The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-07-27
FRED DEITZ WILL
MEET COMRADES


Fred Dietz, who was elected a dele
gate from the Oregon Department of
the G. A. K. to the National eneamp-
ment 10 be held in August at .Rochest-
er, N. Y. will join his old comrades
there and review the scenes of war
days. Mr.. Deitz was lieutenant in
Battery l.. First N. Y. Life Artillery.
At Rochester he will meet four of his
brothers, all of whom served in the
federal army throughout the Civil War.
Mr.. Deitz's company is peculiarly
fortunate in having so many of its
officers living. The following letter
Il has been sent 10 the veterans by Com
mander G. II. Reynolds:
II LET us all set together and have a
rousing time. General John A. Rey-
nolds. Capt. Gilbert Ii. Reynolds,
Major Breck, Lieutenants Shelton,
| Dietz and many others have signified
| their intentions Of feing present.
! Think Of il cOmrade, fifty years have
elapsed since we signed the muster
roll and our three captains still alive
TO greet US. What other command
/ Will DC Cqudllg lOEluHdlc.
The letter appearing below was
written by Mr.. Deitz from one of the
battlefelds before Richmond to his
brother and sister.
Battery L, lst N. Y. A.,
APRIL 1th. 1865.
Dear Sister and Brother,-
My health is good, as usual,
and by the favor of Providence | have
been permitted TO escape safe and
uninjured through the dreadful scenes
Of the past few weeks. | can hardly
realize what we have passed through.
1t all seems like dream. The aetiv-
ity and the excitement in this army
for the last few weeks has kept us all
very busy. Consequently | have not
been quite as lonesome as when last
| wrote. There has so much trans
pired within this command since last
| wrote you, that hardly know what
to write about, or where to begin.
Battery | was transferred from the
5th to the 9 A. C. on the 2Sth, the day
previous to the commencement of the
move. We were assigned a position
on their front, IN some work formerly
occupied by battery known here as
the Petersburg Express"
The first night of our arrival | wit
messed the dreadful and terrific bonn
bardment of the rebel lines in front of
the town. Our battery occupied
very conspicuous place. The pieces
were in position on hill or slight
eminence, which enabled us to obtain
very good view of the rebel lines for
a distance of nearly three miles. The
night was exceedingly dark, which
rendered the scene all the more grand
and magnificent. For period of about
four house, nearly three hundred pieces
of artillery were belching forth their
iron messengers of terror and death.
The mortar practice was truly sublime.
never before witnessed anything half
so magnificent. The semi circle or
curve described by the fight of every
shell was distinctly visible by the
light from the burnnglfuse. The air
was actually filled with shrieking,
screaming shot and bursting shell.
| had retired for the night before the
bombardment took place. but as soon
as the first gun was fired | was called
by the alarm guard. believe | was
unusually exeditious in the performing
of my toilet.
Saturday night the bombardment
was renewed, and continued through
out the night. Abut four o'clock in
the morning our men made charge
upon the rebel works, and captured
four of the strongest. AT early day.
light received orders from Gen. Kid
ball, chief of artillery. to take all the
cannoniers from our guns and hasten
with them to the captured forts, for
the purpose of working the rebel guns
which had been taken. The men all
behaved splendidly, and passed over
the open plain intervening between our
works and the rebels on the double
quick, and under dreaful fire from
artillery and musketry. | entered
three of the forts, but found the guns
already manned by artillerists from
other batteries. After resting a while,
we ran the gauntlet a second time.
and returned to our pieces and opened
fire upon some rebel works in our
immediate front.
Several of our gunners made some
excellent shots. 1t was our design to
attract the attention of some of the
rebel batteries, and if possible draw
their fire from the captured forts. But
we did not succeed. All of their guns
we're brought to bear upon our gallant
boys in the forts, and for about five
hours they were subject to a heavy
fire, but still maintained possession of
the works. With what Joy we all
beheld our starry flag floating above
the captured works throughout that
dreadful day. and in defiance of all
the efforts of the enemy to capture or
destroy them. All day long Sunday
the battle ragged, and with undated
fury. Away off towards the left we
could see the smoke of battle, and
hear the booming of cannon; and with
JOY we could perceive that it was
growing perceptibly nearer, until at
last-just before dark-our men, after
gaining fort after fort, had succeeded
IN swinging around towards the left,
until they gained a position directly
in rear of the forces which were
opposed to us, and who had throughout
the day, fought with the most deter
mined obstinacy. And here was a
dilemma for the Rebs-Yanks in front,
and Yanks in rear. Fortunately for
the "chivalry, night put an end to
the dreadful and sangunary struggle.
During the day the rebels made sew
eral attempts to retake their works,
but they were repulsed. and believe
the charge itself was only feint,
done to counteract any charge from
our forces, which may have been in
contemplation. For they well knew