Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-05-17

shall all be revealed to us and eve
shall know even as also we are
known"
The defensive works which we
were ordered to occupy had been
built by the enemy when they had
/ possession of the city before our ad-
vance from Pittsburg Landing. The
timber had been cut down and the
hsSrush cleared away on our front so
~ there was nothing to obstruct
tn, Nc.sw. The enemy formed in the
woo0A'. our immediate front, but
| moved =. tile to our left and in
column by division charged the bri-
gade under command of General
Oglesby. 1t was magnificent sight
and was bravely done. They moved
/ steadily forward even as we had
done at Donelson. They were met
by discharge after discharge of mus
kerry from Oglesby's men; the cam
non in front poured its shrieking
shells among them; our brigade un-
der Hackleman poured a fianking
fire upon them when they were near
enough for us to reach them, but
Notwithstanding the deadly fire on
their front and the enfilading fire
! from our batteries they pushed their
way with great determination until
they had driven Oglesby from his
position on the hill and caused our
entire line on that part of the field
to fall back and change its front.
This temporary success was not at
tanned, however, until after the gal
liant Oglesby had been severely
wounded and many of his men had
fallen. Our new line was formed on
ridge in the timber, where there
was heavy growth of brush, under
cover of which both sides were part
ly concealed. Very soon they OPEN
ed on us with an energetic fire from
their batteries, to which our people
responded with equal yigor. 1t was
under this cannonading that Ser
geant Joseph Conway lost his hear
| ing, misfortune referred to in
another place. After an artillery
play of about thirty minutes, the
enemy made ready to charge us
again with his infantry. We were
lying fiat on the ground at this mo-
ment with quite we'll defined dis
position to grab a root" The Of
ficers had charged us to hold our
fire until orders were given to shoot,
and with most commendable self
control the men obeyed that COM
mand. Only one shot was fired be-
fore the word was given and that
was by a man who was unable to
control his nerves, and did no harm.
When the command was finally Civ
en- just as the rebels came charging
upon us with their famous rebel
YELL" the entire Union line rose to
/ its feet and poured such whitening
fire upon them that unable to stand
before the bayonet charge which inn
mediately followed, they broke and
sought cover under the banks of a
little creek on our front, which
partly sheltered them. There they
made stand and until darkness be-
gan to fall they stoutly maintained
their ground and did much execu-
tion among US, especially upon our
officers, who suffered severely
General Hackleman, commander of
our brigade, was killed; Colonel
Baker of our regiment was mortally
wounded and died soon after; Lieu
tenants Huntington, Snowden and
! Bing were also killed, with large
number of non-commissioned officers
and privates killed and wounded.
Soon after the rebel onslaught
and their discontinue, noticed sew
eral of the enemy moving about in
the timber near the creek, already
referred to, and turning to call the
attention of Lieutenant Snowden to
their movements, / was startled to
behold him stretched upon his back
on the ground. His premonition had
become verify; a bullet. had pierc-
ed his brain and he had died in
stantly. Almost at the same mo-
ment felt sharp blow on my
i left side which / imagined at the
4 time to have been caused by piece
of bark knocked from tree near
which happened to be standing at
the time. AT the close OF the battle
that evening, taking a "hardtack'
from my haversack found round
hole right through the center OF II
| which knew had been made by
bullet. Upon further examination
discovered several other crackers
pierced in the same way. the bullet
! Continued on page 81