The Red Cloud chief., 1913-10-23
CAMPFIRE
17AlASlBk2'eR%!Es
HIS FIRST TIME UNDER FIRE
Rather Hot Initiation Of . New York
Boy at Batchelder's Creek--Car
ried Supplies TO Front.

On February I. 1864. I did my first
duty as soldier. the detail being a.
corporal and three mon OF the l2th
N. Y. Cavalry In a swampy pine for.
est bordering the Trent and Neuso
rivers In North Carolina. The duties
Of the cavalry at that point--Batchel.
der's Creek. about nine miles from
Newbern--were OF the easiest kind.
writes Frank Salter OF Oak Hill.
Kan. In tho National Tribune. At
night we were withdrawn to tho east
side Of the creek. leaving a corporal
and three infantrymen on the west
side Of the bridge--the planks Of
which were all removed save one
to give the alarm should the enemy
make his appearance.
The squad consisted Of about 80
men OF the l32nd N. Y and the dc.
tail OF cavalry already mentioned.
About 3 o'clock In the morning the
rebels came In In a hurry. and their
earspiitting yell brought every man
only narrow strip OF water be-
tween!
True. the creek was deep. the
banks steep and the night dark.
have always felt surprieed that the
rebels did not know Of some point
along the creek that would AFFORD
easy passage. However. these few
men. strengthened by two or three
companies. held these thousands at
bay TIL the sun was many hours high.
Soon after daylight our captain ar.
rived. and for a time we were kept
waiting for orders about half a mile
In the rear Of the fighting. but the
hot work they were engaged In soon
exhausted their ammunition. and ds
the enemy were Telling trees to effect
q passage II was not deemed wise TO
drive an ammunition wagon nearer
the scene Of action. SO about half
dozen of us were detailed to carry
supplies to the front. A. each box
contained about 1000 cartridges. and
the sand was ankledeep. II was no
light task. and my comrades fell be.
hind. some dropping their loads and
sitting on them AZ II the occasion was
not urgent.
pushed ahead and soon came to
. bend In the road about 80 yards
from the bridge. As ! turned into the
bend-my load was getting heavy
could see men on my right clinging
very close to the ground and facing
west. and on my left the branches
dropped from q grove Of saplings
Strange sounds-"zip." "zip"-struck
my ear. for It was my first time under
fire.
As I approached the breastworks
Lieutenant Zenetti OF the 1S2nd walk.
ed from behind them and came to.
ward me, and when about three yards
separated us he was struck in the
head, not moving q muscle after he
fell. My load was soon in possession
Of the gallant infantrymen. and. hav-
ing no further orders. Joined tho
string OF men who were trying to dis.
cover the "other fellows" on the op-
posite side Of the creek.
But we were not allowed to stay
there long. Fifteen minutes after.
wards a rebel yell told US that they
had succeeded in Telling trees to form
q bridge a little north of US. In spite
of the fierce resistance. and that II
was time for us to be moving. The
obstinate defense OF the gallant New
York boys gave the authorities time
to get reinforcements from Morehead
City and Beaufort. but the numerous
little mounds In q small space, oppo
site the temporary bridge bore mute
testimony at what cost II was done