The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1904-12-09
Separated Forty Years.

AT q meeting in Boston of the three
Vermont companies of Berdan's sharp.
shooters two veterans shook hands
who had not seen each other for forty
years. They are George w. Dimond Ct
Hill, N. FL. and David M. Bullock of
Readsboro. vt.
On Dec. 81, 1861, Mr.. Dimond, who
was then a resident Of Grafton, w..
and Mr.. Bullock, who lived in Reads.
boro, we're mustered in at Brattleboro.
For three years they fought for the
union. For a long time they we're tent
mates and at their recent meeting they
exchanged "reminiscences of the old
days Mr.. Dimond was taken prisoner
at Gettysburg and was for three
months a prisoner at Belle Isle.
II would not have missed this visit
to Boston for anything" said Mr.. Il.
mond. II expected to meet cev.
eral Of my old comrades, but 70
meet my old bunkie and terminate,
Dave Bullock, was the most agree
able surprise of my later years
1t was at Petersburg in 1865 that
MIR. Dimond last saw Mr. Bullock, Just
before the breaking up, the beginning
OF the end of the war, as it were. Mr..
Dlmond had some interesting expert.
ences as member of Berdan's sharp
shooters during his three years serv.
ice. When the regiment went out the
first quarters were at Falmouth, Va.
and Berdan's sharpshooters, who were
in advance of the troops, were the
first Yankees that many of the south
arners saw.
For several months, practically all
summer, Berdan's men went up and
down the Rappahannock river, chas-
Ing Gen. jackson. While engaged in
this work they saw their first real EN-
gagements. The first time the mer.
were under fire was while supporting
an Indiana battery engaged in an ar
tillery duel with confederate battery
across the river.
Pieces of railroad iron a foot long
came from the Southerners' guns and
at first they went high over the heads
OF the men. Then they began to come
down lower until finally they clipped
men here and there and disabled five
Of the Northern guns. Battery B,
Fourth U. S. artillery, came up and
captain sighted the first gun fred and
put the brass piece of the Southern
ers out of commission. Several of
Mr. Dimond's comrades were killed
tn this engagement.
1t was from the Minnesota "Injuns,"
rs they were called, that he and his
comrades learned some tricks in get.
ting under cover in the tall grass
when out sharpshooting. The Mime
sofa men never would get behind a
tree when there was any grass or
grain growing. .
It was at Gettysburg that Mr.. Di.
mond was captured His regiment
had gone into the woods to hold back
a charge. For three-quarters CT an
hour they kept back the Southerners.
but lieutenant and twelve men of
Berdan's regiment were captured,
among them Mr.. Dimond. He had
some tough experiences in captivity.
For three months he was imprisoned.
and with two of his comrades they
shared half blanket
At night they took turns in sleep.
ing in the middle, the choicest place.
When they went to Annapolis the cit.
liens said they were the worstlcokiug
prisoners ever brought there. When
they reached that city all Mr.. Dimond
had was pair of ragged-edged pants,
wcrn off from the knees, and an ar,ny
blouse with the sleeves worn to tat.
Lers.
On the way to Belle Isle he got for
ten days rations three pints of -four
and three portions Of peef. The flour
had to be mixed with the water and
drank as paste, for there was no
chance to bake anything that resem-
bled bread. He managed to swap a
pen which Confederate thought was
gold for three biscuits. which he d.
Tided with a comrade. For three
months afterward he suffered the
psngs of hunger continually.-Boston
Globe.