The National tribune., 1904-08-18
HIS HARDEST DAY OF WAR.
June 10. 1864. in Front of Petersburg.


June 10. 1864. in Front of Petersburg.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The
article in your issue of June %, entitled
"Sharpshooting i'm Front of Petersburg
was very entertaining to me, for l had
some interesting experiences in that line
myself. l knew Comrade Ezekiel John
son, who was member of Co. ID, 14tE
n. \. III. A., as l was First Lieutenant
of that company at the time of which he
writes. His story is correct as far as
recollect.
In connection with his story l wish to
relate my experience with sharpshOoters
on the night of June 1S, 1864, the even
ing of the day following that on which our
the works in front of Petersburg, cap
tured the line in our immediate front and
held it until after dark, when, as Com
rade johnson stated, We ran out of am
munition, which fact the enemy learned
through the excitement of a Captain of
the regiment, who is now dead. After we
had taken the works, this Captain jumped
up and continued to call very loudly that
we were out of ammunition! The enemy
then, knowing how safe it was, charged
out of the woods and came right on top
Of the works, and we were obliged to fall
back; although we took several of them
prisoners. The night of June Is | men-
ton in particular. l was detailed in
charge of a detachment of about 30 men
of our regiment, to advance as Skirmish-
ers, in STOPPING posture, until we arrived
at the railroad embankment; then estab-
lish a picket line there. ilimpses of the
moon could be had through the clouds al
under heavy fire of musketry from the
rebels, | deployed my men from left to
right The left of the line was i'm charge
Of Second Lieutenant of our regiment
stationed myself on the extreme right
of the line, Immediately to the right of a
railroad bridge. From the place where |
dug pit in the embankment, and which
WAS my place of concealment for the fol-
lowing "a hours, could look up the rail
road track. Straight across the track was
rebel fort, directly on our flank. Dur
ing the daylight every one of us-the men
as well as myself-had to keep under
cover and out of sight. The pickets on
my right had their line swung back to the
right and somewhat to the rear and at
right angles. Inside of that line there was
a Union redOubt. which the rebels had
mined. and which l saw blown up on
June 10.
The position of my men along the en-
bankment of the railroad was very strong,
as the men dug into the embankment,
nearly through it. under the railroad
tracks, and made holes large enough to
stand up in, with small holes through the
other side of the embankment to place
their guns in and fire at the enemy, who
were on high rise of ground on the edge
of a piece Of woods, behind breastworks.
At about 0 or 10 O'Clock that night the
enemy commenced regular fusillade of
musketry, accompanied by the familiar
rebel YELL While the firing was going on
l went toward the railroad bridge, stopped
to look along the line, and saw some of
the men from the center to the left of the
live IL 4
and going to the rear. | ran across; the
sharpshooters sent them after me lively.
as | ran. but | got to the other side. |
yelled who - told you to fall back:''
The men said they had orders from the
Second Lieutenant nd the line re-
formed, taking men from the center and
right center, and gave orders personally
to every man that no one should leave his
position until l gave the order. The
Second Lieutenant, heard, went back to
our main line. | saw him only once af-
terward, when he was tried by court
martial and dishonorably dismissed from
the service.
old 18th y. u, and my service from June.
1863. to August, 1865, in the 18th ~ Y.
Ii. A., / never experienced a harder or
more trying day than was that June 10.
1864. My pit was dug into the side of
the bank, with but a piece of pOncho.
IaSIeneH Win STICKS, over my head, ana
the sun piercing down on the red, sandy
clay ground. baked and cracking, and with
q small supply of water and hot at that.
| dare not raise my head or hand above
the sfop of the pit. because the sharp
shooters were continually reminding me
that they knew where l was. At last, to-
ward evening. / thought would see what
kind of marksmen they were. and / put
my hat on my sword and raised it over
the pit. In n second / had four holes
through it! / quit then. After dark we
were relieved and went back to our lines.
want to say that Comrade Johnson.
Little Zeke." az We used TO call him. was
only a boy about II years of age, but he
was as brave as he was good I had the
pleasure of meeting him in Buffalo in
1888 at the dedication of a soldiers mon
ument in that city. ! was at that time
Commander Of f. G. Marshall Post. 397.
Department Of New York. was standing
in front of the Genesee Hotel. when he
came along and said. Major don't YOU
know me" l told him that l did not.
His face was covered with heavy
mustache and long black whiskers. / can
not express the delight of both of us in
meeting once more as comrades of the
Grand Army of the Republc.-J. p.
CLEARY. Major and Brevet Lieutenant
Colonel, 14th y. Y. II. A., and now Chief
Of Police. Rochester, New York.
whera No~ Thax