Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-04-06
THE BATTLE-FIELDS
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

outs and shebangs along the Shalkhe.
They acted very much as our boys
did in 1863 and 1864. They seemed
to feel just as sure that they would
stay where they were all winter as we
did when we built comfortable winter
nuts at Shellmound in October and
November, 1863. To secure the mate
rial for these huts we tore down
houses, just as the Russians and Japs
did, and we felt it in our bones that
we would remain long time to en-
JOY the shebangs so carefully con
structed.
I'VE were at Chattanooga for sew
eral weeks. We liked Shellmound bet
ter, and we banked on the belief that
the rebs could not be driven from
Lookout mountain and Missionary
ridge. Therefore, we built our winter
quarters with great care, with our
shelter tents for tops. We tore down
the Shellmound station for brick. We
went miles into the country for boards
and other material, and we did good
job in the construction Of quarters.
Everything was in ship shape on the
morning of November Sd, when we
were ordered to move to Bridgeport,
ten or fifteen miles down the river.
The boys lifted up their voices and
Swore but they were equal to the oc
caslOn. They tore down the huts, made
a raft of the lumber. using bricks as
hu ct al nd ri
regiment fioated down the river to
Bridgeport while the main column
marched down the railway. Knowing
where they were going and just where
they were to camp, the men of the
brigade made short work of that
time and had the lumber from the
raft on the ground ready to build
new winter quarters that night.
THE next day new city of huts,
with canvas tops and board sides,
went up quickly. The material had
been matched at Shellmound, and
every mess had it's own. Members of
the One Hundred and Twenty-Third
New York. on guard at the pontoons,
looked with wonder on the building
operations of that day. Our boys
seemed so cock sure of everything and
built in such faith that they would
spend the winter there that the New
Workers joked us good deal about
running the whole darned machine.
"Eor once our instinct as to staying
,,.,.. r;,,bt Wa ,np,n;pa1 Rri6pn-
port several weeks, and thought we
were going to remain several weeks
longer, because the colonel began to
build more commOdious shebang for
himself He and the carpenters plan
ned with great care, and they had
beautiful frame up when we were or
dered to move eastward. The colonel
was vexed, but he took things quietly.
He ordered all the huts left as they
were. except as to the canvas tops,
and the regiments We're formed ready
to march when fires broke out in
twenty or more places.
"The colonel was greatly irritated,
but when the brigade commander rode
up and asked how he accounted for
the confagration, the colonel said
curly. 4 think. general. the fire is of
incendiary origin. and, In the absence
of fire department. | think 1t is 60
ing to sweep the camp. 1t did. Be
fore the regiments marched the Win
ter quarters were in ashes and the
BOYS were glad of it,"
"Ry the way" said the major. that
reference to rafting lumber down the
Tennessee in a way to give every
man his own material reminds me of
the wonderful luck we had in recover
ing knapsacks and extra clothing left
behind when we were ordered on
forced marches or into battle. | don't
believe the boys appreciated the sys-
tenn that brought each man his own
property in every case where KNAPP
sacks were left in the rear or clothing
stored for long campaign.
For example. in that march to
ShelImourd and Bridgeport. our brig
AIDE sneaked out OF Chattanooga at
midnight. leaving tents standing and
knapsacks in charge Of special guards.
We were in the mountains north of
the river for three days, and then on
swing as the right of the army of
the Cumberland down the river. When
our tents and knapSacks came to us
at Shellmound everything was as it
should be- and every man In our regi-
ment had his knapsack and his be-
longings. At Stone River we drop
ped our knapsacks on the road from
Nashville and left them piled up by
company measure in charge of men
who could not march well.
I'VE did not see them for many a
day, and most of us expected never
to see them again. The men left on
guard saw the knapSacks packed on
wagons and then, eager to be in the
for. no