The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-01-24
THE BAT'TLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES
The BIue and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in
Graphic and Interesting Manner

Sergeant David L. Mccullough"
said the captain, twas carrying the
colors of the Fifty-Second Ohio when
we made the assault on Kenesaw, June
81, 1864. He was at the abattis in
front of the main rebel works when he
was shot through the shoulder. AS one
of the color guards caught him and
lowered him to the ground Mccullough
handed Major J. 7. Holmes, then IN
command of the Fifty-second, the col
ors and said Take them, Major;
they never touched the ground
The Major grasped the colors, gave
them to one of the corporals Of the
color guard, and led the way through
the distractions. At first the cOlors
were planted on top of the rebel works.
When they were shot down and the flag
staff splintered, the boys cut canteen
in strips, repaired the staff, and plant
foot Of the works. l remember that a
rebel captain was killed in trying to get
the flag while 1t was on top Of the
works, and when the burial parties
went out between the lines to look after
the dead, the adjutant Of the Rock
City guards told me that he saw Col.
Dan McCook on top Of the works, and
said further that officers and men were
amazed to see him there and to hear
him coolly demand their surrender. For
f1x<>
fusillade that fatally wounded the colo
mel
When we raced the works, Major
Holmes and myself lay down against
the glacis face Of the Notifications,
our heads close together, and our feet
wide apart, our bodies making letter
"A on an inverted " Walters, Of COM
pany III, came up and lay down be-
tween us, his held near the Majors
feet. We We're watching the rebels on
the opposite side of the works and
keeping them under cover. Major
Holmes spoke to Walters and told him
that he wOnld be in less danger IL he
came closer to the works, and explain
could put their guns over the BREAST
works and fire, whereas, If he was on
our line, they would have more diff
Guilty In depressing their rifles and we
could divert the shot by striking the
guns aside
Walters was watching for an oppor-
tunity to get In shot, and was so
eager that he rose tn his knees, then
stood up. Before he could fire, how
ever, he was severely wounded on the
left side of the neck, the rebel bullet
missing the artery, but making an ugly
wound, which bled profusely. Before
he was struck Walters had been full
OF fight After he was struck we stood
as one dazed, holding his gun mechan-
ically away from his body. Then, as
he saw the blood squirt out and run
down his breast, he dropped his gun,
turned, and started on a run back
down the hill
He never halted until he reached
General Morgan's line on the hill
across Noyes' creek. where we HAD
formed for the charge. 1t seemed TO
me that the whole rebel division in
front of us opened fire on Walters as
he ran, but he escaped without an
other scratch. 1 never laid eyes on
him again until we arrived at Cclum-
bus, Ohio. to be mustered out. when
he marched into camp, and reported TO
company II. He told me privately
that that shot at Kenesaw took all the
sand out Of him, and when he got back
to Big Shanty he was so confused
that he couldn't remember to what
command he belonged. He was sent
from Big Shanty to Chattanooga, from
there to Nashville. from there to
Louisville, and from there to Column
bus. His memory did not return to
him. be said with a smile. until his old
regiment marched into camp to be mus
tered out
AT Peach Tree creek, companies II
and X crossed the creek on foot log
and made their way toward the tim.
Der In front Before we had gone far
we met heavy column Of rebels. and
deploying as skirmishers, we fell back
on a house with a paling fence about
It, Corporal Coleman of company III
in trying to make his way through the
fence in front of the house, was held
for some minutes under the fire of the
enemy. He got his body through all
right. but his knapsack caught In the
palings. and in a way to hold him fast
He struck out with hands and feet like
a man swimming. but in a few min.
utes got a grip on himself, coolly un.
buckled the straps OF his knapsack
left it hanging in the fence, and rush
ed on with the company to the house
where he did good service, until we
were REINFORCED by full brigade"
Several stories,' said the Major
shave been told of that burial party al
Kenesaw. | was a witness to the In.
terview between Geeral Cheatham and
some Of our men, who approached him
and asked for tobacco. He said jocu-
larry: 4 understand. You want to
say, when you get back home. that
you met General Cheatham of the Con
federate army on the battlefield, and
asked him for a chew of tobacco, and
he gave it TO you. 1t would make q
very good story for you to tell, but !
am not going to give you the tobacco.
One Of the men said: That Is not the
case at all. General We have no to-
bacco, and we want some badly There
upon the General called his orderly
instructed him to go back to camp and
bring from his quarters a generous
supply Of tobacco. This he distribut-
ed among the men of the burial par
ty.
MRS. Louise Wardner,'' said the
Sergeant, ''has a story that Is worth
telling. She is the wife of DR.. Horace
Wardner. who served through the war
as surgeon. Mrs. Wardner was with
her husband at the front the greater
part of the time and had a good many