The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-04-21

with bullet. We afterwards recovered
his body. with the bayonet still fastening
him to the rail. standing like an avenging
spirit guarding the PROSTATE bodies of
two Drained Confederates. Later this
Sergeant led an attack upon a field bat
terry. fully equipped with gray horses,
| that came charging over the fields. wheel
ing ntOD action, every animal under keen
spur. just then Gen. Sheridan came
dashing by, commanding us to ''Shoot
those horses And quick to see the point,
We went at them until it seemed but Il
moment and they were all down. Then
the Missouri boys-the I'd and the 10TH
with those terrible sword bayonets,
charged out into the fields and the guns
were silenced.
This Sergeant soon discovered that he
had been hit on the head and leg with
pieces of one of those shells. Later lie
found that round musket ball had lodged
under the skin of his right forearm, and
still he did not get nervous. The whole
day was one of events. and the next
morning. as Fourth Sergeant commanding
his company. grapeshOt large as q wal
nut struck the roll of blankets yoked over
his left shoulder, throwing him in back
somersault: and still he was not hurt.
And while here at this position, hidden
in the dense brush on the extreme right Of
our army, with an open field in front, a
full regiment in gray came from the
woods in the far front. Their colors. 1.-THE
Stars and Bars were bright and new
Out into the open fields with quick step
they came, yet silent as the wind. Every
one of us knew that some one was blum
derlns, while we were resting our guns
over the slight work we had built. On
they came until within 20 rods before the
order Fire" came. There was roar
lasting & full minute, then a few scatter
ing shots and the bugle sounded "Cease
firing" Those of the Confederates not hit
had dropped to the ground and reg-
ment from our right ran out into the field
to their rear. making them all prisoners.
Not man from this new regiment of Ala
hamians escaped death or capture-their
first and only battle.
The battle was one Of five days The
last of those days the boys away to our
left charged down open fields, then into
and across Stone River waist-deep. with
icy waters. mp the opposite banks over
the enemy's works, and the battle was
won.
THE CAMP AT MURFREEsBORO.
With the return Of Spring the sun
| seemed never so bright or the woods so
green, the flowers so sweet or the birds so
| musical. New messes were formed con-
genial spirits lowering together. Had it
not been for the nearby Confederates,
middle Tennessee would have been an
earthly paradise. New games were in
| vented, old games played. Euchre decks
| were much plentier than prayer books.
During this battle of Stone River the
| men lost all their camp equpage, and had
no chance later to go out upon the battle
| field TO pick up abandoned articles After
the regiment was settled in camp the Cap
| tain got pass to go to Nashville. Among
other things he bought coffee-m mill. Up
| to this time we either pounded our coffee
with the head of an Ak i'll piece Of cloth
| or STEPPED it whole, dried the berries
Il III Al
| in exchange for butter-milk and other in
toxicating fluids. For time we had been
| toasting our bacon on the end of q stick
and eating our bareback dry, but the Cap
tain brought us huge frying pan lie had
had made for US at boiler shop. He
said he would fry pancakes on it for the
entire company. That night he put peck
of bareback to soak in Il camp kettle Of
| water. Next morning he brought it down
to the company. Adding handful of
salt he proceeded to stir up the batter.
The bareback was not soaked a six
teenth of an inch, SO he made a FOUNDER
out Of green stick and pounded the bat
ter until hole was made in the bottom Of
the kettle and some of the water ran out.
After long struggle in the presence of
a full company, all Of whom were hungry
for pancakes, he put the huge pan over
When it began to smoke he turned in the
batter. 1t steamed and sizzled and
smoked, 1t sputtered and dubbed and
pulled. The smoke chased the Captain
who was pilot of the pan. from side tc
side of the burning logs The cake gave
: ont blue. smoke-it wanted to be turned
: Twas three feet across and two inches
! deep. The Captain had not thought t.
. buy shovel to turn 1t and it stuck to the
iron like glue in a darky's wool Taker
: from the fire 1t got cold, while the Captain
became hot and steamed In his despera
| ton he swung the giant pan about his
head, knocking down half dozen who
, could not get out Of the way, Then hi
| banged 1t against a tree until hunks oil
J bark fell off, the handle broke, and pieces
: of half-cooked batter were scattered about
the camp.
} The good intentions Of the Captain
! were fully appreciated, but that ended for
-vAr all afforts to do company cookine