The National tribune., 1909-07-08
Stories Emneny Worth Telling of Experiences and Adventures
in the Great National Struggle

1864, after the lines were firmly estab.
lished along Camp Creek the Twentieth
Corps was ordered around to The left
of the Fourteenth Corps ana the Third
| Division was selected to do the work
of charging a rebel battery, which was sup
ported by a strong force behind iEtrench-
ments, the ulterior object being to break
the enemy's lines at that point. The First
Brigade, composed of the 10Th Ind, Col.
! Harrison: 102d H.. Col Smith; 18th
105th ILL.,, Col. Dustin, was selected to
lead the charge. They unslung knapsacks,
and formed in line. reglmental front, in
! the order named. orders given to forward,
double-quick. We descended a steep hill
side down into a valley, and crossed the
road tspoken of in said article) up the op-
poslte hill, on which the four gun battery
was located, the flag of the 102d Ill. be-
ing planted upon the rebel redoubt by
Adj't J. II. Snyder. Fifty balls pierced
the banner and two shattered the staff.
The entire brigade was represented inside
the fort as the guns were captured, the
gunnerS being driven back at the first
dash. The guns held silence between the
lines until nightfall, when spades were
trumpS. A hole was dug. ropes attached
to the guns, which were pulled out of the
fort and retained as trophies by the First
Brigade until May II, when l myself was
detailed with others to guard the guns
l1Iil luTneu over 10 Illt oIuldECe Dt
partment at Resaca- Other commands
may have been mixed up in that charge,
but the honor belongs to the First Bri-
gade, Third Division.
Now the Col. Gotham. of the 111th Pa,
is a stranger to me. Col. Coburn com
manded the Second Brigade of the Third
Division. said brigade supporting the First,
and following closely upon its heels.
know this. as / was on the left of the
fort, and Immediately under the outer line
of the enemy'S works, and we stayed there
with the Johnnies plainly in sight and II
seemed not more than 80 yards from us,
until We had entirely emptied our car
fridge boxes, and were obliged to re-
tire, but as we emerged from our
position we ran into the ranks of
the Second Brigade, which was firing
into the brush in their front, and while
pleading with them to cease firing, our
own men being in front of them, one OF
nv comrades of Co. B was shot in the
back and fell with his face to the enemy,
evidently killed bv our own men from the
rear. Our brigade commander, Gen. w
T. Ward, was wounded in the thlckest
of the fight, and refused to leave the
field until compelled to do so.
Now. ccmrade, history that was made
As years ago, and the recollections of
those who were actual participants in that
struggle, is pretty hard to dispute. |
number of years back the question was
raised over this same four-gun battery: |
and the matter taken up by myself and
other comrades of the First Brigade thru
The National Tribune. l only maintain
now, as then that the official report of I
Gen Butterfeld. of May 16, should be
published. as well as that of Gems. VIII
iiams or Geary. that credit may be given
where credit is due. We do not wish to
wrest honor from any member OF that
grand old army. but do claim that those
four guns belong to the First Brigade |
They were brass guns, and said TO have
been 12-pounders. One of them had tins
name stamped upon it: Minnie. the
Belle of Alabama" SO, Comrade McEi-
roy. we hope you will revise your account
of the operations of the army around -
SAGA. and give us a show while You. go
along. Have been reader of Tie Nation
al Tribune for years. and can hardly keep
house without its weekly visits. and was
surprised to see such mistake made, and
truly hope. nv brother. YOU will correct
the same.-E Z. Russell, Corporal. &c. b,
102d ILL.,, lola, Kan.