The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-10-27

| carried Il strong line of earthwOrks;
but, from lack of ammunition we were
| compelled to abandon the works. and
fall back. 'udOubtedly we would have
held the works had not our captain
| jumped upon the works and yelled:
''We are out of ammunition" The
rebels heard this and charged us from
the works: and, had not supply of
| ammunition arrived Just as it did. we
would have suffered great defeat.
June Is and 10 We're spent in picketinS
the field. June 20, with good supply
| Of ammunition, we again advanced our
lines. and not only took possession Of
their works. but advanced through the
| outer edge at a strip of woods, where
we built strong line of earthworks.
The major part Of our regiment Oc-
| cupied these works while the remain
der advanced and established our pick
ct line along the railroad. Our pits
made my first pit on the left of an iron
bridge. There my experience at sharp
shooting began. / was detailed as a
sharpshooter because the rebels had Il
good many of them at this point who
kept picking off our men day by day,
while we had none. The first man who
occupied that pit with me was TilnO-
thy Shauginessy He was seriously
wounded. while in the pit with me.
After Tim got wounded he called
water, and there was none in eitlI>-
his or my canteen. 1t meant almost
certain death to go for water there i'll
the daytime l called for help, but
could not get man who would come
and stay with Tim, or so for water,
either. So l was compelled to leave
Tim alone While / went for water. l
went for the water, expecting never to
reach my Pit again, as l was wholly
exposed to the deadly fire of sharp
shooters. But, thanks be to God, 1
did my duty to Tim. l met Tim at
Tenleytown after the war. and he pass
ed his only remaining arm about my
neck and wept like a child. He said
that the water that risked my life to
get for him was wnat saved his life.
He was then stopping at the Soldiers
Home in Washington. He invited me
down to Tie Home, and l stayed one
hight with him. He told the officers
at the Home what had done for him
at the time he was wounded, and 1
was treated very kindly both ~ Off
GERS and soldiers. While l write this
[ don't want it understood that l was
the only pebble on the beach, for we
had heroes there. Marshall was one
Houghton. Randall, Cieary, Coglan,
Foote-oh, well, your space would not
hold all Of their names! These will
suffice for the present.
My regiment occupied position IN
and on the right and left of Fort Sted-
man. The day before l built my pit
[ examined the ground thoroughly and
picked my location. l discovered
little knoll, about ten feet long at the
base. l knew that l could build on
the knoll with half the labor that
would be required had there been no
knoll. 1 entered the pit about o'clock
In the morning and held it until it was
utterly destroyed by the terrific fire
Of infantry sharpshooters and artil-
lery-the artillery finished the job at
3 o'clock in the afternoon. As was
between the lines at that time. and
lad whole division to face. you can
imagine somewhat in regard to my ex-
perience. 1t was about Q clock when
the rebels began TO man their guns for
their usual days entertainment, firing
ON the regiment. l opened fire on the
fort with such success that for two
hours the rebels were unable to man
their guns. The artillery seemed par
alyzed. In the meantime my position
became desperate. From front, right
and left the rebel infantry and sharp
sand pit, which melted it away like
drift of snow under the heat of noon
day sun. / was compelled to turn my
attention from the battery to the sharp
shooters, and artillery-still, held my
position until 5 o'clock in the after
noon, when the rebels opened fire upon
my pit with three pieces of artillery
and utterly wiped my sand pit out,
leaving nothing but a trench made to
get the dirt for my pit. was stunned
by the concussion which took place in
my pit and l was covered with sand
and dust that nearly blinded me, and
thousands of stars came before my Wis
ion. | rubbed the dirt and sand from
my eyes as best could and got I'D in
a daZed condition. l then heard a
rebel say to his comrade: "See that
little Yank? Do you suppose he did
all that shooting just himself:" An
other rebel called out: Say, you Yank.
what kind O. gun you got? You load
hit Sunday and shoot we un's all
week with hit,' / told him to come
over and see.
heard the rebels laugh; one of them
proposed three cheers for the little
Yank. l swung my cap and gave three
cheers; the whole rebel line Joined me.
Under ordinary circumstances soldiers
were compelled to keep under cover to
protect their tOpknOts from rebel bull |
had become so interested that the men |
stood upon the breastwOrks facing |
each other. | picked up the box which |
had previously contained LOCO rounds |
of ammunition. and with my gun and |
the box, with what cartridges l had |
left. started back TO our line The |
men of both lines were yet standing ON
their respective earthworks. When l |
had got part way back TO our lines our |
whole line gave me three cheers, with |
n tiger. 1 have always admired the
rebels as soldiers for their heroic and |
non-treacherous disposition there. |
When my mind reverts to my expert |
ence in that sand pit. l remember it all |
with pride and amaZement The |
chances against me must have been |
millions to one.-E. J., in National Tri- |
bune.
Roast Pork.
After the surrender of Lee some |