Gen. Geary, you're
liar! Said Geary: You are so drunk you
don't know that gun from a hollow leg
1 don't, eh Well. Plt show you whether
do or not Pointing to group. of
Confederate officers on an eminence half
mile distant, Bundy said: Do you see that
bunch of rebels over there? Now. Just
watch me scatter them Selling the
trail of gun, he jerked it around. got the
range. adjusted everything to his liking,
and gave the order to fire. The shell ex-
ploded in the midst of the group, who then
hastily retired to cover. carrying their
wounded with them. Gen. Geary with
drew his offensive remarks. complimented
Bundy on his skill. and rode away. The
writer has heard Federals who ought TO
know. say that Bundy fired the shot that
killed Gen. Polk. SIMS, Knap's
Battery, California, Pa