The National tribune., 1909-02-04
be maintained and every man stand

be maintained and every man stand
firm at his post"
| AS we marched to the front there were
many retreating stragglers rushing by to
the Landing, and Col Pugh ordered
them to fall in on the left of his regi-
ment and stand their ground We were
assigned a position just to the left of the
old Bell House, and advanced some dis
tance to the front, when there came a
roar of musketry on the right and the
whole line fired off their guns. The re-
suit was large cow was killed in our
front, that being all there was in our i'm
mediate front at that time. We were
| then placed in position near the Bell
House and ordered to await the attack.
Gen. Grant and his staff arrived between
8 and 8 o'clock and passed out be-
tween our lines to see how Sherman and
McClernand were getting along. He
soon returned and said: Boys, you
will soon have something to do" which
was verified by the assault made across
the open field at the Peach Orcard This
Gen. Johnston said was the key to the
position. and it was here the Confeder-
ate chieftain urged forward his brigades
and divisions until he became desperate,
and. leading a brigade agains tthe 41st,
2sth. and 32d ILL.,, lost his life.
1 had the pleasure of visiting that IA
nous old battlefield, and just to the
right of the Bell House stands an ever
green tree that marks the place where
Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston fell. 1t is
Just opposite the position held by the
left wing of the 2Sth ILL., and the right
Of the 41st Ill.
In our second line, formed at 2:30 d.
m, as the battle opened. there came a
regiment in on our left at a double
quick to fill up the gap between the 41st
Ill. and Stewards Brigade. This was
the Fighting 9Th Ill, a regiment that
never knew what fear was. At Donel-
son it had fought beside us and at Shi-
loh 1t lost 365 men in killed and wound
ed. 1t stood by our side on that field on
Sunday when the Confederates made as
sault after assault against our lines
from 10 a. m. till 2 p. m. and the left
was turned. Then we were ordered to
fall back and form new line, which
we did in perfect order. We were out of
ammunition, and only had what could
be found in the boxes Of some dead
comrades.
Gen. Hurlbut had three times ordered
Col Tupper to take the regiment to the
rear and supply it with ammunition.
Maj. Warner had gone for a wagon
load. but had not yet returned. Col
lTupper said: I'VE will not and we must
not give up this position" He ordered
the men to fix bayonets and said: "We
will use the cold steel before we will be
driven back" About this time rebel
bullet went crashing through his fore
head and he fell, being supported by
Sergt-Maj. James Coleman, who assist
ed him to lie down. This was his last
battle, and he sleeps in the cemetery at
Decatur, Ill. Maj. Warner arrived
about this time with ammunition, and
assumed command of the regiment, as
Col. Pugh had been taken early in the
morning to command the brigade, Col.
Williams, of the Sd Iowa, being wound
ed. We were marched back to our
camp, where we replenished our car
tridge-boxes and got ready to take our
places on the last line of defense, one
mile from the Landing. AS we were
nearing this line Gen. Hurlbut rode up
and inquired what regiment this was.
When told that 1t was the z1st I'll. he
said: "I am proud to see the 41st Ill.
maintaining such good order" We took
up our position just north of the siege
battery that had been gotten up from
the river and the line of artillery form
ed by Gen. Grant and Col. Webster, his
Chief of staff, and witnessed the assault
of Gen. Chalmers's Mississippi Brigade
on the left of the line along Dilfs Run.
With the repulse of this brigade ended
the battel on the 9Th. In the meantime
Col Pugh came in and was Immediately
surrounded by the boys, who took him
by the hand, rejoiced that he had been
spared thru the terrible struggle of the
but fear our country is not"
| The Darkest Hour.
| This was the darkest hour the West
ern Army ever saw. When, overpowered
and outnumbered, it had been driven
| back to within one mile Of the Landing;
aat 1t was only temporary defeat, for
with the early dawn the battle was re-
newed and the enemy driven from the
field in a perfect rout. All night we lay
in line of battle. With the rain pouring
down upon US, the wounded and dying
out on the feld calling for help. The
lgunkoats threw a shell up Dill's Run and
lout into the enemy's camp every Is min
utes during the night. On Monday we
were placed in the reserve, and only
made one charge. On the right Buelps
army and Gen. Lew Wallace's Divisions
had arrived, and took the places of the
troops who had fought all day on sun
day.
We were witnesses of the last charge
on Monday evening at p. m, when
Gen. Grant led the brigade to the front