The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-11-17
REMINIsCENCE
CONTINUED from First Page)

Il
| Is not all; the captain and his men
were all Germans, and only the cap
tain and few of his men could speak
a word of English. I have frequently
wondered what our luck would have
been if we had run up against one OF
Gen. Grants veteran batteries. The
Edistos were proud of their morn
ling's work, but we paid pretty severe
" for it. Our company lost in killed
and wounded fifteen men. The killed
were Lieut.. George Elliott, Corporal
II. R. Kennerly, Privates NJ. L. Aus
tin, G. w. B. Fairey; the wounded,
Sergeants Ben P. Izlar and J. Fl.
Hook and Corporal Theodore Kohn;
Priyates John Ashe (leg amputated
lat the knee) Andrew J. Smoak, Muir.
ray Robinson, Frank Inabinett (mor-
tally, James Fl. Avant, Ben FL. San
Iders, E. n. Trick and o. j. Syphvet.
The dead were buried by the turnpike
near where they fell and after the
war their bodies were taken up and
lcarried to South Carolina. Corporal
Kohn's right hand was badly shatter-
led and he was disabled for service to
the end of the war. He was a Bavar-
ian by birth, and Jew. He came to
Orangeburg when about ten years old.
He was fine man and an excellent
soldier After the war closed he en-
Gagged in the mercantile business in
Orangeburg and was very successful.
Died few years ago, highly esteem
Led by all who knew him, as are his
| lchildren today. Ben Sanders, just
before he was wounded, saw piece
of sole leather about a foot square,
lying on the ground where some of
the retreating enemy had dropped it.
Ben picked it up and some one of our
boys said, Take care of that Ben,
lit will come in good" He replied,
"I'm going to-" and just then thug
and MIME ball had badly wounded
him, and he sung out, "Some one take
me away from here"-and he threw
down the sole leather. Ben was a
small man but full of life, energy and
courage; made good soldier and
after the war made a good citizen.
He was red-headed and the boys nick
named him aChucker."
| In the reports made Of this battle
|by the commanding officer two MEM
bers of the Edisto Rifles were men,
toned for conspicuous gallantry:
sergeant Ben P. Izlar and Private
Ira T. Shoemaker. (See Records of the
War of the Rebellion.)
To illustrate how wild and aimless
firing is often done in battle, I will
relate what took place in this fight
l while the battle was raging and the
4 firing fiercest There was a tall pine
/ tree standing just on the inside of
the line of Notifications, and my at
II tention being attracted in that direc-
/ from the enemy's rifles were cutting
l the pine needles and cones from the
i very top of the tree, and knocking the
/ bark off all the way down as low as
REASONABLE to suppose that thousands
/ of them went even higher than the
H top of the tree. At the time of this
H incident the two lines of battle were
\ not more than hundred yards apart
Il had often wondered why many more
men were not killed and wounded than
4 are when there was such continued
/ and terrific firing going on, but the
/ mystery was cleared on that day;
/ that is to a certain extent, for do
II not believe that veteran troops fire
4 SO excitedly and wildly as Buffers
II troops did that day, and yet, when
Il one compares the number of shots
H fired in any battle with the number OF
Il casualties inflicted, we find by a
Il simple rule of arithmetic that there
1 are about 800 misses to one hit. Fol-
/ instance say 5000 men are engaged
n in battle, each having 90 rounds OF
/ ammunition, it would make a total OF
II 100000 cartridges. If the fight lasts
Il several hours all of these, and per-
haps more, would be expended. II
i 500 are killed, which is a fair and lib.
/ eral estimate, then we have only one
/ fatal shot out of 400-the result ]
have above stated, of 399 misses te
lone fatal hit. The low rate of NOR.
i ltality is caused by excitement and
Il RECKLESS firing, which shows how very
Il important it is to have cool and
Il steady commander, one who by his
lown demeanor and example inspires
I confidence in his men. AS a rule
H when conditions are equal, victory al
II ways goes to the army that is wei
II lorganized, well commanded and fret
II from all semblance of decentralization
H The last few paragraphs are basee
III upon war as it was fought fifty ode
III years ago, and through the ages bacl
III behind that time, and not to the so
III icalled war now going on in Europe
III That is not war-they are not fight
HI ing with swords, rifles, pistols anC
HI field guns; they are using instead
III money, food and poisonous gas. Nevel
III "a gallant cavalry charge wher,
III swords cross swords with the adver
HI tsary; never banners carried forward il
II limpetuous infantry charge in tn,
HI the open field; no sound of fife, or rat
III tie of drum, or bugle blasts ring on