The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-09-12
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR.
The Veterans of the Rebellion Tell of
WhfStling Bullets, Bright Bayo-
nets, Bursting Bombs, Bloody Bat

ties, Camp Fire, Festive Bugs, Etc.
While the Eighty-fourth Indiana was
In camp on the Big Sandy River in
West Virginia Samuel Huddleston, of
that regiment, made the following en-
try in his diary:
Sunday, January is, 1868, was fair
and not cold day. 1 went on long
ago planned excursion to Cedar Noun
tain, little way up the Big Tug River
toward the south from our camp and
as was my usual custom on such occa-
sions l went alone. knew that would
have to cross Nill Greek, but 1 was
surprised when l came near 1t to hear
the roar of waterfall, for l did not
know Of the falls The creek was us
ually only little rill, but now In this
rainy time the water flows about ten
inches deep upon bed of rock that is
as level and smooth as a floor and
about fifteen feet wide. 1t pours over
the square ending of this bed into the
deep back water of Big Tug River,
which is only about a hundred yards
below and quite flush at this time.
After viewing the falls for time /
crossed over on a foot bridge and ap-
preached the little gate that led into
the yard of neat but old frame cot
tage on that side of the creek. Be
fore 1 had passed through the gate,
however, very handsome young lady
opened the door to come out, but see
Ing me she stopped and would have
gone back if 1 had not spoken to her.
Stopping in the gate l said:
do not be frightened, Miss, want
to go to the top Of Cedar Mountain,
and have called to inquire which is
the best way up"
The shy girl peeped through the lit
| tie opening in the door until l had
made my business known; then she
seemed to have taken confidence In me
and talked to me- She began at once
to direct me up and / was surprised
to note her refinement and education,
for her language and manners were
faultless. When l was about to start
away she said:
Il have a mind to offer you the COM
pany of my brother, who l see is CON-
ing yonder. You may have trouble to
find the way If you go Alone"
| AS she spoke I looked in the direc-
ton Indicated by her gesture and saw
young man approaching on foot only
little way off. Turning to the girl 1
said:
Il would be pleased to have the
young mans company, but"
Pardon me for interrupting you
but If you are thinking of the trocble
you reed rot mind that, for he has TO
go over the mountain to see our uncle
on little errand, and it will BE- 20
trouble for him to go with you.7
| could not think of rejecting the
kind offer. even though under clrcnm-
stances 1 would have preferred to have
gone up alone; but this was the first
real lady had spoken to since left
the Ohio River, and 1 said:
Il will be pleased to have bis COM
pany, and 1 only wish 1 could do some
thing for you to repay you for your
kindness"
She abruptly changed the subject by
saying:
You have heard of the death of my
father 1 suppose"
NO." l said, 81 didn't know anything
Of you, nor that there was any one liv-
ing here till l came upon the house
few minutes ago. How long has your
father been deadw
Father was Union soldier, and the
rebels called him out, pretending to In
quire the way to Shallow Ford one
dark night over year ago, and they
shot him right where I am standing,
He fell back into the house dead. Man,
ma was living then, but he never spoke
to her nor to anybody after he was
shot, and mamma died last summer.
We, that is, my brother John, who is
coming yonder, and l are living here
and keeping our three little brothers
and sister together"
Eyes. 1 know now that have heard
some talk of your fathers death since
you have told me Of the circumstances"
I said, and after a very brief silence I
inquired:
"Have you always lived here?
1t seemed to me she was too bright
4 flower to have always lived In this
rough mountain country. But she an
swered:
"Yes. Father was raised in this
house and mansna was raised in the
next house down the river. Father
worked his coal mine upon the side Of
the mountain before the war"
| Our conversation was broken off, or
4 rather it course was changed by the
near approach Of her brother, who
found to be bright young fellow, but
not as good conversationalist as his
sister. / did what could to make
good impression upon the young nan
for the sake of his sister, and / regret
ted when we reached the top of the
mountain that We must part so soon.
After 1 was left alone / rested a
while and viewed the fine scenery all
Ground me, the rough mountain cosin-
try toward the east and west and the
winding rivers toward the north and
south. 1 saw our camp a little way
down the river, and just across from it
upon the Kentucky side was the town
Of Louisa. In the mountain hooks all
around me 1 saw little curls of smoke
Issuing from the countless mountein
homes. But when satisfied with feast
Ing upon this lovely scenery, l started
down the mountain by strange route,
and by climbing and jumping from
crag to crag l made rapid progress
until 1 suddenly found myself in a trap
below high rocky ledge, from which
had jumped, and upon which 1 could
net possibly climb again. / could pass
but few steps to the right or to the
left, and below me was bank of soft,
wet, oozy soapstone nearly perpendicu-
lar and sixteen or eighteen feet high.
carefully surveyed the situation ard
| found fhof INV only ohapoa Of .,cca,.,