The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-06-23


mis- of the Eighty-Sixth Illinois, sis up
hill business. Whenever l think of
the Japs going up those fortified hills
north Of Port Arthur l am reminded
OF our own experience at Kenesaw.
On the morning of June %, 1864, our
regiment was ordered to leave in camp
all camp equipage and to march with
rations. full canteens and blankets.
was then sergeant in company *,
Eighty-SiXth Illinois, and l remem-
Der we'll the talk of the men as we
moved forward.
"After a long march the regiment
was halted and the captains went for
ward to receive their instructions.
Each captain returned to his company
with orders to charge the rebel works,
go into them and hold them. We
moved forward until we could see the
rebel works, an1 there the brigade was
formed for the charge. We waited
when it was fired went forward with
bayonets fixed, in good order, and
without excitement.
After we crossed James D. Nor
gan's works and Noyes creek we
started at double quick. In spite of
CALLING fire, we kept going, and We're
in pretty good order as we neared the
rebel line. Gladfetter and Lair Of
our company had outrun the rest Of
Us, and were within a few feet Of the
works, whentthe febs let loose vOlley,
right in our faces. Lair and Glad
fetter dropped to the ground unhurt.
and the blue smoke from the rebel
guns enveloped us.
eve fell back few steps and lay
down, and each man acted as his own
= commander. Lying fiat on the ground,
we were partially shielded from the
rebel fire. The enemy's works were
ten feet high, and to shoot at us the
men had to raise their heads above
their works. All our boys We're quick
to take in the situation, and by pour
ing a rain of bullets into the head logs
opposite us kept rebels heads down.
"Our wounded, however, lay be-
tween the lines. in danger of being
shot by both sides. Just as realized
this Coburn called to me: John, An
dy Keller is out there and he is call
ing you Leaving my gun, crept
out to Keller and lay down beside him.
He said he was badly hurt, and as he
could not move, he feared mortally.
He asked me not to let him fall into
the hands of the rebels, and to be sure
and write his mother that he fell at
the front, doing his duty. l called Co
burn and his brother Billy, and they
crawled out to us. We three, hugging
the ground all the time, placed blan-
ket on the ground, rolled the helpless
Keller on it, and then the two Co.
burns taking him by the feet and hold
ing the blanket about his head, we
dragged him down to the company.
"Stretcher bearers carried Keller to
the rear and he died in the hospital
and is buried in Chattanooga ceme-
tery. julius Bridegroom, recruit
who had been with us only two days,
caught three bullets that day, one
through the shoulder and two through
the arms. He recovered and is now
president of bank in Boston. Kan.
AS he went back that day l thought
he wouldn't live an hour, and here he
is, forty years later, with children and
grandchildren, happy and prosperous.
Many a poor fellow, wounded in the
charge, died between the lines. We,
who' held the advance line, stayed
there until the morning of July 3, or
until the rebels left their works, not
more than eighty-five feet away
Mention of the Eighty-Sixth Illi-
nois," said Lieutenant Z. C. Silliman,
reminds me Of several stories Of the
Atlanta campaign. Harry Young,
Colonel Fahnestock's orderly, was
scouting out in front for forage for the
colonefs horse, when he came upon
three Confeds, who wished to find our
lines. They gave Harry their guns
and followed him to camp. When al
most at headquarters Harry had the
rebs march in front of him. AS he
approached the colonels tent he as
sumed all the dignity of a conquering
hero, and announced that he had taken
three prisoners turned over their
guns with great ceremony.
'Harry was noted for a vigorous,
healthy and well-trained Imagination.
being cognizant of which, the colonel
said: Harry, how did you get away
with three of them? Did you surprise
them ?-Harry's undoing was the mo-
ment's waiting to give proper an
swer. One of the Johnnies. seeing his
dilemma, helped him out by giving the
colonel a knowing wink and saying:
He surrounded us, colonel The laugh
the boys gave Harry took about 1900
pounds of glory out Of his act, and in
sured three Johnnies the best meal they
had eaten for a year. Harry's great
exploits after thai were always greet
ed with, Did you surround them,
Harry?
'When company G, Eighty-Sixth I'LL
nois, was mustered in at Peoria, little
Nike Donovan was rejected on account
of his size by the captain of the regu-
lars, acting as mastering officer. Mike
cried over his rejection, but the next
day, when the officer came back to
camp to muster in the absentees from
the day before, Mike took stand on
two bricks in the rear rank, and the
officer, being a little full, passed him.
Mike stood on his head and was hap
py.
"About two months afterward, one
rainy morning, we We're in Kentucky,
marching in mud shoe top deep. Not
a man had said word for two hours,
when Mike, who was great favorite
of the captains, yelled out from the
rear of the company, 4 say. Cap, do
yees think I'd cry would they muster
me out?' In the laugh that his sally
produced all forgot their inconsistencies
and marched in good humor.
after Bentonviiie we were march
ing one morning and Generals Sher-