The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-08-25
THE BAT'TLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES
The Bluc and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

/ THE Russians and the Japs.' said
the Sergeant, "went to war well equip
ped as to arms and ammunition. That
is more than can be said for scores of
regiments sent to the front in the first
year of our civil war. For example.
| two regiments of the Kanawka divi-
sion went up 20 the Ohio from Cincin.
matt in boats We We're armed with
old smooth bore muskets and we had
never seen cartridge. 1t was sup
posed that there were at least one
thousand cartridges on the two boats
for two thousand men.
"rhere was great rejoicing along
shore as the two boats, crowded with
soldiers and with bands playing and
flags flying, steamed slowly up the
river. On the OHIO side men on
horseback followed us for miles, cheer
ing and waving flags. and every town
made a demonstration. There was
also some enthusiasm on the Ken
lucky side but as we neared Guyan-
d0tte on the Virginia shore warnings
came to us from both sides of the
river that Captain jenkins. guerrilla,
had force massed near Guyandotte
to attack us.
THE boats were tied together, the
men were maSSel on the upper deck,
each man proud of the one cartridge
given into his care, and we moved
forward to attack Think of II. one
cartridge to q man, and all the men
exposed to artillery or rifle fire. As
the sun went down we moved slowly
TO the jenkins landing. And no soon
or had the boats touched the landing
than thousand men were on shore
eager for fight. Fortunately, Jenkins
and his men were not there and we
escaped slaughter If the Japs moved
on the Russians as we did then thous'
ands of them would be killed"
by George" said Dan b. Anderson
Il remember that expedition well. |
remember how the 2,0J0 men of the
First and Second Kentucky regiments
looked in the sunset glow as the boats
turned toward the Virginia shore and
| remember the disappointment when
the cartridges We're distributed Com
panies III and C. First Kentucky, were
ordered TO draw ammunition and the
orderlies received 100 rounds for 900
men. The same rule held good with
the thanking companies, A and Il. -Four
hundred mcn received 200 cartridges
and ut once divided themselves into
heavy and light infantry. The heavy
infantry was composed of those who
had cartridges ana bayonctS, as well
as guns, and the light infantry in
cluded those WHO had only guns and
bayonets.
Il was in the heavy infantry class,
and ] remember how superior | felt
to my messmatc, who had no cart
ridge and was as full of fight rs |
was. | had visions of killing several
rebels with my one cartridge, and my
chum, after trying 10 trade me out OF
my one cartridge, coutided TO me his
belief that he could Kill more men
NlAl Ms nay VIM IMAM NbuiN W ~ II
my precious cartridge. didn't be-
lieve this, but to fortify myself against
mischancc / rammcd six buck shot
down with the cartridge. When we
We're in line on land we We're instruct
ed to swing around the house, as
though we had fish net and to pre-
serve our intervals at Ill hazards
There we We're IN the dark Not
n man in the command except citi-
zen guide knew anything of the place
or the surroundings. 1t was SO dark
that we couldn't tell n shock Of wheat
from II stump or Il stump from man
Jenkins men might be behind the
stumps or in the barn or In the house
ready to fire, but we were ready,
heavy infantry and light infantry. to
go in, and in the first clash there was
Il reckless use of bayonets on the
wheat shocks, as we went forward at
Il double quick.
"a wae on the extreme left of the
advancing line, and IN the swing to
encircle the house | had to step live
lier than the men in the center We
We're again urged to preserve our In
tervals, and we charged forward.
came to Il fence made of boards nailed
on horizontally, which leaned accom-
inodatiugly the way | was going And
right there | lost my interval The
fence being shaky, ! did not stay
on It long enough to re'unnoiter-it
was too dark to see anyhow and /
Jumped down on what ! expected 10
be the other side. But il seemed there
was 10 other side 10 spcak of, and
| felt Ike man going down II coal
shaft.
II began to get excited. and wonder
Cd what | could do With my interval
in the region | was headed for. After
quite Il spell | landed. or. rather.
struck soft earth, Nrercd from the
direct line Of descent. ana kept on
toward China in Il sort of toboggan
slide. landed finally. my feet In the
mir ard my gun inIbedlod In soft
earth up 10 the middle band. As
looked up to sea where | had come
from Ed Malcy Of my company, who
had been next short on intervals. but
discovered that we had accumulated
enough Of the sacred soil Of old Nir.
GINA on our clothing and in our gun
barrels 10 start US in the real estate
business. We could find no way 10
gct up the hill so followed the valley
and came out on the river several
miles above our landing place In
fact, that long jump broke our inter
walls, and put us out Of action"
That parade OF men on the steam