Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-13
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
whistIins Bullets, Bright Bayo-
nets, Bursting Bombs, BLOODY Bat
ties, Camp Fire, Festive Bags, Etc.

that brigade were killed in the battle
of Dec. 81, 1862, and a good many of
the volunteers have reason 20 remem-
Der the time. Dur regiment was In
Palmer'S division and had beer, thrown
no the front just before the Confederate
attack burst like a tornado OH Palmer's
right. We were caught in a sort of
whirlpool, Confederates dashlng against
us n front and sweeping past our flank
on the right. We made a good fight
and really believed things We're going
our way when a brigade of Union
troops came from the right at a full
run and swept over us. ,...
ave saw these men coming, but sup
posing they were after the Confederates
trying to reach u rear we gave them
little attention. They ran over rs as
we had been so many weeds, breaking
u line and sweeping many Of u
men away with them. Our boys, dazed
and bruised, rallied on the colors and
after a few minutes formed a thin
line to resist the heavy Confederate
column advancing in front. We retired
slowly toward what we thought was
our reserve. Before we reached it
the line melted away. We changed
direction, and, still firing at the adj
vancing Confederates, maneuvered to
attach ourselvesh to a regiment OF
brigade some distance to our left. Be
fore we reached that line it was swept
away by d Confederate charge and We
were again alone.
The advancing Confederate line,
three Or four regiments deep, came
steadily forward, and we fancied we
could see the Johnnies smile at our
attempts to stop them. Our men were
like enraged animals, md had almost
given up all hope of help from any
quarter, when we caught sight of q
long, firm line OF men in blue crouch
ing or kneeling. AS their saber bayo-
nets flashed in the sunlight u boys
said, They are regulars; they will
stop the rebs.' Then, on q mistaken
impulse the men in our thin, short line
started forward or toward the charg-
ing Confederates. A horseman shot
out from the regulars shouting at Us
to come back end get out Of the way.
"As our boys s%u!len!y obeyed the
regulars pushed us impatiently through
their ranks and opened fire. Just then
General Rosecrans rode to us, and af-
ter shaking hands with the Colonel and
complimeEting US for our stubborn
fight, assigned us to position on the
left, so near the regulars that we knew
they stopped the advance. The second
day after that l walked along the line
held by the regulars and counted the
dead bodies Of men who had not moved
an INCH from where they We're posted.
The line Of dead men was as Straight
as If they had been on dress parade.
This showed that the regular brigade
had not wavered at all. They stopped
the rebs, but lost twenty-four officers
and 513 men, killed and wounded, in
fifteen minutes.
"There had been up TO that time no
love between regulars and volunteers.
But as the scene comes up to me now
I can see the look Of acknowledgment
and interest on the faces Of the kneel-
Ing regulars as the thin line Of stub
DSAA 6"' f"S = LilSlil. &AlII1
I remember that when we walked two
days later along the same line two of
the volunteers took off their hats. AT
ter that battle regulars and volunteers
were better friends
'The volunteers said the Major,
"were just as good as the regulars,
and under some circumstances better.
But at first they had queer experiences.
At the beginning of the war we went
up the Ohio in steamboats,. The sit
uation was new 10 most of the men,
and pretty strict orders were given to
the guards to prevent quarrels. On
the first day q number of half-drunken
privates resisted a guard. and he
knocked them overheard with his mus
ket. In two minutes the boat ~-"e like
a theater filed with a panic ssira
crowd. A man had beer kil1ei. This
was a tremendous fact thou. The
! guard was seized as though he were a
, desperate criminal. His hands and
fee, were tied, and, though he said not
a word, q gsSs was put in his mouth,
and be was literally thrownE into the
hold.
1.-The whole regiment was astounded
to learn that re had a man in the
ranks who could kill another. The
murderer was described as a most fe-
roeious brute Nobody conId place
him nobody could tell what company
he belonged to. But all agreed that he
must be a desperate fellow, and with
great officiousness the officer of the day
doubled the guards about him. Finally
l discovered that the man belonged to
our company, that he was one of the
best soldiers in it, and one of the quiet
! est. Then there We're explanations. and
the alleged murderer was released. He
had done only his duty, and he lived to
take part in many a %skirnish. He
was shot dead in the fight at White
House"
"The first death in our company
said the Sergeant, was that of Char
ley Wright. who was drowned while
frolicking in the Ohio river. That
| death Impressed us more than the loss
Of ten men in our first battle. We all
insisted that the body must be sent
home, and in my kindness Of heart l
had it shipped to my father, who was
@ I.