The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1906-02-08


said Colonel A. L. Fahnestock, "as to
who opened the fight at Chlckamauga.
Our regiment (the Eighty-sixth ILL
nois) went out with Colonel Dan Nc
Cooks brigade on the evening Of Sept.
1S, 1868, to destroy Reeds bridge
across the Chickamauga. Companies
/ and B Of the Eighty-sixth Illinois
were on picket on tho right Of the
Lafayette road, company B, under
Captain Worrell, on my left, and
twenty men Of the Fifty-second Ohio
on my right, the much talked Of spring
lying to the left Of Captain Worrell's
company.
Lieutenant Groinger, of the Eighty
sixth and myself took charge of our
post that night, Us was short of
men. l told Private Jacob Petty of
my company that evening that there
would be fight the next morning, and
said to him that II he shot a Johnny
I would buy him a plug of tobacco.
The next morning at break Of day n
Confederate cavalryman rode to our
front. Petty saw him and asked
Lieutenant A. A. Lee If he should
shoot. Lee said yes. Petty fired and
brought down his man, and that shot
opened the battle Of Chickamauga.
"Soon after Petty's shot firing be.
gan on the left Of company B, at the
spring. Captain Swift, Of Colonel Dan
McCook's staff had ordered me to the
top Of the hill to fight the enemy back
to the brigade and Barnett's battery.
We carried out instructions to the
letter, but when we had driven the
enemy to where the brigade had been
posted there was no brigade there 1t
had been ordered back, as the enemy
had crossed Chickamauga Creek above
and below and now pressed my small
force on both sides.
about this time General Thomas,
on my right, or south of Reeds bridge,
struck the enemy, and the fighting
became general. claim that our brl-
gade should have the credit of open
ing the battle of Chickamauga, and I
contend that We closed it on the night
Of the Goth ut Cloud Springs, to my
mind the key to the Union position.
Petty, who fired the first shot on the
morning OF the 10th, claimed his re,
ward that evening. Lieutenant Lee
notified me that Petty had got his
| man and wanted his plug Of tobacco
Tobacco was scarce at that time, but
found n plug, paid 81 for 1t, and sent
1t to Petty. The United States is in.
debted to me for that amount, plus
the interest for forty-two years."
II know something of that night be.
fore the battle Of Chickamauga," said
the High Private. "The night was cold
and the morning Of the 10th of Sep
tember foggy. Some Of the boys of
the F4fty-second Ohio were astir as
early as o'clock on the morning of
the 10th, hunting for water. They
found 1t at Jays sawmill, and the
rebs found the same spring about the
same time.
Corporal McCue, Of company G
mingled with some of the rebs, as in
the darkness and fog it was almost
impossible to distinguish friend from
enemy. McCue, as he filed his can.
teen, said sociably to the man who
was filling his canteen on bis right
that things looked squally in front,
or that they would look squally as
soon as day broke. The canteen filler
on McCue's right agreed, but said,
comfortably, We all left General Lee
to help you all, and l reckon we all
know how, because we had some pow
erful squalls with the Yanks up In
Virginia this summer
In answer to what corps he be-
longed to the reb replied, Long
Streets Thereupon the corporal clos
ed up like clam dnd hiked back to
his company. He told the story to his
captain, who sent him to Major j. L.
Holmes to report. Holmes sent Nc
Cue to Colonel Dan McCook, COM
manding the brigade, and McCool,
sent Captain Swift, Of his staff, to
withdraw the pickets under Fahnes-
took. The pickets, being hotly en-
gagged at the time, the order was not
delivered, and Fahnestock extricated
his men from perilous position.
Speaking of perllous positions re-
minds me that Jerry Ryan, still living
in Chicago, did some extricating at a
critical juncture worth remembering.
When General John B. Turchin made
bis famous charge on the afternoon of
Sept. Goth ut Chickamauga the Twen-
U-frst Indiana battery was left at
the angle where the right Of Turchin's
line had rested. Ryan, with the as
sistance Of corporal and driver,
limbered up two guns and retired
dlagonally back across the Lafayette
road, swinging slantwise to Clouds
hill, and, reaching Colonel Dan Nc
Cooks right, reported to that officer.
Soon General Turchin swung round
to the left, driving the rebels from the
Union rear, and brought up on Clouds
hill with McCook's men. That charge
to clear the rear Of the enemy was
ono of tho finest military snactncIes 7