The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-11-16

command of company of the Seventh
WISCONSIN. The brigade, composed Of
Che Second. Sixth and Seventh Wiscon-
PIN and the Nineteenth Indiana, had
marched from Frederic to Turer's Gap,
ana a. the sun went down we passed
INTO a newly plowed field Of natiron
ehape. On our left was a stone wall
that hid the road from view and on
our right an old rail fence that skirted
the base Of the woods which covered
che decliyity of high shell stone
mountain.
This was Turner's Gap at sunset,
ana we were ordered forward against
= stone wall at the narrow end of the
datiron field The Sixth Wisconsin
was following the Seventh closely and
the Nineteenth Indiana and Second
wisconsin were on the south side of
the road and In the gorge below. The
Seventh was advancing straight on
stone wall forty yards long. or about
equal to our regimental 'front.' when
the rebs opened a heavy fire on us
from the stone wall along the road,
nom the wall In front, and from the
rail- fence on our right In the failing
light we couldn't tell where the bullets
came from. but we knew that we were
Ia tight place.
AT this juncture the regiment was
In command Of captain, and I, Sec
cnd sergeant, was in command of our
company. The captain in command
gave the order to change front, SO as
TO face the stone fence parallel to the
road. In the wheel by companies our
company was so near the stone wall in
'front.' that to complete the wheel 1t
was necessary to scale the wall. / had
placed my hands on the top of the
wall and was getting ready to Jump
when I saw the rebel line OF battle
waiting for us on the opposite side.
That was a sumner, and there was
no time for thought or for tactics. On
the impulse of the moment I yelled,
Right about, march, The men of the
company, lot having seen what had
seen. executed the order promptly and
the four companies to my right follow
cd In turn, forming with US a new line
OF battle fifty YARDS from the enemy
lying behind the stone wall The Sixth
Wisconsin advanced into the woods to
protect our right. and the Nineteenth
Indiana took possession of the gorge
On our left, and the fight was on all
along the line.
The tight place seemed to get tight
er. The rebs blazed away at us In the
growing darkness from the stone wall.
and we fred at the wall until our
guns were foul and our ammunition
low When We asked for assistance
and ammunition we were told none
could be sent Each man was ordered
20 retain one cartridge In his box and
to keep one In his gun, and all were In
formed that we must hold the line at
the point Of the bayonet. Under this
order we lay down and munched hard
tack In lieu Of dinner and supper.
When daylight came the next morn
Ing we had possession OF the field. the
enemy having retreated. Our regiment
marched down into the road, was join
ed there by the other three regiments
OF the brigade, and all marched I'D the
mountain. From the summit we saw
the retreating enemy, the stampeding
hosts covering the whole country.
There was great excitement, and we
marched without breakfast TO Keedy-
Vile, near which We found another
rebel line Of battle formed on the west
side Of the Antietam- The Seventh
lost at South Mountain eleven men
killed, 115 wounded and 21 missing"
speaking Of tight Places" said the
Major, did you ever hear Of Dan Nc
Cooks anaroojans, so active In the
Chickamauga campaign? Our brigade
was at Brentwood. near Nashville,
when the ceTnaign opened, and when
We were or1e.ed to the front by way
Of Stevens N, Col. McCook organized
= company of thirty picked men as
mounted scouts or anaroojans under
the command OF Lieut.. Cole Of Battery
I. Illinois artillery.
"All were western men, and all were
0co0 AoA SS1HCh- Lucy were QIllieQ ana
trained to scout far to the front. and
on the tanks Of the marching column.
and often were cut OF from the brig
ads by the enemy's cavalry. The
anaroojans invented a sign language
and tree n.arking system that enabled
the isolated men to locate the brigade
even when watched by the rebs. They
were. during the march to Chickamau-
ga, In hundred tight places, but not
one was captured. No scouts Of the
army were so well known throughout
Granger's corps as the anaroojans."
1.-THE tightest place our company
was ever In" said the Sergeant, els
thus referred to In history: 'Critten-
den's corps advanced Sept. 10, 1888, In
pursuit Of the enemy on the Ringgold
road. Palmer's division leading,
through deficiency of supplies, made
q short march and encamped at the
crossing of the Chickamauga; but short
O. was the adrance the enemy's cav
airy annoyed the head Of the column,
and In bold dash rode over the front
Of the First Kentucky regiment and
captured two officers and fifty men,
THAT was not the way 1t happened.
-Four companies of the First Kentucky,
under command Of Lieut.. Col. Hadlock.