The National tribune., 1907-07-18

soon. When about half of our brigade
were in sight the ball opened. There
was no preamble. no preliminary. Cur
It's just swung his sword and started for
he rebels. We went with him. We
Z bumped into a whole lot of them that
were following Il crooked, narrow ra-
! vine down - the one we had just
crossed, but about 500 yards below
where we crossed II. The idea appeared
! to be to strike us in flank while the reb-
els in front made an attack directly in
our front. Curtis sent us TO the right
and bumped US into the rebels in the
rayine. They were just packed solid,
but that did not help them any. They
could not use any more of their men
than what were in front of our men,
We We're right on top of them in a
minute. within four or five yards of
! them. Then our boys opened on that
mass of rebels packed in our front The
Spencers and Sharps of our boys were
/ too much for the rebels. All who could
get back 10 the rebel works began TO
give way. At that time We had gotten
so far to the right that the rebels who
were III our front when We started were
uncovered. and our artillery opened on
| them, for which we were truly thank
full.
! The rebels stopped at the breast
/ works. and some more of their men
/ They struck at us with the butts of their
! guns and thrust at our boys with their
| bayonetS AID called us all sorts of bad
| names, and ordered us to go back. Our
| boys kept right on. firing their rifles and
crowding up onto the works. Soon the
rebels had to either throw down their
guns and give up or run back TO their
own line of works or be shot down
/ where they were. Some took one course.
| some another. Just at that time we
got orders to halt and hold the works
at any cost AS the rebels had been
reinforced heavily there was no telling
what they might do.
l L looked to the right. and saw the col
ors of the 4Sth y. Y. go over the works
Evidently they had not gotten .he order
to halt that we had just received. L
saw boy carrying the flag. He was
running as fast as he could go, little
in advance of any of his regiment. L
stood and looked at him. The flag was
streaming back over his shoulders He
was bareheaded; his light-colored hair
curled all over his head. He made the
bravest picture 1 had ever seen. l shall
never forget it. He went four or five
yards, when all at once the flag fluttered
and dropped 10 the ground, or would
have had not one of the other boys
caught it. He took two or three steps
| towards where / was standing, stag
I gered and fell. ! gave my rifle to Bob
Warner, and went and picked him up.
He was so slender and light L carried
him easily. Some of our boys helped
me over the works with him. 1 sat
down with him in my lap. He laid his
head upon my shoulder, with his face
against mine like little tired child and
said:
i You won't let the rebels get me, wilt
you?"
That was all he said told him.
I NO" That ever-present horror, the
cruelties that were always meted out to
our boys when prisoners by the rebel
Government. was evidently the last
thing on his mind.
i 1 was looking at the rebels. and did
not look at him at all Just then my
Captain. Dunham. came along and sal
to me, You may as we'll lay that boy
down. He is dead"
/ Gen. Grant Appears.
He had died without a struggle, and
L did not notice it. 1 looked at him
then: he was shot in the breast; the
ball had gone clear thru him. He was
!, very handsome, with fine. delicate fea-
lures. l thought what pity; if he had
been big, black and strong like the rest
of us it would not have seemed so sad.
| got up with him in my arms. and car
ried him back a few steps, as lots OF
men We're being rushed in to take our
places, when some one jostled me, al
L
laying him down. I was mad, and said
some things, when I heard Gen. Grant
say in that smooth, even tone of voice
he always used, Excuse me. I could
not help it. They pushed against
me-" meaning the men that were
crowding against the works. Just then
an officer of the 10Th Pa.-Major, If
remember-came up with the tears
running down his cheeks, and began to
swear and storm at the mismanagement
that had caused the loss of SO many
brave mems lives. He evidently had
some idea that Grant was to blame.
Grant told him that he sent our divi-
sion over to make the assault. but Burn
side as he commanded that front, did
not wish to put them in instead of his
own men. so he did not insist upon it
: Just then the rebels having all gotten
/, off the ground between the lines.
opened up with a sharp fire from
their breastworks. A ball from their
first volley struck the Major in the
head, and he fell right at Grants feet.
by the side of the boy 1 had just laid
: down. 1 took hold of him anu straight
ened him around by the side of the
other. He was a fine-looking man. AS
I Strengthened up I looked at Grant. He
was looking at the boys lying at his
| feet. l never saw a mans face express
sorrow any palmer than his did Up to
that time l thought with the rest that
he cared nothing Tor the deatn OF MS
. men if he only won out. After that
glimpse of feeling 1 changed my mind.
We were soon relieved and ordered
/; out. We went thru that little valley
that was covered with dead and
wounded SO thick we could not step
without stepping on some of them. We
went up on the hill and back where our
, officers had left their horses when we
. marched down to the works the night
. before, stopped and had roll call, and
the list of killed and wounded was
) made up-the saddest part of all bat
ties. An old soldier had been left to
, look after the negros and horses. He
i was killed by stray bullet from a
rebel gun a mile away, and fell right
among the boys who had been under
fire all day. Such are the chances of
war. We went two or three miles to
| the right and stopped for the night Our
: part of the Battle Of the Mine was
over.-J. C. Rowland, Co. A, 18TH n.
Y, First Brigade. Second Division.
Tenth Corps. Barrow, Wis.
Veterans In the City.
John G. Bowers. 9th Pa Cav. North
Manchester. Ind. Comrade Bowers. who
: is a farmer, had the misfortune to re-