The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-08

Recitation or reading. John Pelham" Jas. Randall.
 Talk on Pelham monument to pc erected in Montgomery and what the children will do 1t in this years worA'
 Music, Bonny Blue Flag.
 Program '.
 Music, Dixie, standing.
 Roll call: Noted battles.
 Recitation. Drummer Boy of Sniloh.
 Talk of Shiloh battle and the monu- ment to be erected by the Alabama o' D. C. to Alabama heroes.
 Paper. Albert Sidney Johnston
 Music' "Mother, Can This the Glory Der
 Music, Dixie. q
 Paper. Richmond. Confederate capi- tai. ., James," .>
 Talk, Jefferson Davis monument: (2) F,ichmond Museum and Battle Abbey.
 Who were Mason and Slidell?
 Song, All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight"
 The battle of Chickamauga as seen and participated in by young lieuten- ant from Alabama:
 Tyners Station, Tenn, Sept. 26, 1883.
 Dear Pal have a tolerable good op- portunity of writing this morning, ana have determined to write you letter, though I think it very doubtful wheth- CT you ever receive it or not. You nave heard by this time of the great battle which was fought on the 18th and goth inst, and I expect you have seen bet ter and more accurate accounts or IL than I can give you, but as every one has his own story to tell, will tell mine to you.
 Late in the afternoon of the 18th inst. we left Lafayette, Ga.. and took up line of march. We travelled the main road leading from Lafayette to Chattanooga and marched nearly all night, but our progress was slow, the road being full of troops ahead of us. About 3 o'clock in the morning we halt ed and rested until 8 or o'clock, when we again moved forward. We had not gone far when we came in sight or Lee and Gordon's mills on the Chicka- mauga River. As soon as we saw the hill and came in full view, the enemy opened on us from the other side Of the river and near the mill, with battery of three or four guns, 12-pound- CTS, think. The brigade immediately formed line of battle in a thick woods and our section of Robertson's battery, two pieces, took position in an open field, in front of a large white house, with our regiment, the immortal 5eth, for a support, and returned the enemy's compliment. The shelling continued for some time, shells bursting above and all around us every minute. One man in Company K had his musket shattered in his hands. Some of the shells fell very near me. and one came very near falling on my foot. I picked up one of the fragments and carried 1t in my pocket for several days. in- tending to send 1t home, but 1t was so heavy I got tired of it. Towards night the shelling ceased, and we took up our position in line of battle with the bri- gade, which had moved up and formed the rest of the division. About sum down Lydell and Walthall had a brisk little fight on the right. but as dark came on everything grew quiet and we lay down to rest. On Saturday morn ing, the 18th, we were walked up at daylight and lay listening nearly all day long to the terrible thunder of ar- tillery and the rattle of musketry. the mighty shock of battle which ragged so furiously on our right. Cheer alter cheer and shout after shout came to our listening ears; the roar of cannon grew fainter, and the mighty clash of small arms less distinct. We knew that we were whipping them. Long, street and Hood were upon them, and 
 in the wind. About o'clock in the evening we had orders to move round to the right and relieve the troops that had been fighting so hard all day. The boys moved with quick and active step. We had a long way to go. away down to a ford of the river and then l back up the river. We had to ford the river, which was, to many of us. over knee deep. Awhile after sundown we reached the battlefield. The ground in many places was actually covered with the Yankee dead, but they still held a strong position, and we knew they would make fight again on the morrow. We would have gone into action imme- diately, but General Managault, com manding third brigade of our division, Hindman's, failed to get his men into position until after dark. It was af- terwards concluded that as we were all wet and cold, 1t would be better to retire 400 or 500 yards, make fires and rest the best we could When we made our fires and went out to gather wood 1t was hard to keep from stumbling over the dead men. Again the night was quiet as If there was no enemy in ten miles. Our fires were bright and blazed high and though the dead men were thick under the stacks yet the men were gay and lively, as full of hope and confident of victory as ever. We all knew that we would nght in the morning, and we felt that we would whip the enemy. We could not be sad. We had longed and wished for an op- portunity to meet the foe again; now 1t was granted us. We had twice been in line of battle the week before: both times the enemy had taken advantage of the night and retired from before us. General Bragg had just issued an ad- dres to the army, telling us that we had twice thwarted the attempt of the enemy to flank us; that we had been largely reinforced, and that now we must force him to the issue" We had everything to cheer us, and nothing to discourage us. And more than all, Longstreet had driven them more than two miles that day, and we could not bear for hi into come from Virginia and gain all the glory of whipping Rosy"
 Early in the morning, Sunday 20th, we were called to attention, the roll was called and every man answered here" loud and lively. But how many brave soldiers who were then full of life and hope, lie cold and stiff in soldiers grave, with nothing around them but soldiers blanket. We made a new graveyard Pa, and then filled 1t with our own brave dead. But am getting too fast. At sunrise we ad- vanced In line of battle, but soon halt ed on the ground that our troops had oooupIad Iast an the evenfnR before