The National tribune., 1908-01-02
KNOCKING DOWN BIG GUNS.
An Indiana COrporal's Happy Achieve
ments at Port Hudson.

Editor National Tribune: Having
been requested by several comrades to
give a brief account of the dfsmounting
of the heavy guns at Port Hudson and
the incidents connected with the same,
I write this letter, trusting that ii may
find a place in your columns. Many
years have come and gone since that
memorable siege, and with the passing
of the years the memory of many nota-
BILE events have also passed away; and
as L keep no notes or memoranda OF
dates, l can only give certain incidents
that took place, leaving out dates. The
21St Ind. was changed to the 1st Ind.
II. A. short time before the siege of
Port Hudson, part of the regiment re-
ceiving four 2O-peund Parrot rified
cannons to the company, and part re-
ceiving the 30-pound guns to the
company. Co. II, to which 1 be-
1onged, received two 30-pound can
non. Each gun was manned by
three reliefs, consisting of six men
and a gunner to each relief, and was
der.ominated First, Second and Third
Reliefs. 1 was gunner of the Third
Relief No. gun. We took up our first
position on the left center in rear of
Port Hudson, and in an open fed near
an old cotton gin, about 2,093 yards
from the rebel works. A heavy smooth
bore cannon directly in our front open
ed on US, and soon had the dirt flying
in our faces. The First Relief COM
menced business at once the Second
Relief and Third Relief retiring to the
head of a ravine some so yards in our
rear, to await their turn at the gun. /
do not now remember the time each
relief was to work the gun-S0 minutes,
perhaps. In due time the Third Re-
lief was called out, and we took our
places. Capt Connolly gave me his
field glasses to watch the effect of my
shot, so / could make calculations for
the next. / think about the fourth shot
/ saw the shell explode against the
gun. asked Capt Connolly if 1 couldn't
have some solid shot, and he answered,
The orders are to use percussion
SHE'LL" so that settled it. When our
time was up we again retired out of
range, and the First Relief took charge
again.
Not many minutes passed until there
was a call for me. On coming up l
saw Gen. Arnold (Chief of Artillery
standing talking with Capt Connolly,
and as l came near the General asked
rs that the man, Captain?" The Cap
tain answered, THAT is the man, Cen
eral" The General spoke to me and
said, Corporal, take charge of that
gun" Then, turning to Capt. Connolly,
he said, Captain, keep that man at the
gun" To say / was dumfounded is
putting it mildly. / knew he hadn't
seen the little wife / had left back in
Indiana and was coming David on me,
and until informed by my comrades
tafter the General left), was puzzledt
beyond measure. Turning to the Cen
eral and saluting him, l asked if II
could have solid shot after again got
the range. He replied:
Certainly, sir. You only want to
use percussion shell to get the range;
then use solid shot"
Turning again to Capt. Connolly, he
said, Captain, supply your gunner with
whatever kind of shot he calls for"
then, mounting his horse, galloped
away My comrades then told me of
the conversation that took place when
/the General first rode up. Speaking to
Capt Connolly, he said Captain,
what's the matter with your gunner?"
and the Captain replied that there was
nothing. The General remarked, "A
few minutes ago your gunner was hit
ting the GIN every shot; now his shots
are going wild. The Captain then in
formed him of the three relefs, where
upon he called for the gunner of the
Third Relief.
Knocking Out the First Gun.
I do not now remember the number
of shots fired before 1 again saw my
shells exploding against the gun, but
when 1 did l called for solid shot, ana
at the fourth shot / saw the gun topple
over and go down for keeps, the first
gun dism mounted at Port Hudson. We
remained there till some time the next
day, when No. gun, under charge of
Lieut.. WINNER, was ordered around to-
the right, to where the colored troops
had made an Intellectual charge on the
works a few days before, and another
assault was contemplated, troops being
massed there for that purpose. / think
Capt. Connolly, with No. / gun, moved
around TO the left, and went into posi-
tion with what was known as the IL
gun battery, where We Joined them with
No. 2 gun a few days later.
After doing certain things, will now
relate that we took our position on the
top of a wooded hill, about three
fourths of a mile from the rebel works
that the colored troops had so disas-
trously assaulted a few days before. Ii
seemed that the Johnnies had not got
ten wind of the proposed second as
sault and had thrown up numerous
earthworks for light artillery, perhaps
q fourth of q mile inside of the outer
works. 1t was for. the purpose of de-
stroying those works that our gun was
moved around there, which we pro-
ceeded to do with neatnesS and dis
patch. A few percussion shells to each
redoubt was sufficient to level them
down We had finished our job, and
were awaiting further orders, when
zouaye, who had been captured in one
of the assaults MADE some time pre-
vious, but had escaped, was pointing
out TO the Generals (there Were several
present) the weakest points in the outer
works, and there came feeding out from
q clump of trees white horse saddled
and bridled, which the Zouave said be
lOnged TO the Confederate Chief of Ar
tillery. One of the Generals u think,
Gen. Payne, formerly Colonel, 4th Wis.,
asked Lieut.. WINNER if his gunner
could hit that horse. WINNER replied
that he thought he could. He came
TO me and told me what was wanted
and added, Now, Jim, do your best,
for thousands are watching" The horse
was just beyond some works that we
had just finished 1eveling down, so
was pretty sure / could hit him. We
put down percussion shell, i sighted
the gun and gave the command to fire
No need of looking where ] hit for the
tremendous cheering and laughing told
the tale Some of the boys said they
could see parts of that horse 50 yards
high. Well, hope the old fellow didn't
suffer much.
Afraid of Dogs Being Shot at Him.
Our ammunition driver was taken
sick. and WINNER got a wild Irishman
teamster to take his place for the time
being. The ammunition wagon was
ATTEN NTlON,. BOl