The Falls City tribune., 1910-05-27
Some War Experiences
AS related of Thomas Kelsey, a resident of our city
and a member of Veteran Post No. 81, c. A r.

and then be relieved for eight hours.
Kept digging the trenches mp closer
and closer to the rebel Notifications
all the time. The rebels tried sew
eral times to break through the Union
lines but were never successful. To-
wards the last the lines of the two
armies were not over a rod apart, and
many a night he talked with the rebel
soldiers across the intervening space.
When the rebels displayed the
white flag of surrender, the Union
army was in line of battle ready
too charge the rebel works. lie was
not over three hundred yards from
the rebel army when il marched out
Of its Notifications and laid down
their arms. and within a few minutes
afterwards he was in Yicksbnrg graf
flying his curiosity about the place.
In this seige his regiment lost thir-
teen in killed and wounded.
The rebel army after stacking their
arms vas fed by the Union army
with army rations. They soon sign
ed papers of parole not to fight
again during the war and were al
lowed to go home.
Next day after the surrender his
regiment Joined Gen. Sherman's army
and marched to Jackson, Miss, where
rebel Gen. Johnson had gathered an
other rebel army. He took part in
the nine days siege of Jackson, his
regiment losing ten men in killed
and wounded. They returned to Vicks-
burg and embarked on transports on
August 4, 1863, for Brazos City,
which is below New Orleas.
He was with Gen. Banks expedition
up the Teach Bayou and Carbon
Grow Bayou, where on Nov. 3, 1868.
they had a spirited engagement with
the rebels. From here his regiment
marched to New Iberia, Louisiana,
where he and AGA others of his regi-
ment re-inlisted for three years
more of service. Then marched to
New Orleas where they boarded
transports December %, 1863, bound
fer Port Cavalla, Texas, on the Gulf
turned to New Orleans February "a,
1861.
In March, 1864, those who had re-
enlisted went home on a ~thirty-day
furlough by transports to Cairo, Hi
.nois and from their by train to Indian
apolis, Ind, where they arrived April
l, 1864. Here his regiment was
welcomed by Gov. Morton, of Indiana.
AT expiration of his furlough he
went back to New Orleans, rejoining
his regiment, doing guard duty until
December, 1864, when his regiment
embarked on transports for Brazos
Island, Texas, which is situated at
the mouth of the Rio Grande river,
the boundary line beween the United
States and Mexico.
His regiment was in the last
battle of the war, fought at Palmetto
Ranch, Texas, on May IS, 1865. In
this engagement his regiment was
overpowered and had to retreat, los
ig two companies of prisoners; their
total loss Icing eighty-tWo in killed,
wounded and prisoners. This bat
tie was after the Surrender of Lee
at Appomatax. AS soon as the news
of the close of the war was received
the rebels released their prisoners.
The day ne learned the war was
over was one of the gladdest days
of his life. He was then back at
BraZos Isalnd.
His regiment went. $50 miles up
the Rio Grande river on a scout after
this, returning to BroWnville, Texas,
in August, 1865, where he stayed un-
til February, 1866. This was on
account of the trouble arising from
the French occupation of Mexico.
He was mustered out on February
10, 1866 having served in the army
four years and a half. He was then
twenty-three years old. During his
service in the army he never
missed guard duty but a few days
on account of sickness and was never
wounded or taken prisoner.