The National tribune., 1903-05-07

forms were dark-blue with red stripes on
the jackets and pants, and, with the dust
and blood. it looked as if not many OF
them had escaped. They were bringing
out their wounded. They said: You won't
stay there long; too hot place" We
found it so. The 18th lost heavily. Among
the killed was their Colonel NNebster).
We were ordered to fire by volleys at
first. At first we could not see the rebs.
but from where they were shot and shell
were coming thick. At this time every
man was for himself. / worked to the
left, and think l may have been the LETT
man in the regiment.
In the line near was one section of bat
terry of two pieces. The first rebs / saw
to shoot at were charging on these guns.
They We're coming in tours, as on the
had been driven off or skedaddled from
the piece nearest, as I saw only two men.
They kept loading and firing until the
rebs were very near, but probably never
got any credit for what they did.
WOUNDED.
/ kept busy after the rebs came in sight,
and my rifle began to grow hot. The rebs
came to a halt just as they got to the
guns. At this time / think l was within
40 yards of them / could see they had
the second volley they fired, one took ma
in the upper right thigh, slivering the bone
some and passing around out of the large
cord under the leg, and l went down all
in a heap. IL it had been an Enfield or
Springfield, l would not be writing this,
but the Belgian had only one twist, more
like a smoothbore. / tried to get on my
feet, but could not. l was bleeding, and
my shoe commenced to fill up, but began
a-I h.
knapsacks had been left. My regiment
had retreated farther to the left. Well,
/ had to leave my Enfield. After being
in my hands every day for IS months,
hated to part with it.
About this time Captain Of my regi-
ment passed near. l called for
help, but he neither looked to the
right or left. l called him some
names not laid down in the regulations as
he kept on. Soon after man from Co.
X of the 18th came to me, hearing my
calls, and helped me to the woods. A com
rade of Co. d of the 18th tore up a shei-
ter tent and tied about the wound and
stopped the blood. i suppose this was
about 4 p. m. From this time until p.
IN. is space l do not remember. There
were many wounded and skeddadlers in
the woods. Shell and shot were still COM
ing quite fast.
CAPTURED.
Coming from the front, to the left OF
the woods, was an old house about half
a mile from the woods. Three comrades
took me on q shelter tent to near the old
house, which had a red flag flying. One
of these comrades was still living in jan
uary, 1903. Shell We're being thrown with
out regard to the red flag. | saw none o.
our Surgeons here. The wounded and
SknInIIlprS Wnra romipu in fast
About sunset q Maine battery ran in
two pieces quite near the house and open
ed on the rebs. 1t was only for q short
time, as the rebs charged in and took one
piece, and at the same time took us, all
the wounded and bnms, prisoners. 1t was
Georgia regiment, with new uniforms,
young men somewhat different from the
old butternuts we had been used to seeing.
/ talked with the Captain and Lieutenant.
About this time the rebel guard was look
ing up every man able to walk, to fall
in for Richmond. The Captain helped me
to save one man. He said he was too sick
to 90, and told the guard to leave him.
Darkness fell, and it commenced to rain.
The same regiment was put on guard,
would say, near the river, by the sound of
their voices. ! had saved my rubber
blanket, and with help made it cover me
for the night. About 4 o'clock in the morn
ing l felt my blanket leaving me. A reb
had hold Of it and it had to go. / called
him some hard names, but | guess that did
not trouble him much.
After daylight that Sunday morning
Aug. 81. We began to find out what our
squad consisted of. ! think there were
more of Sigels men than all the others.
Well, we had an idea that we would get
away before night by Il flag of truce
About IL or II O'Clock some of the boys
discovered an ambulance train that had
come over the bridge n mile or more down
the river from us. Well, we had a sure
thing to get away. Right here l will tell
what is in but few histories of the war
With that train were sanitary stores from
New York and Boston and 30 clerks out
of the Departments, who had volunteered
from Washington, and they were all COB
bled up by the rebs and the clerks taken
prisoners. Like this, Longstreet allowed
a flag of truce after all were inside lines.
Lee did not allow it. and everything went
toward Richmond-clerks, prisoners.
stores for the rebel wounded, SO our
chance for getting away and grub to eat
was gone. We did not know the par.icu.
lars until Sunday night, SO we were on the
lookout all day.
Well, Monday came, and the rebs
started toward Antiafam This old bnnca