Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-12-03
Separated Forty Years

His Christ was buried-and lives Away;
Trust Him. and go your way
Separated Forty Years.
At a meeting in Boston of the three
Vermont companies of Berdan's sharp
shooters two veterans shook hands
who had not seen each other for forty.
years. They are George w. Dimond CT
Hill, N. H, and David M. Bullock of
Readsboro. VT.
On Dec. 81, 1861, Mr.. Dfmond, who
was then a resident of Grafton, VT.
and Mr.. Bullock, who lived in Reads
boro, were mustered in at Brattleboro.
For three years they fought for the
union. For long time they were tent
mates and at their recent meeting they
exchanged "reminiscences of the old
days. Mr.. Dimond was taken prisoner
at Gettysburg and was for three
months prisoner at Belle Isle.
81 would not have missed this visit
to Boston for anything" said Mr.. Di-
mond. 81 expected to meet sew
eral of my old comrades, but to
meet my old bunkie and terminate.
Dave Bullock, was the most agree
able surprise of my later years.
1t was at Petersburg in 1865 that
Mr.. Dimond last saw Mr.. Bullock, just
before the breaking up, the beginning
of the end of the war, as it were. MI.
Dimond had some interesting expert
ences as a member of Berdan's sharp
shooters during his three years serv-
ice. When the regiment went out the
first quarters were at Falmouth, Va.
and Berdan's sharpshooters, who were
in advance of the troops, were the
first Yankees that many of the south
erners saw.
For several months, practically all
summer, Berdan's men went up and
down the Rappahannock river, chas-
ing Gen. Jackson. While engaged in
this work they saw their first real ell
gagements- The first time the men
were under fire was while supporting
an Indiana battery engaged in an ar
tillery duel with a confederate battery
across the river.
Pieces of railroad iron a foot long
came from the Southerners' guns and
at first they went high over the heads
of the men. Then they began to come
down lower until finally they clipped
men here and there and disabled five
of the Northern guns. Battery B,
Fourth U. S. artillery, came up and a
captain sighted the first gun fired and
put the brass piece of the Southern
ers out of commission. Several of
Mr.. Dimond's comrades were killed
in this engagement.
1t was from the Minnesota 'Injuns,'
as they were called, that he and his
comrades learned some tricks in get
ting under cover in the tall grass
when out sharpshooting. The Mime
sofa men never would get behind a
tree when there was any grass or
grain growing.
1t was at Gettysburg that Mr. Di-
mond was captured His regiment
had gone into the woods to hold back
a charge. For three-quarters of an
hour they kept back the Southerners.
but a lieutenant and twelve men of
Berdan's regiment were captured,
among them Mr.. Dimond. He had
some tough experiences in captivity
For three months he was imprisoned,
and with two of his comrades they
shared half blanket.
At night they took turns in sleep
ing in the middle, the choicest place.
When they went to Annapolis the cit
liens said they were the worst-looking
prisoners ever brought there. When
they reached that city all Mr.. Dimond
had was a pair of ragged-edged pants,
worn of from the knees, and an army
blouse with the sleeves worn to tat
tiers.
On the way to Belle Isle he got for
ten days rations three pints of flour
and three portions of Deef. The -four
had to be mixed with the water and
drank as paste, for there was no
chance to bake anything that resem-
bled bread. He managed to swap
pen which a Confederate thought was
gold for three biscuits, which he d.
vided with a comrade. For three
months afterward he suffered the
pangs of hunger OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Globe.