Connecticut western news., 1911-08-24
Our Boys" at Cold Harbor
Fearful Slaughter in Which Colonel
 Kellogg Was Killed.
BY E. s. ROBERTS

tui u Ails AdSc tO"dIu the enemy so sSOlH- fully, impatiently waiting for the order to advance, which was scarcely more dangerous than standing in line exposed to the fire. You had not long to wait.
 Colonel Kellogg gave the major in com mand of the first battalion the order to "move out" and the others in command to "Preserve distance and follow"
 Now men, when the order is given, go in steady, keep cool, and when order to charge is given go in with yell. Don't fire shot till within the enemy's breast works. shall be with you"
 All this time picket firing was increas. ing. "Forwardw And in you go, over the old works and into an open cornfield skirting the pine woods. The air is full of screeching shot and shell, and blue with bullets men are falling on all sides of you. With all of this terrible rattle and noise the boys seemed to be as cool and calm as though on battalion drill; orders could be very distinctly heard ' l saw boy, apparently r6 years old, who was struck with bullet, who cursed and damned the rebel that shot him. He ! seemed to have no fear of the next bullet. We passed on. What became of him I never knew.
 We had advanced in the open field but little way when Major Els, who com manded our battalion, was shot. l called to Captain Jones, who was the ranking captain, telling him of Major Els being wounded. He took command of the battalion. This took only a moment of time and we passed on to the abbattis which consisted of small pine trees cut down and laid hurriedly so as to impede our progress. Butwe were soon through them and on to the rebel outer works, then down sloping grounds, through scattering tall pines.
 The rebels could plainly see us and such raking shot and shell which mostly came on our left flank which enfladed our ranks, and scattered death and des- truction to the Second Heavies.
 The slaughter was terrible; the cries of the wounded were heart-rending
 "Lie down" said General Upton. It was nearing darkness, and lie down we did. But this did not stop the slaughter. l The darkness deepened and our men were uneasy. In lying down I remember how near a careless shot came to finishing the writer. Private McMahon, a clumsy six footer, in getting down, fired off his mus ket, the ball PloughIng through the dirt under me, which I called a close shave. l Our, men were much scattered and each first sergeant was ratlying them to- | gether. had all of F, C6. in line that I could find, when Captain Jones sent for assistance. At this time I was the rank ing officer in charge of our company when Lieutenant Ed. Hubbard came up | told him what was wanted. He took command of the company and we moved down the slope, in the darkness, by the | left flank, to the left instead of to the right. We passed down into a ravine, or what appeared to be a dry brook, and we supposed among our own men.
 | \ When we were challenged: "Halt! who comes here" Lieutenant Hubbard replied: "Company F, Second Connecti- cut" For a momental was quiet except low voice passing along the line, and then a flash and a terrific volley went over our heads, the company standing low in this dry brook, so that every bull let went over us; but the flash revealed the fact that we had run into the rebel | line.
 Our low position saved us from utter destruction, we turned quickly and made for the river in haste. The rebels re- loaded and kept up fire for some time. We moved to the right and found Captain Jones and assisted in holding the line in the works already gained. The firing was incessant. The groans and moaning of the wounded were heart rending. The constant firing relieved the darkness somewhat but was no relief to us because it lighted the pine woods 50 that our moves were readily seen.
 General Upton took an advanced posi- ton behind large pine tree and fired into the rebs as fast as men near him could load and handto him. The enemy ! felt the effect of his unerring aim and made an attempt to dislodge him which caused our boys to give away, when the l General cried out-and who will ever forget that voice: "Men of Connecticut, stand by mel We must hold this line"
 It is needless to say that the 2d heavies could not leave or disregard his appeal. They rallied around him and the line was held, but it was a hot spot. Our boys will never forget that man Upton, who was the well-titled hero of the 2d brigade.
 Colonel Kellogg went down leading our boys in the first charge. He was riddled with bullets. 1 saw the marks of several bullets in his head when his body was recovered in the morning.
 During Hull in the firing large squad of the Tohnnies threw down their arms and came tumbling into our ranks, and some of our men seemed determined to shoot into them, but they held up their hands and cried: "Don't shoot; we have surrendered" It was with some difficulty that the boys could be made to see the point. It was quite dark and nearly 300 passed to our rear and were taken care of by our rear guard. We could not | leave to corral them. 1 remember that one of our men was determined to shoot one Johnny that came close by me. The fellow begged, saying, "don't shoot me; l have surrended" Our man | JOJgad ahoIf rom Sidarah tOs pat a line