The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-03-16
THE BOOMING CANNON
RECITALS OF CAMP AND eAf.
TIE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents Of Marches, Camp Life, Foras.

AAb 4sApGXAC oA0 ASassAO o$SAAS~
winter campaigning" said the
Major, had an infinite variety of ups
and downs in 1863. l was looking
over diary the other day. covering
In the space Of hundred words each
day of the year 1868, a fighting year
for most of our armies.
"The rcord began In matter-of-
fact way, reading in this wise: Thurs
day-Morning very cold. Aroused at
3 o'clock; our brigade stumbling to
the front to stand two hours on out
post. Rebel lines and fires in plain
view. Return to our bivOuac; cook
breakfast, and change position. At
tack made on our center repulsed.
Chase hogs between the lines. kill sew
eral, and have New Years dinner.
At night build large fires and are
comfortable, but cannot sleep because
of continuous firing on the skirmish
line
Evidently something had been do
ing. This record is of the second day
at Stone River, or the day after the
bloody struggle of Dec. 81. 1862. This
is made clearer by the record Of Fri
day, Jan. 2: Aroused at ; O'clock and
breakfast without Interruption. Re-
lieved by two other regiments and re-
tire to the rear near the river. Build
line of breastwOrks while we rest
Bys don't like the looks of things.
About noon REINFORCED by Negley's
and other divisions. At 3 o'clock ter
rife attack made by the enemy In
force. Our line at first crushed back,
but REINFORCED by Davis and Wood,
hurls the rebels back, and we pursue
at a run. Battle continues until after
dark, and we return to our bivouac
In the rain, wet and muddy
THAT is reference by partici-
pant to one of the most picturesque
engagements of the war, to the turn
ing point in the battle of Stone River.
If the man who wrote the charge
knew it, he didn't care to give par
ticulars. Coming to Saturday, he
wrote: "A rainy, disagreeable day.
Lines quiet until night, when rebels
make a sortie and are repulsed. Night
very disagreeable. Troops moving all
night from left to right and boys
grumble because they can't sleep.
About 3 o'clock the clouds break
away, the moon shines, and We have
a rainbow at night. Boys think it is
a sign the rebs are licked
1.-The important thing to these men
lying on their arms was the weather,
and they complained Of the noise made
by troops moving into position as men
at home complain Of man on the
street who whistles or sings. How
ever, on Sunday the rain ceased and
the sun came out on shivering army.
have abandoned their advanced lines
and squads are sent out to bury the
dead. Rebel dead collected for burial,
but Union dead lying where they
were shot down. Find niue of our
regiment dead at one point Find
others severely wounded. Troops ON
the right find Murfreesboro evacu-
ated' There ought to have been
yell or a cheer there, but there is no
sign Of any elation.
Monday, we are told, was very
pleasant, but Black was found near
the rebel breastworks, dead. Pockets
rif1ed; buttons cut from his coat, and
boots pulled off. Our advance moves
beyond Murfreesboro, passing through
the town, which is simply a hospital
for the wounded Of both armies
Black was one of the color guards of
our regiment, who, when the color
bearer was shot, caught up tie flag
and waved it almost in the faces of
the enemy. When Black was shot be-
tween the eyes the wounded color
bearer took the flag again and carried
it through the fight. The writer says
nothing of this. He does not color the
picture. because, to say that Black
was found was enough to recall the
whole picture to him.
1.-THE record shows that the troops
on Tuesday were still burying the
dead, and that on Wednesday the di-
vision Palmer's) marched across the
river, through Murfreesboro, and
three miles out on the McNIunnville
road, and then: Our regiment, with
out supper, sent on picket, and boys
in a state Of mind. Meet ROsecrans
and staff, and the General, as he sees
the regimental flag, says: Hello!
These men were with me In West vir-
glnia. 1 am proud Of you boys, for
what you did last week. 1 hope you
are all feeling well."' They were.
They forgot all about supper, and
when, as they stood supperless that
night and a brilliant meteor flashed
across the sky, they said Old Rosy
was sure to win.
"The next night. Thursday. Jan. 8,
the men slept in tents for the first
time since leaving Nashville. Dec. &c.
The next day the division moved back
a mile to better camping ground. Fri
day and Saturday were cold and the
little funnei-shaped stoves didn't work
we'll. On that day, however, the boys
found the wounded of their company
comfortably housed. On Monday they
marched back to Murfreesboro, and
six miles ON the Nolansville pike
across the battlefield of Dec. 81, pass
ing hundreds of soldiers graves and
hundreds of dead horses.
"Then came week of severely
cold weather, the brigade moving,
meantime, to new camp on Cripple
Greek, six miles farther out on the
McMunnville road. The first night in
the new camp the men stood in line
of battle without fires, and it was
supposed we were there only for
day or two. But tents We're pitched
along the line of battle and the regi-
ment remained there until the for
ward movement in June, scing through
all the experiences Of winter cam
paign, but returning after every skir-
mish. raid, or scout to camp, which
o,,,n 70 coar, lilo hama v-rhi.o ,rn