The National tribune., 1907-02-21
The s1st Ohio at ChIckamauga.

Editor National Tribune: Your his
tory of the Army of the Cumberland is
the best that has eyer been written.
The 31st Ohio was fraction of that
army. and took part in the great battle
of Chickamauga. The regiment march
ed all the night of the 18th, and at day
break halted for breakfast. Fires were
kindled, the coffee pounded as fine as
possible with the bayonets. and by the
time it was boiling the report of artil-
lery sounded on the air in our front,
seemingly quite near. We swallowed
the hot coffee in a hurry, and were soon
on the way up the road to the scene Of
action. brisk musketry fire was go
ing on in front on the right of the road /;
orders came to double-quick, which was
kept up till the regiment filed right into
the woods. After going some distance
the regiment halted. and orders Were
given to unsling knapsacks. A guard
was appointed from each company to
look after the knapsacks, and little did
We think that we would never see eth
er knapsacks or guards again. They
were captured by the rebels later on.
We took up the line of march, soon
coming to the place where the sllirmish
of few minutes before had occurred.
The firing had ceased, the rebels falling
back out of range, and all was quiet.
The wounded were being collected, and
the sight was not very encouraging
one to the boys, who expected to be
plunged into battle any moment. The
regiment halted here. changed front,
and marched thru the timber for quite
distance. Piles of knapsacks were
scattered everywhere, showing that
troops were ahead of us. Firing now
commenced in our front The bullets
were singing among the trees. scaling
the bark from the trunks. We were
ordered to lie down. Thoughts of home
came rushing thru our brains. few
days before we had been jubilant at the
thought of meeting the enemy soon, but
coming so near dampened our ardor
very decidedly. Visions of contraband
chickens we had appropriated for the
good of the service fiOated before our
eyes and we wondered who would eat
them if we didn't. The regiment in cur
front, having exhausted Its ammuni-
ton, fell back to our rear. We were
now the front line, with nothing be-
tween us and the enemy but some brush
which the rebels had taken possession
of and were making our location a very
unhealthy place. But our mimic balls
gave them as good as they sent, and
Lieut.-Col. F. W. F'ister in command.
ordering us to fix bayonets and charge,
the rebels fell back and soon melted
away out or S1ght III tne distance. IN
making this charge our regiment had
taken an advanced position, and was in
great danger of being cut off from the
main line. so we fell back, and were
finally relieved and sent to the rear.
We lost several wounded in the fight
and our color bearer was killed. Dur
ing the afternoon We We're ordered to
another part of the field, where we
Joined our old brigade, having been
detached from the brigade and joined
to another division thru the day. Thus
ended the fighting and manuvering of
the 31st Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 10,
1863 The battle of Chickamauga has
passed into history. There are plenty
of honors to go around to all who took
part, laurels enough for all.-G. w.
Miller, Co. /, 31st Ohio, Fairplay, Mo.