Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-06-07

were taken to the hospital. Ait. +.
Prutyman of the 25th Michigan was
killed. He had rejoined the regiment
the day before from an absence of
five months at home. / think there
were eight of the regiment killed and
forty wounded. 1t is a wonder that
so many escaped for the bullets fell
like hailstones and it seemed mir
calous that so many escaped injury.
We were tired out that night. The
wounded were brought in as fast as
they could be with safety.
Sunday, May Is, 1864.
We did not get up until daylight.
/ At eight o'clock we were sent out to
look after the body Of our adjutant.
We arrived on the battlefield and
found the sharpshooters quite busy
firing at each other We came to a
small creek and / waded along the
bed to where / thought his body lay,
passing a dozen others on the way,
but / did not succeed in finding his
remains, so after looking for half an
hour and listening to the roar of cam
non of the rattle of musketry, | re-
turned to camp, running from tree to
tree until | got off the field and into
the woods.
Once more in camp | dried my wet
clothing and socks and drew three
days rations. At twelve o'clock the
division fell in and marched about five
miles, passing around to the right of
the enemies line in preparation for
flank movement. The goth A. c.,
commanded by Fighting Joe" Hook
er had been fighting hard all day and
we passed great many ambulance
filled with their wounded. There
seemed to be about half of the wound
shot either in the hand or arm. They
wer having better success in this
quarter than we had yesterday, and
drove the rebels from the their posi-
ton behind the breastworks and had
captured some artillery. We were not
sent into the fight and when darkness
came we were sent into camp in a
field, to be ready for the strife on the
morrow. At eleven p. m. brisk fir
ing commenced along our front, and
instantly every man sprang up and
packed his things in double-quick
time. 1t was supposed the rebels
were trying to make break and es-
cape. We waited little while until
the firing slackened, then cheer after
cheer from the front made the woods
ring and feeling confident that all was
well we retired. We afterwards learn
ed that our suggestions were cor
rect, but that our commanders had
heard of it and had placed large
body of troops under cover in the
path of the escaping rebels. When
the enemy came in sight they were
met by volley, were charged and
driven out of their works, thus we
came into possession of a portion of
their lines.
Monday, May 16, 1864.
We were aroused at daybreak, but
the voices of the cannon were stilled.
All seemed quite and we layed down
to await orders. At ten o'clock we
were told that the enemy had all left,
and to be ready to start in pursuit of
them as soon as it could be ascertain
ed which way to go. At twelve o'clock
the order came to fall in and we ex-
pected to have some hard marching
before us. We went to the railroad
and followed it for two miles. The
rebels had left great numbers of dead
rebels had left in great haste, and the
railroad was uninjured. The rebel
dead had been left unburied, so great
had been their haste and we, saw
large numbers of them scattered
along the road. The ambulances are
very busy caring for the wounded and
il is reported that there are some q
900 Of them, but didn't see over, two
dozen. The cars are on hand and
passed us loaded with timber and
workmen. We left the railroad and
forded theConnasaugo river between
five and six o'clock and by taking off
our boots and trousers we forded the
stream. There wrere five thousand
men who waded the river and there
was many joke and cheer heard. We
made nine miles that day, reaching
camp about nine o'clock at night.