The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-11-30
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Biuo and the Gray Review Incl.
dents Of the Late War, and In .
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell Of Camp, March and Battle.


"This Talk about armor for soldiers"
said the Captain, reminds me of an
incident in the battle Of Fort Stevens,
near Washington, in July, 1864. I par
ticipated in that engagement rs cap
tain Of company a, First colored in
fantry, defenses of Washington. The
regiment was composed of govern
ment employees organized for defense
Of Washington, and did good service
when Early advanced on the capital,
but no mention Is made of the regi-
ment or Its services In any War De
partment record.
After the Sixth corps arrived our
regiment charged in line with the Ver-
mont brigade and drove Earlys forces
back beyond Montgomery Blnir's
house. Then we returned to the de-
fenses, and the Sixth corps followed
the rctreating enemy. AS we returned
saw dead Confederate soldier who
wore II long breastplate of Russian or
Swedish sheet iron. There were two
thickennesses of iron, with material
resembling asbestos between them the
whole covered with canvas or sail
cloth. A mimic ball had penetrated the
armor or breastplate over the heart of
the wearer, killing him instantly.
zone of the men took the breastplate
from the dead body and presented it
to Captain Robert Lacey, of General
Daniel II. Rlcker's staff, and we ex-
amined 1t carefully. 1t was the only
piece of mail or armor that ever saw
or heard of In the army. We all agreed
nt the time that the man who wore
the breastplate was not Confeder-
ate veteran, but recruit who had re-
Gently Joined the army or a resident Of
Washington who had gone out with
arms and armor to help his friends
under Early. The breastplate was Of
foreign manufacture, and might have
been carried to Richmond on n block
ade runner.
"No veteran soldier of that time in
either army would have worn pro-
tector of any kind. That would have
been unsoldierly and inexcusable. But
veteran could use n tree or rock or
stump or mound of earth as pro-
lection and be commended for his fore
sight and courage. The soldier most
sensitive on the question Of armor or
breastplate would jump behind tree
or into gopher hole and boast of his
Of wearing chain suit or protector
Of wearing chain suit or pxotectir
Of any kind was counted coward.
When n private wanted to be particu-
larly severe on regular officer he
mtimated that said officer wore a
chain shirt under his blouse or coat
II remember" said the Major, that
in our command any eccentricity on
the part of man IN protecting him
self from the enemy's bullets was ex-
cusable and commendable. In the last
year Of the war our men became en-
perts in the construction of what might
be called individual forts. A picket
sent to an exposed position fortified The
minute he was on post. The man who
relieved him improved the work of
| the first. and the third man on duty
extended the work OF the second In
this way the army was given forti.
fed front on the initiative of the pick
cts. l have known men to go gladly
to outpost picket duty that they might
| give the finishing touches to a gopher
hole or 'dugout' begun by them.
selves or comrades.
I'VE had in the company one man
who never did the right thing in ranks
He seemed so stupid or indifferent
that he was not sent on picket. One
day he got as far as the reserve post
and spent the greater part of the day
in digging n rifle pit across the front
He took such delight in the work that
he was taken with the company to the
picket line the next time 1t was on
duty. He sauntered out to the out
and returned to the most dangerous
post. He worked for an hour, and
made a rifle pit for one that was Il
beauty. The throwing up Of fresh
earth. however, attracted the attention
of the enemy, and they opened fire.
"As we expected, stupid Pete ran
back to the reserve. But, contrary to
expectation, he grabbed his rifle and
ran back to the picket line and re
mained there under heavy fire. His
newly made rifle pits were Of great
service in halting the enemy. After
the skirmish Pete was complimented
for doing as good work with his rifle
as with his shovel, and we found that
he wasn't stupid after all. The next
day he came to me and said his friend
Tim, as ugly looking fellow rs there
was in the regiment had something
on his mind. Tim had letter which
he couldn't read himself, and was
afraid to have any of his comrade.
read.
ut was from his daughter, who was
in an orphan asylum, but who had
learned to read and write, and had
written her father the first letter he
had received since he entered tho
| army Tim had been n recruit taken