The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-02-21

our shoe tops.
About twelve o'clock at night we
| had orders TO fall back under hill,
where we found a detail with big
log fires down in the canons cooking.
My first thought was to get close 20
! the fire and warm. Our orders were
to draw three days rations of crack
ers and boiled bacon, and wit this
stored in our haversacks we contin-
ued our close relation to the big fire
| until near day. We were thea or
dered into line, and let me say here
that the common soldier knew but
little of the things until they hap
pened. We started back toward ,Le
bitches, not where we had left them
but more to the left, and went Oh
over into the timber, then out into
an old field, where we were formed
in line, and | noticed other lines just
in our front | could see men on
horses riding down the lines and
talking to the soldiers. Presently
our Major Brown came riding down
our line, talking in a low tone to
the boys, for we were near the en-
emy. | soon understood what was
up. We moved out quietly and struck
their picket line. They fired on us
and ran. We moved up in quick
time for some distance, and were
then ordered to charge, which we did
with yells that woke the sleepers
for miles. There was but little re-
sistance from the first line. They
broke in wild confusion, some with
out shoes or hats, leaving blankets
guns, haversacks, knapsacks, hot
coffee on the fires, and many were
made prisoners. The day was beau
tiful, cold and clear; four inches OF
snow covered the earth, and it was
not uncommon to see the blood
stained finger prints where the
wounded and dying had gathered
snow to satisfy their thirst.
The second line of battle showed
fight but the first Charge moved !
them, and throughout the day, up to
three o'clock in the afternoon, our
lines moved forward. When firing
ceased, it was found that our boys |
were out of ammunition, and that
night Grant came in with ten thou
sand fresh troops An effort was
made to get boats down to take us
out. but only two small ones came, |
and our army was left helpless. We
were taken to the landing early in
the night expecting boats, but they
failed to come. | had three brothers
in my company, all older, and II
out; that we could not make it worse
than to be caught, But my argument
daylight, and | went again to my
brothers, but without avail; so II
said good by and went to the
bank OF the river. Looking down
stream, | saw some one coming from
the opposite side in a small boat
Before could get to his landing, he
had gotten out of the boat and start
ed up the bank, with the paddle on
his shoulder. | saw that he was a
negro, and he said he was going af-
ter his young master. | told him to
leave the paddle, but he said he
couldn't. | leveled my gun on him
and told him that thought he could, |
and he bought so too.
| got into the boat and soon land !
ed on the opposite shore. The river
had been rising for several days, ana
| had gone but a short diS'tnce wnen
| came to slough. ScslAg buggy
and horse tracks | clnc,udel it was
not deep; and as tine was precious,
iu | went. BY tn third .stcr | wen'
under and left my gun on the bottom.
" men TtdCllcu 'U.' Nul litt' Swan
- tho other side, som 'h'r;y feet
When | got opp, stc to where ] left
o. boys, | stepped TO the edGc of
80 bank to look JYe;, bu. the boys
in blue saw me, and a fog of smoke
and the song of a MIME ball near
MY head convinced me that lower
land would suit me better, so |
ducked for the rear.
BY this time my wet clothes began
to freeze, and, with no chance for
fire, ii was move out lively or freeze.
The sun was now getting up-l could
feel its warm rays-and by noon
much of the snow had melted, and
my clothes had partially dried. Al
sundown | came to ferry, where
there were eighteen men in the boat
waiting for the ferryman. sug-
gested that we need not wait; but
they said they were afraid the cur
rent would take them downstream if