Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-09-18

of Past Commander Case OF Detroit
Post, few years ago, while sitting in
his snug quarters In the water office, In
company with several war-worn veter-
ans who had dropped in for chat.
Well" said he, that is a question
that is hard TO answer. l did feel,
though, that there were other places In
which Ia rather be-"
by the way, major, you must have
seen some hot times during your period
of service. Tell me of battle where
bullets flew thick and deeds OF heroism
were performed"
"Oh, colonel, those things have been
told SO often and by better men than
that my story might not be worth the
telling"
Never mind that" said I. Every
one has a different way of narrating
his experiences. and no two men In the
same regiment viii give the same ac-
count of fight"
THAT is true, colonel, and if you care
to listen l win give you the particulars
of fight which occurred in April,
1865"
Just Imagine a comparatively flat
country, broken up somewhat by ra-
vines, which were, possibly ages ago,
beds of streams which cutting their
way into the earth to a depth of ten
or fifteen feet. left the surface of the
ground scanned with wrinkles, as age
makes its mark in the human face
Well there lay the Union and Confed-
crate armies close together on that
pleasant April day forty odd years ago,
stretched along in parallel lines for
miles, locked in a close embrace. as 1t
were and each struggling for the mas
terry. Hidden behind massive breast
works, Union and Confederate, so close
that the men ON the outer picket lines
could easily converse with each other
with the continued rafting of musket-
ry, the hiss of bullets, the booming of
cannon and bursting of shells constant
~ around, over and into us, we had
remained for months with scarcely any
perceptlble change in the situation The
places where we lived and sept were
bomb-proof dug in the ground
like cellars for houses, With legs laid
across and earth piled thereon to the
depth OF several feet In these holes
we spent our time, a fall Of rain leav-
ing for days afterwards the steady
drip, drip of water that slowly perco-
lated through the roof, making our
dreams of home In the North sweeter,
heads or trickled down car spinal col
iumns. The bomb proof that called
my home was occupied by the adjutant,
another officer and myself and here we
passed the time as best we oould
well, one night about 10 o'clock an
aide from brigade headquarters came
down the rude stairway of eur cabin
with orders which he delivered to the
adjutant.
Be prepared to move at . O'Clock
in the morning, in light manhiSg ORDER,
one days rations and no knapsacks'
That was all be prepared to move
And well we knew that 10 some of us
it meant be prepared to die After
giving instructions to our orderly SER
Eeant we sat down 10 write some let
tiers to those at home and arranged our
papers for final settlement with the
government.
AT o'clock the men fei into line,
silent and oppressed by the thought Of
the near approach of some indefinite,
intangible calamity. Forward. and
slowly and I'm perfect order, through an
opening in our breastworks, and follow
ing the dugway that led to the outer
picket line the regiment marched on
Then we knew what was coming. Then
we knew that across the narrow space
which separated our line from the enc |
my's, bristling with cheval de frise and |
abatis. we would be ordered 10 charge |
the works which the federal army had |
for months been hammering unsuccess- |
fully with shot and shell Further to |
the left troops had been massed and a |
desperate attempt was 10 be made to /
carry the Confederate works at that |
point And what were we to do? Just |
charge that was all. Selected with |
two other regiments to create a diver
sion. to lead the enemy TO believe an
assault was to be made here-only 10 be
sacrificed. that seemed our fate Our
colonel was dissatisfied with the order
to simply charge and insisted upon
more definite Instructions The aide
with a peculiar smile, said Colonel.
you are to charge the Confederate
works, capture all within the length Of
rour regimental front and hold your po-
sitlon until driven out or relieved All
right replied the colonel, and turning
10 his men he said Boys, wen do it.
"Soon after this came the command
uttered In a low tone Of voice, for.
gard.' Every man was instructed 10
make as little noise as possible. lest we
should draw the enemy's 1re before we
we're mon them Pressing steadily for