The National tribune., 1910-01-20

sound a.. later hear them explode.
Many holes We're dug in the yards
and covered over with plank and dirt,
with small openings to crawl in and
out. When all firing had ceased the
Union army commenced to sound the
bugle for roll call and then later for
'lights out" and everything was as
quiet as if there was no enemy within
many miles.
In a few days we seemed to know
intuitiyely that we were going to leave
there on certain night. Just as it be-
gan TO get day the Johnny reb skir-
mishers came out, but they did not
have far to go until they came to the
Billy Yanks, and the whole skirmish
line and all of our artillery opened on
them. Atlanta was lively place until
about 10 a. M, and the skirmishers
called out: There is no advance. Why
not quit again." That proposal was
agreed to. and by II a. m. all was quiet
again, both artillery and muskets. So
It went on as before.
The next time was different I be-
longed to the Twentieth Corps, and
Gen. Sherman had that corps to occupy
the whole works. We had to- stretch
out like a piece of India rubber, so we
could just touch handsome line in the
breastworks and the other in the skir-
mish pits.
All the army TO our left passed in
our rear to the west of Atlanta and
started for JOnesboro. The night they
were ready to start we got orders late
in the afternoon that when it got dark
enough so the Johnnies could not see
US, we were to take down our tents and
be ali packed up and standing in line.
We were cautioned not to talk, and at
the sound of the bugle for roll call,
which was the signal, we were to start
tho Tho clr iry,, fEE, TO
stay in the pits until 2 a. m, and while
we were passing brigade headquarters
of Col John Coburn the buglcr sound
ed lights out" We marched about
half a mile, and then waited until the
skirmishers came to US, which was
about 3 o'clock a. m.
l heard one musket shot while the
skirnishers were leaving their pits.
Then we started for the Chattahoochee
River, and got there awhile after day
light. We built fOrtifications on the
south side, for we never crossed, but
stayed on the south side.
About / p. M. the Johnnies came out
to hunt for US. They fired a few shots
with, i think, a siX-pound gun. While
the firing was going on Gen. Slocum
walked around the line where / was
and it was the first | saw of him. The
next day there was a small force sent
out to hnnt the rebels. also every day
after that
On Sept. ! / was in the detail to hunt
up the rebels We went very near to
the place which we had left. After a
few shots Were passed we went back
and about o'clock that night we could
hear a rumble and see flashes like
lightning toward Atlanta. Later in the
night orders came for us to take the
right Of every regiment, and We went
to see Aunt Lanter.
The little boys came out to see us at
the depot. One of them looked ut US
a little while and said: You are the
first wild Yankees / ever saw"
When l passed near the rebel forts
the shells were exploding in the maga-
zines, and one portfolio had been closed
UP by filled sacks with dirt The can
non carriages had been burned / saw
a train not far from the depot that had
been loaded W III cannon, and they had
piled stuff under the cars and burned
them.
An old comrade stayed with me about
a month ago. He said he belonged TO
the '34th III. and Fourteenth Corps, and
that he never knew what the Twentieth
Corps did when they went to Jones'
bOro. ! claim Hood was triclSed in the
last moves before Atlanta was taken.
The Twentieth Corps stayed at At
lanta until Nov. Is, 1864. In the fore
noon we went out east nearly a mile
and a half and stayed until late in the
afternoon. We passed not far from
Stone Mountain next day; then when
near Madison, the Third Division,
Twentieth Corps. tore up the railroad
Then we went thru Madison in platoons
by music and step, and an old negress
remarked: Loaded so heavy and step
so light"
The wagons were said to contain 30
days rations, and we got to the fortifi-
cations at Savannah on Dec. 10. 1864
The provisions were supposed TO be
out. but there had been a great saving
owing to the many good sweet potatoes
used. and then the rations used by the
army mules and horses was rice. We
got one pound of rice a day until about
Dec. %.