The National tribune., 1904-07-14
The BLOCK hQusE FIGHT.
4 Severe Engagement Before the Place Was
SuIfeneered. go

OF the Kansas Eeg:Siature. but now
writes from Chester, Ark, the following
letter is received. ,inc,osing the afidavit
that follows it. The jurat of Wv. Ii.
Hodge. Notary Puhlic.r is attached to the
affidavit. which is in hitter form: . e'-s.,
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNEs am
eternally pledged TO Medal of Honor and
Prisoners Bills. i shall do all l can to
have these two measures incorporated into
law. Our biockhOuse fight and prison life
shall have my best thoughts, and We hope
to secure action by Congress next session.
l know, after reading COmrade McElroys s
book. "AndersOnville." that his Influence
and The National Tribnnes influence will
have much weight on these and all meri-
toriOus measures for the sOldiers.-(RevJ
MILTON =. JULIAN.
Dayton. ILL.,, March 8, 1903.
Rev. Milton T.. Julian, Chester, Ark. ''''>
My Dear Comrade: In reference to my
knowledge of the blockhouse fight, the
time of our capture. Oct 13, 1864.
The first thing that remember seeing
was the rebels rs they came. over the
ridge near by I.aner's place: and they
placed their artillery i'll the direction OF
the blockhouse. then firing a blank
cartridge from one of their cannOns. We
all shouted Morgan has gotten a battery
somewhere" The next thing, we saw a
flag of truce coming, and then we hur-
riedly filed the water-tanks in the block
house. thinking there would be more fol-
lowing Gen. Morgan, as We supposed
that this was Morgan's army that was
firing on us. We. thinking that Morgan
sent the flag of truce for n surrender, and
not being willing to surrender. fired upon
the flag of truce and wounded the carrier
and killed the horse. And when they re-
ported us to Gen. Hood they were ordered
to open fire upon us with six-pOunder
cannon. During this time we found that
we were mistaken in it being Gen.. Nor
gan: that it was Hoods army, with
much stronger force. This firing was con-
tinued for an hour or more before another
flag of truce was sent out. During all the
firing it did not seem to affect the block
was silent for a short time. and then they.
starting another flag Of truce, which came
in behind our quarters, and we firing at
this again. being the second time that We
fired on the flag of truce. We were then
reported to Gen. Hood. He then ordered
them to take out these six-pound cannon
and run in 12-pound brass pieces i'm their
place. They opened fire upon us with
12-pomnd cannon, and the first shot fired
resulted in blowing off the top of the roof.
and the dirt came pouring through the
yentilators. l recOllect this as well as il
it was only yesterday. When they had
lower range Oh the blockhOuse they kept
lowering their range until they reached the
portfolios. We then being busily engaged
in shooting as hard as we could shoot. l
recollect that ! was knocked senseless by
the force of 12-pound cannon ball pass
ing through the portfolio near where you
and l were standing. When | regained
consciousness / found that my gun was
shattered and torn TO pieces: and seeing
that you were hurt too. asked you il you
were hurt much. and you said yes. l
couldn't positively say what did hurt you:
whether it was the parts of my broken
gun or pieces of the shattered timber from
the blockhouse. But know that you were
hurt at that time. | well remember these
boys that were killed in this fight. with
the shells; viz, Iloe. Royd. Dixon. Parish.
and Harlow and Jones was shot in the
head with musket ball. To the best of
my knowledge l think there must have
been more than 3GO shells fired into the
blockhouse. as it was SO shattered by
shells, and wrecked. ii looked like it had
been struck by lightning. The rebels
continued firing until dark, and be-
tween s and 3 o'clock in the evening we
surrendered. as we 'cot1ld get no reinforce
ments. We were then taken to the rebel
headquarters as prisoners. The next
morning we were detailed to go and re-
move the dead soldiers from the block
house and bury them. We buried them
near by the roadside in front of the block
house. We were then placed in front Of
the cavalry early the next morning latter
fire had been set to the blockhouse), and
started to prison with the promise that
we would he paroled the next morning,
providing that we did not try to escape
And we landed in Cahaba Prison. instead.
and remained there about two weeks, and
were all promised to be sent for n general
exchange. and. instead. were again landed
in prison at Andersonvile. Ga. and were
kept there until the close Of the war
Here we were constantly exposed to dis
eases such as catarrhal affections, scurvy,
and gangreen, caused by the exposure to
the weather, and the filth and vermin.
such as lice, or graybacks, that existed
among the soldiers on account of the filth
by which they were surrounded. The
these places is indescribable by any human
tongue. There were so many other things
to bring On disease, too numerous to men
tion. l well remember you being sick
while there; and the catarrhal affection,
being one OF the prevalent diseases con-
tracted while in the Andersonville Prison,
which seems to be incurable for all who
suffered there since they were released.
This is about all ! remember in regard to
the blockhouse fight. But this is all as
well stamped upon my memory as though
it were only yesterday, and | will be glad
to assist you in any way possible, toward
your attempt in arranging this battle in
historical form. and for your own social
benefit. Hoping that you may succeed in
both efforts. l am. etc.-JOHN MORELAND.
Rushville, ILL.,, Co. D, 115th Ill. ]. G..
Dupuy affirms the same.
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