The National tribune., 1906-09-27
"a HUMAN DOCUMENT"
A Letter Written by n Young Divinity
Student After Perryville.

A Letter Written by n Young Divinity
Student After Perryville.
Editor National Tribune: I inclose a
letter / wrote just after the battle OF
Perryville. 1t is one of the human
documents that might be of more in
terest connected with the anniversary
of that dreadful and unfortunate bat
tie. I was Sergeant-Major of the 9Sth
Ohio. Our Colonel, George w. Web
ster, who was mortally wounded, COM
manded a brigade, Gen. Terrell COM
manded another and Gen. Jackson
commanded the division, and all three
were killed. When that battle was
fought our regiment had been in the
field but a few weeks. / was a student
at an academy less than three months
before the fght.-Duncan c. Miner,
Chicago, Ill.
louisville, Oct. 10, 1862.
MY Dear Friends: You will likely be
surprised to know that 1 am here; but
you will also be sorry to know the
cause of my coming. You know, we
left Louisville on the 1st, and went ap-
parently toward Lexington, but changed
our course, and day before yesterday,
about 2 o'clock, reached the place
where there had been fighting since
morning, tho altogether that far with
artillery. Our regiment had it's posi-
tlon changed once or twice, but about 3
the right wing was placed on the right
of battery, which was on the top of
hill; the left wing in the rear as a
reserve. Our men while here lay on
their faces, and kept that position for
half an hour, but during all this time
the battle was raging, and about this
time there was some musketry fighting
on the left of the battery where we
were. During this time 1 was with the
right wing, and was lying about Is feet
from the right gun of the battery. l
can assure you that 1 felt conscious
that l was in battle. The earth we
were lying on trembled from the con-
cussion of the artillery, and lay there
watching the artillerymen for some
time Cannon balls were flying over
us, and shells We're bursting near US,
and shot were singing over our heads,
tho in our position all we had to do
was to lie still. One of our men of the
left wing was injured by a cannon ball
rolling over his leg. I saw a gunner
Just as he was aiming his gun near me
struck by cannon ball and knocked
back 10 or II feet and no doubt was
instantly killed. This part CT the bat
tie was terrific, but not near so much
so as afterwards
Il went back to the left wing, and
got some of our men to assist the ar
tillerymen roll back their guns, as they
were almost exhausted. The guns were
right on top of the hill when they were
fired, then would bound back, and it
was haSd to roll them up again. Our
left wing was then ordered to some
woods to support some other regiment,
but when we got there our men had
driven them back with yells, and they
mad run over the hill out of sight of
us. I forgot to tell you that before I
left the right had the pleasure of see
ing the rebels run, who were under fire
of the battery near US. tThis battery
Is the 18TH Ind. and belongs to our bri-
gade.)
Now the blfEs was raging. The air
was filed with smoke, and the roaring
OF the cannons and the rattle of the
musketry was almost deafening. Our
regiment was then placed in a piece of
woods to the rear of where we had
been. and We had then our first fire
Our men, tho little con-
fused in getting arranged. stood
up to 1t well. We could see plain
ly the columns of rebels approaching
and their hateful flags flying. I had
found musket and borrowed some
ammunition, and took my place with
the boys, and really fought some, and
l also did the duties of my position
namely, to aid keeping the men in or
der. We were then moved a little high
er up the hill, and renewed the fire
with terrible earnestness. Our men
would step to the top of the bank, take
ann and fire and step back under the
bluff and load. Here we lost a good
many of our men either killed or
wounded. The ammunition I had bor-
rowed gave out, and I furnished myself
from the body of dead man. Col.
Webster, who had been everywhere in
his brigade nobly directing his men,
was now (about o'clock) in the rear
of our regiment, about 20 feet from me.
i had fired and had turned around and
was just in the act of loading, when /
saw him fall I dropped my gun, and
was the first at his side. He told me he
thought he was mortally wounded, and
prayed for God to have mercy on his
soul. He also said: Tell my dear wife
and children they were last in my
thoughts
Some soldiers assisted me in carry
Ing him down farther into the woods.
and laid him behind a tree 1 exam
fned his wound, and found the ball had
entered his right hip, and he was bleed
ing profusely. ! then started to hunt
the surgeons. but did not get any, but
managed to get a little brandy and a
canteen of water, after running more
tnan q mile. 1t was not getting dark,
tho the smoke on the field made il so.
AS / was returning 1 met some soldiers
carrying him, and after administering
the brandy we carried him until we
met an ambulance, and he was then
hauled to house about a mile from
the battlefield, used as hospital. We
carried him thru the crowds of wound
ed, who covered the ground all around
the house, and got him into a corner
of a room, the floor of which was lined
with the wounded. Here the ball was
taken out. 1t had entered the right
side of the right hip, passed thru the
lower part of his body, and had lodged
on the inside of the skin on the left
side of the left hip. 1t was easily cut
out. I stayed with him about half an
hour, doing all I could to make him
comfortable. (You know, / had nc
particular friends in the regiment, while
most everyone else was busy tending to
the wants of wounded ones) 1t was q
dreadful place to be in; the shrieks and
groans of the wounded were awful, and
II was not until / was seated here, be.
side the bed of the Colonel, that real.
iZed what dreadful things had beer
passing around me.
col. P1orman came, and it was con
cluded best to take Col. w. from her,
and carry him farther back. He ex
pressed desire that his wife should b,
sent for, and / was directed to com,
for her. She, Mrs. Poorman and Mrs
Shane had been in the city waiting
thinking that We might stop at som,
place and that they might join tkai
husbands. About 1880 o'clock I start
ed. When 1 left the field to attend t.