Connecticut western news., 1911-09-07
AFTER THE BATTLE "
 OF COLD HARB0R
Comrade Roberts Writes of Time When the Boys Carried Their
 Lives in Their Hands.
BY E. S. ROBERTS

Dear Comrades You will remember that it was fearfulIy hot and dry in more ways than one; that water was as @ neo- essary as hardtack, and that swamp hole just back of us was our only supply. Snakes, frogs and lizards shared this bev- craze with us, but they did not share the dangers that we did in getting it. The "Johnnies" knew the location of this swamp hole they knew that we de- pended upon it for drink and they swept this place with a battery, and the boy that took his canteen and went for water "took his life in his hands," q say boys because the most of us were boys in our teens or little older.). And many of the boys lost their lives there.
 I we'll remember when John E. Hall volunteered to 20 and get several >can- teens filled. He stood up and John Rodemeyer and Jim flakes and two or three others had hung their canteens over his shoulder. Hall asked if didn't want to send, said "Yes" I had just dropped the strap over his head when "thud, ball struck him in the back. He dropped at my feet. I stopped to raise him up He said Don't touch me-" In very few minutes he was buried near where he fell and another went after the water.
 You will remember that there were some Massachusetts boys whose term of service had expired and were waiting to be relieved so they could go home saw one fellow that was so elated over going home that he got up and moved about a little, when sharp shooter sent ball through his throat and he went to. his long home. But this was so common an occurrence that it was soon forgotten,
 saw pine tree two feet through. that a solid shot went through and you could not push a ramrod through where it had gone. There were many smaller trees that were cut down with shot. We were not idle during these 12 days, but breastworks had to be built, even up to the night when we were withdrawn and started on another flank movement.
 On the 4th of June we received the first mail since we left the defences of Washington. and many letters came for boys who had answered their last roll call, and the letters had to be returned unopened. We were busy building and strengthening breastworks, which was kept up as far as was possible but it was | fhfr. e.. Afx "Johnnies" kept up a continuous fire of artillery and musketry. Ditches were dug diagonally so that the advanced works could be reached with little less danger. There were several heavy thunder showers in the nights, but the thunder and lightning couldn't begin to match the artillery. Charges were made nearly every night on some part of our lines and we could tell with whom suc- cess perched. If on our side cheer ing would rend the air, and if the con- federates gained any ground, the rebel yell told the story. Whoever gained. it was at fearful loss of life.
 These frolics were kept up through the l2 days and nights. The night of the 18th of June was intensely dark when the corps on the right left strong picket line and then broke to the rear and started for somewhere, and so on until the Army of the Potomac was in motion towards the James River.
 During the stay at Cold Harbor we were routed out about every morning at : o'c clock and stood in line, suppose to be in readiness for any emergency, for the rebels had made an assault on our lines several times, hunting for a weak point, but they found us on the alert.
 You had to go on picket quite often. On the 10th our new Colonel came to take the place of our lamehted Kellogg. Ool. Ronald s. Mackenzie graduate from West Point was the man. He had l close relationship with some of tho leading rebels but he was intensely loyal to the Union and a son of Commodore Mackenzie, of the U. s. Navy, and a very strict di sciplinarian -tyrannical as 70 place, bat a brave fellpw--a young man. only 24 years old. not given much to talking, have seen him sit on his horse, when we were in action and whis- tie when the bullets flew about him quite enough for comfort. He never seemed to think that the men were of any account, and the men as rule hated him. We had been schooled under big hearted man, .(Colonel Kellogg) equally as good disciplinarian as Mac. kenzie, but who was loved by his men. Now we must follow colonel. that ap. peared at least, to have no affection for his command. But we had enlisted for the war and must follow our leader, which we did,
 Later in the war he was heard to say "That Second Connecticut Regiment is the damnedest regiment I ever saw. put