Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-23
A STUDY OF PRoJECTilES.
Exciting Moments in Battle Exper-
fenced by Vermont Soldiers.

The historians of the Eighth Yer
mont relates the following interesting
incident.
Early Monday morning the gun
boats opened IL heavy fire upon the
Confederate work. and Capt Balm
bridge, supported by the Eighth Yer
mont, advanced to a position nearer
the enemy's line than that occupied
the previous day, and resumed the
canncnading. The regiment in front
found themselves within reach of the
Confederate infantry, and no sooner
we're they in position than Volley of
mrsket balls came whizzing over their
heads. To protect his men as much
as possible Col Thomas ordered them
to lie fiat upon the ground, close be-
hind some bushes. 1t was well that
this precaution was taken for the en-
envy soon aimed so low and fred so
fast that their bullets cut off the bush
es and scattered them among the
PROSTATE men. During the entire day
the regiment lay on the ground, while
cannon Numbered in front and rear,
and projectiles of every description
went screaming over their heads. Two
or three different times they were or
dered to form in line for Il charge
upon the works. but as soon as they
We're upon their feet so deadly a fire
was turned upon them that the at
tempt was abandoned.
After the first excitement had sub
sided, and the men began to get used
to their uncomfortable position those
who were cool enough to enjoy it
to 70 xfpp in
teresting study of prejecties. Lying
there on the earth they could watch
ON a grand scale the graceful curves
described by shot and shell in their
swift aerial passage, and eritielse 10
their hearts content the display of
the gunner's skill. Their ears soon
learned to distinguish the peculiar
sound made Ivy different kinds OF ms
siles. and they were enabled to make
some approximate estimates as to the
number of balls that miScarried where
one dd execution. They learned, too,
that. oven under such trying circum-
stances. a man may base his chances
of life on the fact that, in q battle, so
many balls are wasted that a soldier
cannot be killed until the enemy has
discharged at him a weight Of lead
equal to his own. And better than all
else. they learned perhaps. valuable
lesson of obedience and eif-controi.
and beheid a new vision of devoted pa
triotism. as they saw their leader SIT
calmly by them, rs u tender father
might guard his children in an hour
of peril.
one attempt only was made by the
enemy to break Gen. WeitHefs lines
About three o'clock in the afternoon
the Union troops were startled by the
most hidcous of modern war cries
known as the rebel veil" It sounded
from the covert of heavy timbef on the
left and the officers at once under-
stood that Dick Taylor was ABOUT
to charge upon the left flank. THIS
was the first time the Vermont boys
had heard that fiendish sound, and II
is not TOO much to say that they were
| anra1led bv il for a moment. ana
tboucht their time had come to be
| "wiped out" But Weitzel, anticipat-
inc this attempt, had ordered the
Twelfth Connecticut and the one Hun
dred and Fourteenth New York to
throw their combined force into the
timber: and. after sharp encounter,
the rebels who charged with Il yell
retreated in confusion and precipitate
haste to the cover of their works.
During that days fight there We're
some artillery shots made that de-
serve special mention. As he was
watching the manoeuvres of the enc
nv. Col. Thomas saw section Oh
rebel battery moving from the rsht
To the left. and said to Capt BAN
bridge. who was remarkably skin VI
as a gunner: Captain. can't YOU give
ZEN, a shot IT will try" answered
cambridge; and quickly sighting a
niece. he threw Il shell with such ac-
cpfacy that when it burst, horses, r.
ders. and gun were wiped out of view
and. as il to make sure that the snot
was fatal. the three dead horses were
found near that spot when the Union
armv ertered the worhs on the ioi-
lowing day.
AS one means of defence the enc
my made use of the gun-boat Diana,
which they had recently captured from
the Union navy. 1t contained a heavy
bow-gun, with which they We're doing
great damage. On seeing this. Col.
Mcmillan of the Twenty first Indiana.
Wlich had been converted into heavy