The National tribune., 1908-05-28
CHICkANIAUGA.

Erhardt, Co. h, 11th Kan. Cav, Lin
| coin. Kan.
CHICkANIAUGA.
A Wartime Letter From m In.iana boy
Editor National Tribune: l have been
reading The National Tribune for some
years. and as yet ! have failed ITO sec
anything said about any fighting tha
took place during the rebellion, except
what was done by the Army of the Po-
tomac. 1 want to say that there were
a few skirmishes while the old Army OF
the Cumberland was chasing Hood and
Rragg thru Kentucky. Tennessee, Geor-
gia and South Carolina. I distinctly re-
member one little ball game we had
known as the battle of Chickamauga.
This was Sept 1920, 1863. AS there
are a great many of the Western army
that read your paper will kindly ask
you to print this copy of q letter / sent
home to my brother a few days after
our skirmish with the best troops of
the Southern armies. This is the letter:
Dear Brother: Long before you re-
ceive this letter you have no doubt read
in the papers of one of the hardest
contested battles that has been fought
during the rebellion. You have also
seen in the column of wounded all four
of US Francesyilie boys--nameIy, Bach
tenkircher was Shot in the head; Wilson
had three ribs broken; Hurley had a
part of the place ne sits on shot Off;
Stevens was shot in the hip. The boys
are all in the hospital doing well ex-
cept myself. 1 stayed with the COM
pany. and now / will tell you how il all
happened. On the morning of the 18th.
after marching all night, we halted a
few moments for coffee, but before we
had time to make and drink our coffee
we were ordered to move We soon
were off on quick time, formed in line
of battle, with skirmishers in front, AMI
in few moments the skirmishers and
the Johnnies were ,playing ball. Our
brigade formed in battle line, with the
I'd MINI. on the left. our. battery To
their right. the 35th Ohio on the right
of the battery. and our regiment Ghe
S7th Ind.) in rear OF the battery. All
hands soon took part in the scrap, with
the 35th Ohio in open ground, the rebels
behind brush. logs and stumps,-s and
thus had the best of the 35th Ohio and
was cutting them up Our regiment
was ordered to relieve them. We novel
up close to the 35th Ohio, and lay fat
on the ground. The 35th Ohio then
passed over US to the rear and on the
run. The rebels had not seen us. When
the 35th Ohio broke away they raised
up and came on charge. We lay still
until the rebels were within 40 yards
of US, when we came to our feet and
gave them volley that halted them,
and we charged them driving them
back. They reformed. and with rein
forcements soon came back at US again.
Our Colonel said, Play ball. and we
soon had them on the go once more.
BY this time there were troops sent to
rest us, and we fell back to get more
ammunition. We had only time to fill
our cartridge boxes, when the rebels
opened on those who took our places
on the front line. Our front line gave
way and stampeded over us. with the
rebels close on them. We once more
fixed bayonet. and met them with n
volley and charged them back, recap
turing the battery. We reformed our
lines and waited for the rebels to come
back, but they had all they wanted.
We moved about mile west, where
we Joined our division and formed line
of battle. and passed one Of the most
disagreeable nights We had ever had.
No tents. no blankets. no fire., cold wa
ter, raw sowbelly and hardtack was our
bill of fare for supper; the cold earth
for our bed. and the clear sky our COW
ers. Well, Sept. 20, Sunday, came. clear
and warm. We built oHr little camp
fires. and soon had plenty of good hot
coffee. as we sat in little groups telling
of the sights the day before and hoping
for good days rest. But our hopes
soon disappeared We could not hear
the chimes of the church bells calling
to sinners to come to church: no. It'll
was the booming of artillery, the rattle
of muskctry. Orderlics were f,all0ping
to and fro with orders, and in less time
than IL takes me to pen this on paper
we were in line and moving east att
quick time. We passed thru the woods
west of the Lafayette road. and just as
we came to the Lafayette road the reb-
els broke our front line and came
swarnfing thru. We once more gave
them volley and cold steel. driving
them back to the woods. With fresh
troops they came back on charge. but
we met them, and hand -to-hand fight
came off. We soon had them on the
go once more. At this stage or the
game they threw some of Longstreet's
best troops on us. and here was one of
the bloodiest conflicts that took place.
During the entire battle our brigade
was fighting two to one; they fianked
us. ran battery within 80 yards of ourI
regiment, and opened on US with grape
and canister. Our company was on the
extreme left. Here our Captain wasl
killed. Lieutenant wounded, and 40 nom
commissioned officers and privates outl
of AZ of our company were killed or
wounded. The highest officer left inI
the company was myself. a Corporal.
and I was wounded Well. we held our
ground, driving them back in the
woods, were relieved again, and joined
our division on Sn0dgrass Hill, where
we v;ithstood charge after charge. meet
ing them with cold steel and well-aimed
volleys. AT 1880 p. m. we fell back tol
Rossvilie Ga, where we formed line OF
battle and lay in line till 3 a. M. then
moyed back to Chattanooga. Tenn. Here
We went in camp. We put up oar tent
(not tents); one tent was. enough Wei
gathered some wood and built the fire |
and az we sat around our fire talking |
over the battle, wondering where our
comrades were that were wounded for !
we'll We knew. the rebels held the battleI |
field. Yes. my boy. IL yon could haye
seen that little group, YOU could have
seen tears streaming down their pow
der-blackened faces. God forbid that
/ may never behold such slaughter OF
our. brave boys as / saw. on the battle
field at Ciickamauga. Well brother
[ must close for this time Write often
-Serg't John w. Stevens, General Del
livery, Chicago, ILL.,