The National tribune., 1905-11-30

Providence, and it Their consisted of the
95th, I'D and 18th Ill. (Ransom's own
regiment) and the 14th and 18th Wis.
and Battery F, I'd ILL., Art. making, as
every soldier of the Seventeenth Corps
well knows, one of the strongest and
best in Grants army. We were lin it
on the 18th of May, when Col. T. w.
Humphrey was shot in the foot, but
remained in command. One man IN my
company was killed by a ball through
his head. / will not take space to tell
you all / know of those assaults, but
will say that our brigade made the as
sault on the 18th, was on the right of
the Jackson road to the right of the
celebrated white House." near the no
torious Fort Hill. and directly at anoth-
er fort or earthwork, mounting more
guns than we could carry. On getting
to a ridge 70 yards from the works we
could get no further on account Of the
deadly fire from the front and the fire
from Fort Hill, which was now away
to our rear and left, and fallen trees
with sharpened limbs, etc. We were
here halted, and Col. Humphrey, al
though shot through his instep, being
With US, received the following note
from Gen. Ransom:
Colonel: You have done well, nobIy
1 desire that you hold your position. Do
not further expose your men or waste
ammunition. i occupy the rear of the
ridge back of you. Will move forward
as soon as we are supported on the
right and left. 1 expect to hear from
Gen. Mcpherson.
"(Signed) T. E. G. Ransom, Briga-
dier-General."
Not long after this Gen. Ransom him.
self came sneaking along the line from
our right. He found me behind a huge
cottonwood stump with about dozen
Of my men busily exchanging shots with
the Jonnnies in nice t.pointblank"
range. He told me to keep we'll COW
ered," and mot to allow shot to be
thrown away" that soon after dark we
would be relieved and have a chance
to rest and cook some grub" in the
rear. Then he crawled off to find Col.
Humphrey, to whom he gave orders to
like effect. Now, we were ''in it, that
Day to the extent of seven men killed
and 81 wounded. We were withdrawn
some time in the night, and detail of
SPADES, picks, shovels, ETC., guarded by
an armed force, started the first in
augurated the siege.
The next day We received a mail, and
j received a commission as Second Lieu
tenant, and was detailed by Gen. Ran
som to command detail of sharp
shooters of his brigade, which con-
tirued TO do during the siege, marching
into Vicksburg with my regiment on
the Fourth of July as First Lieutenant.
For his work in this campaign Gen.
Ransom was made Major-General !
have perhaps written more than you
want to take time to read or space to
print. / would. however, like TO tell
you about Daniel w. Ryan, of my little
squad behind the cottonwood stump
He WITS a sturdy Scotchman of about 35
years, and enlisted from our Captains
farm, Capt. VIM. Fl. Stewart, who was
also of Scotch descent. Ryan stuck
pretty close to me while we rushed and
tumbled. scrambled over logs, through
brush, climbing, crawling. falling to-
ward the front toward our friends the
Johnnies. After we got up to and be-
hind the big stump we were nearly In
front of the redan or fort, which was
throwing cassshot and shrapnel from
as l now remember. four field guns,
think 12-pound howitZers. We were ir
close mnsket range, and commenced
pecking away at the gunners, and with
the help Of Sherman's men to our righ
we soon put that battery out of bust.
ness for the time. The whole of the
s5th ILL.,, some OF the 18th Wis mixed
up with us, had found such shelter a.
they could and were pecking away a.
any head in sight. Ryan became so de
termined to stop" an officer that h
frequently got glimpse of at the bat
terry. and became very careless, and
frequently ordered him to get down or
his knees and shoot from the side a
the stump, and to Immediately on fir
Ing get behind the stump, to avoid tn,
rcturn fire. He had fired standing ant
:lared he had got him" j yelled
AT .S-s to get down: he dropped to hi
knees "a put another load I'm his gun
and bringing his gun to Gaping posi-
ton could not resist the temptation t.
peak. The stump meanwhile was beint
Filed with bullets. When In that posi-
ton he received a ball just above hi
right temple. coming out under the lief
tawbone. severing the jugular vein. ant
he fell forward on his face and the
blood soon came down under him and
out between his feet In a stream soak.
Ing the ground all around him. Thui