Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-05-18
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
WhistIinG Bullets, Bright Bayouets,
Bursting Bombs, Bloody BattIes,

Things happened queerly in the
army" said Sergeant Sam Grimshaw.
when Carlin's division was driven
back at Rentonville. y. c., our brigade
(the Third of the Second diyision) was
thrown out to check the rebel adj
vance. The underbrush being heavy,
we ran into the rebs unawares and got
in the first yolley to our advantage.
We had fired six or eight volleys when
the brigade COZ mander ordered US TO
cease firing. This gave the rebs a
chance to notice that both our wings
were in the air, and they proceeded
to take advantage of the situation.
When the brigade fell back, took
to tree, and Comrade Giles took an
other to my right We felt pretty Sc
cure, as we had seen rebels only in
front. but / had fired only once and
had reloaded and was putting on the
cap when a Johnny who had gotten in
on my left flank took shot at me,
tearing thirteen big holes in my folded
or rolled blanket This convinced me
that he had my range and that was
outflanked and l liked for more
congenial cline. / came across Colonel
Clancy. and we travelled together to
where the regiment was in line along
a fence. | had been with my COM
pany only few minutes when / re-
ceived a musket ball that put me OUT
OF the fight for the day.
I'm the same fight the Fourteenth
Michigan and rebel regiment both
got lost from their brigades and had
an independent fight of their own, in
which the Fourteenth whipped the
rebs and captured their flag. One of
the boys of Company u was sent back
after a box of ammunition, and, the
lines changing, he walked. on his re-
turn, into the rebel lines. The rebels
thought it was a great joke relieved
him of his ammunition and gun, and
started him to their rear without a
guard He made a flank movement.
got around their line. and came back
20 the company in three hours.
THAT is one illustration of the re-
sourcefuIness of the American soldier.
Here is another. When our regiment.
the Fifty-seeund Ohio, made the march
to Knoxville after the battle of Mis-
sionary Ridge, we camped for the night
near Cleveland Our quarters were
in the timber. and for tenting purposes
Mclaughlin, Hastings. Roe and myself
had joined forces so that we might
splice pup tents to the best advantage.
There being plenty of leaves. we made
a fine bed, ate our supper. smoked our
pipes and retired TO what The boys
called our 'downy in great content
ment.
I'VE were just going off to dream of
what fine feast we would have the
next morning, as Sergeant Withrow
was cooking a twenty-pound turkey
which Mclaughlin had confscated,
when / was awakened by a cry of
fire and otner cries which suggested
that was an interested party. We
had. Ike others. built a fire in front of
our tent. The leaves between our tent
and the fire were in flames. and we
were asleep. Mclaughlin was a good
soldier. bur inclined TO be little slow.
On this OCCASION however, he went in
to action so promptly that we saved
our tent and bedding, and we had
our feast of turkey the next morning"
Chicago Inter O can.