The National tribune., 1908-04-16


teries some distance in the rear threw its
shots over the heads of the infantry at
the masses of the enemy. adjusting their
lines on the westerly fields of the Haw
| kins Farm, half a mile or more distant.
The 26th Wis. held their position as
guarding the right flank with great
| obstinacy, and kept the enemy at bay
! for some 90 minutes of hard fighting
but were forced back into the woods
being flanked. and formed the right of
the last position. or what is known as
| the Buschbeck line.
Near the pike the s1st Ohio, 7fth
Pa, 18th N. Y. and 6Sth n. Y. formed
that part of the line in front of the
church, but We're much disorganiZed by
| the wrecks of Devens's Division rushing
wildly thru them and carrying OF in
the rush many of the men, especially IN
the 61st Ohio and 74th Pa, which were
regarded as among the best troops of
the corps. The 18th n. Y. was In
front of Dilger's guns, and stood their
ground for 20 minutes or more. 1t was
a new regiment. and entitled to much
praise for remaining firm when its Col
onel was shot dead at almost the first
fire, and its ranks were somewhat brok-
en- by the disorganiZed masses of Dew
ens's Division rushing past on the pike
OF thru its ranks. The men fired about
20 rounds, and fought bravely until
they were Overpowered and forced back
to the rifle pit east of Dowdalrs Tav-
ern, where they We're rallied by their
youthful commander. Lieut.-Col. Lock-
man. whose bravery was especially no
ticed at the time by Gen. Schurz.
DiIger Again In Action.
Capt Dilger, shortly after the at
tack commenced, rode up the road to
the Talley Farm to see If he could find
good position for his guns. but on
arriving at the farm he became aware
of the magnitude of the attack. He
saw the breaking of the troops in the
road exposed to the fire in their rear.
and also that there was neither oppor-
tunity nor time to advance his battery.
The Captain thereupon galloped back
to the church, brought his entire bat
terry across the road to the western edge
of the Dowdall Farm, and thus left the
road free for the retreat of the disor-
dered remnants of Devens's Division.
"As soon as Devens's Division fell
back from the Talley Field and left the
road exposed in front of the Talley
House and beyond Dilger opened fire
from his six guns at the enemy. then
debouching from the pike. more than
1000 yards distant The grove of trees
in front of him was not tall enough then
to obstruct the view, and over their
tops Dilger poured in a rapid fire of
shell. A few minutes after Hill came
with his battery in position on the left
of Dilger. and opened fire from three
inch Rodmans upon the enemy as they
appeared on the Talley Fields south of
the pike. Another of the reserve bat
teries. supposed to have been Wheelers.
also opened fire from their position ir
rear of the rife pit, north of the Dow
dali Tavern For more than half an
hour Dilger maintained his position,
and as the rebels crept up to the cover
of the thickets in front of him he
changed to lively canister fire, which
seemed to arrest their progress slightly
in his direct front. Hill, at this time,
having no shot for close range, was
obliged to withdraw his battery. and it
was ordered to the Chancellor Field
Up to this time no force had appeared
on the Plank road from the southwark
owing to the faulty of Colquitt, and
our pickets were still in position south
of Dowdall's. and witnesses of the bat
tie which was raging in plain sight and
to the north of them, and which de-
prived them of an avenue of escape in
that direction. Here they (the 18th Pa
remained until Colquitt's forces came
and attacked them, losing about so
killed, wounded and prisoners. The
balance of the regiment retreated by
way of the revine and south of Hazel
Grove
I'm front of Dilger, or to his right,
the 6Sth and 18th N. Y. were placed
in line of battle, and over their heads
Dilger engaged the enemy in signt on
the pike or the Talley Fields, but as
the rebels crept closer by means of the
ravines and the thickets, these two regi-
ments were obliged to retire to the rifle
pit in the rear. Dilger then swept his
entire front with charges and double
charges of canister, but the rebels with
great determination and enthusiasm
pressed steadily forward, and soon con-
vinced the artillery officer that a few
minutes delay would sacrifice his guns
Reluctantly he gave the order to retire,
but it was too late to save the entire
battery. Five of the pieces were with
drawn safely, but the sixth. with two of
its horses dead and two more wounded, |
was abandoned to the enemy. after a !
vain attempt to drag it away. Dilger |
himself was thrown to the ground byI
the death of his horse, and did not sue
ceed in extricating himself from the |
dead animal until Rodes's men were
close upon him, demanding his sur
render. Dilger declined to listen to their
terms of surrender, and ran to the rear
as rapidly as he could, escaping the
shots of his pursuers. He had runI
about 100 yards when relief unexpect-l
edly came to him. A little boy by the
name OF Achley. VINO was greatly at |
tached to Dilger, missed him as his
battery passed by the Dowdall House, Il
and, seiZing horse. rode directly into
the front of the enemy in search of him.
On finding his dear friend almost in the
clutches of the enemy, he sprang from
the horse and assisted him to mount, II
and both managed to escape. Dilger,
ever grateful for this act of courage
and love, has always described it as one
of the bravest he ever saw.
s"Dilger overlook the remains of his
battery in the rear of the rifle pit, and,
seeing that there was no position for
the use cf artillery there, he ordered
his Lieutenant to proceed with four of
the guns to the rear and report to the
first artillery officer he might meet; the
fifth gun he retained, and placing it in
the road between the rifle pits he again
opened fire upon the advancing and
foe. The Lieutenant took
the four guns up the road. and reported
to Capt. Best, who ordered him to take
position on his right, where Dilger !
found him later. Dilger kept one gun
with him. as it was all that he could |
use to advantage at the rifle pit, and
this he planted in the middle of the
road. and opened a rapid fire to his
front. While here he was supported by
two companies of the brave 61st Ohio,
who stuck to him in the retreat and