Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-08-21
OF vIcksBuRG CAMPAIGN
E. B. Hyde Concludes His Memoirs Of
That Notable Seiee.

One morning two or three days pre-
vious to the Champion Hill battle, a
comrade in our regiment became so ir-
ritated that he, refused TO take his
place in the ranks to march. The colo
nel's attention was called and he at
once secured obedience; and as prompt
ly announced the penalty for the insub-
ordination to be Il forfeiture of two
months pay. At this battle the boy
was wounded in five places; and he died
in the field hospital But before he
died the colonel conversed with him, as
he did with all the wounded men, He for
gave the offender, commended him for
his bravery and remitted the fine. He
spent most of the night with them do
ing and saying all he could for their
comfort 1t is impossible to describe
fine suffering in such place. This
field hospital was established near
Champions S residence about half a mile
from the battlefield. A brush bower
was built to protect from sun and dew.
The men were laid in rows with alleys
between for the passage of attendants.
1t took a good many waters TO supply
drink, and to dress and bathe the
wounds of about a thousand who had
been brought together The same care
was given to foes as to friends all
were friends when in need of care
Enmlty between us had ceased Com
rades slightly wounded walked around
and waited on themselves, and did what
they could for others. A very large
kettle was found on this plantation and
was used to make beef tea, or very
thin soup, for the men. Those who had
good appetites suffered for more sub
stantial food, but they recognized that
thin soup was far better than only wa
ter. The next morning many limbs and
parts of limbs were amputated and
thrown into piles like stove-wood, then
hauled off in wagons and buried. The
dead on the battlefield were buried in
trenches as most convenient. Several
wagon loads of muskets were gathered
up and hauled along when we marched.
The wounded who were able to walk,
were returned from the field hospital to
their regiments to pres ent their becom
ing prisoners, as all must who should
remain behind the army. Some of them
came just too late to get their share of
rations issued here-the first since April
Both. From that date to May 18th was
a long pull on five days rations, con-
sidering the strenuous work we had
done A few of the comrades broke
cracker and each gave me piece, and
found piece of one on the ground,
spattered over with blood which /
scraped off, so | was supplied about as
we'll as those were who had divided
with me. At the Big Black river the
rel,s destroyed the bridge so our heavy
equipage could not cross. While anoth-
er was being built we rested day in a
large dewberry patch loaded with nice
ripe berries. They helped out our short
rations nicely As we drew near the
Mississippi river rations became plenty.
At the beginning of the seige Grant
did not have men enough to reach
around the whole line of Notifications
and guard our rear too, and it looked
doubtful whether our thin line stretch
ed out ten or twelve miles long, could
keep Pemberton's army in Nicksburg,
and resist any rear attack. Re-en-
forcements arrived before Johnston re-
covered from the beatings he had sutf-
cred the last few weeks Our lines
we're soon shortened by advancing our
rifle-pits closer to the Notifications. II
took an immence amount of trench
digging to do this. A large share of it
had to be done in the night. To ad
vance in exposed places we dug in zig
gag directions, piing the dirt up on the
bank towards the enemy, and So ne
times cotton bales, logs and barrels
filled with dirt were rolled in iron, of
us as protection. The direction, locq-
tion and length of trenches were deter
mined by survey, and stakes were set
and marked for guides. One night a
lieutenant had charge of crew and he
ordered them to cut across the short
way instead of digging so far around.
His short cut did not give the necessary
protection and he was severely repri-
manded by the colonel for such stupid
ty, called fool, etc. He soon resign
ed and went home There was no one
sorry when he left us, for we did not
fancy an incompetent officer however
friendly and good natured he might be.
Digging trenches by night and using
them for protection while fighting by
day, gave sufficient opportunity for ser
vice to satisfy the most ambitious pa
triot, while it was truly hard for those
who served only when they had to.
The different grades of patriotism were
fully represented in the army.
We were glad to be near enough to
our base to be regularly supplied with
rations; and also glad to occasionally
venture trip to blackberry patch III
a ravine between the two lines of work.
Blac kberry pie baked in hole dug in
a clay bank, was worth facing some
risk Of stray bullets and broken shells.
In our regimental camp a stray bullet
plunged into and through the bottom of
d tin cup of coffee a comrade was
about to drink. He showered anything
but blessings on any rebel who would
spill his coffee that way He pretended
to care more for the loss of his coffee
than for his cup. One day member
of Co X was wounded in the neck by a
piece of bullet that had come through
our port-hole II had hit the muzzle OF
his gun and split in two, the larger part
going into his gun barrel, and strip
about three-quarters of an inch long in
to the side of his neck. He sad, Gosh
that hurts; take your knife, Hyde, and
dig that out of my neck. | objected
and tried to have him go to the doctor.
He declared he would not go and ! must
take it out. / succeeded in doing it.
His cold water treatment healed it and
he came horne a sound man at the close
of the war ! forget whether that was
Billy Reitz or Billy Huntley. We had
no better soldiers than either Of those
little fellows were.
When we left Madison for the south
in the fall of 1862, Co. X had IS men,
Before Vicksburg surrendered we were
reduced to II effective men for duty
tbnra 4 fe ~ haI haeu tra ne feTraT tn