Connecticut western news., 1912-01-25
1.-THE HEAVIES"AT FORT FISHER Vivid Pen Picture of the Struggle
 The Nations Debt to its Soldiers.
BY K. S. ROBERTS


 | BY K. S. ROBERTS
 Comrades When I closed my last letter we were faceing exciting times. You know that some of us would soon see the end of this great struggle, in which we had all been engaged for three long years. You saw the 24th Corps when it appeared coming over through by Fort Fisher. You were particularly feeling the effect of the desperation of the Johnnies as they stole back into the batteries. which you had driven them from in the early morning and loaded their cannons and opened upon us as we were watching, and for a few minutes they made it very uncomfortable for you until as I said the 24th Corps appearance relieved us and you could plainly see them, as Tn measured cadence they came, little needing the shot and shell that had been diverted from us and turned onto them. You could see the shell as it left theif guns and whiz through the air and strike into the ranks of the boys m blue, but on, on they came, leaving those of their numbers who were dropped by the rebel shot, to be picked up by others. They passed you and as soon as one regi- ment passed. it faced to the right and in regimental front, advanced on rebel works in plain sight and so each regi- ment as it filed past the other, would face to the right and advance iD, the same order, which made a very formida- ble line of battle, which you could see as 1t advanced so steady on to the rebel works.
 Under the heavy rebel fire you could plainly see the boys fall as they were hit, but they closed up and on over the breastworks and away they went after the retreatiEg foe-a sight you can never forget After you had witnessed this, our brigade was ordered to proceed around by our old camp that we left in the night, up the corduroy road to Fort Sedgwick, nicknamed Fort He'll" you followed up through the "covered way" (dItches dug in zig-zig way) into the fort and through it, and have vivid recollection of a six-inch shell that struck the parapet in front of me, just low enough to ricochet over my head but 1t threw about bushel of the earth ali over me, knocking me down, but was soon on my feet and with you and crossed the glassis between this fort and the rebel fort. which was only about 300 feet distance.
 You remember that many of the boys never reached the other side, for rebel shot and shell and bullets filled the air. Their works were covered by a continu- ous chain of chev-aux -de.frise, which was a very serious Instructions to our advance, but as there were several of the pioneer corps, with axes with us, G break was soon made through and this too. while shot and shell were flying, and we were soon in the ditohes of their fort. You found about a foot of water in this ditch, SO we had to dig the bank down so we could stand on dry ground. You were on one side of this bank and the rebels on the other, so that only about six feet of bank separated us. When their cannon were in battery one could nearly reach the muzzles of the same any boy that raised his head or hand above the bank, bullet went through it instanter. I saw boys take the ram rod of their musket, put their cap on it and cautiously raise it and the second it Nappeared above the work bullet struck it. In this precarious situation We re- mained until three o'clock of the follow ing morning
 You remember that we left camp the morning before, at about midnight leav- ing overcoats and blankets behind, and you know of the suffering in those wet ditches. If you got out of the ditch it meant death if you got down to it you were in the water, so wet and cold, where you could not stir, only cling to the bank. which you had dug out with your hands and bayonet.
 In this situation on the night of April Sd you got all the rest there was in it. To go back meant death to go over the works meant death, so you had to obey orders, lay low
 Dear Comrades, when these anti pen sion howlers get patriotic they will tell you, "Why you were paid for it, weren't you?" Yes, you were paid thirteen dol- lars per month in green backs worth about thirty three cents on the dollar, or equivalent to about fourteen cents per day So my dear comrade. while you were hanging (not setting or lying) in those trenches, chilled to the very marrow of your bones. You could not move foot or assume perpendlcular positions for that meant sure death. No sleep, but extreme vigilenoe, and while you were in those trenches these "cal- amity howlers" were resting sweetly in matchless feather bed. preparing for the day coming to them, that brought