Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-05-31

To reach the logs we were obliged to
crawl on our hands and knees, taking
precautions to keep out of sight mean
while. Our company thought they
would fix up the breastworks a lit
tie better, so by using their bayonets
for picks and their hands for shovels,
trench was dug out to the depth OF
foot or eighteen inches and the dirt
was thrown among the logs In front,
making a much safer protection.
About nine o'clock our company were
sent out to relieve the pickets Tor
short time, but soon returned ana
curled down, keeping on our KNAPP
sacks and other traps. We could get
very little sleep in this position. we
could occasionally hear a distant and
random shot but nothing to alarm US.
About 1890 o'clock we heard snot
on our right, followed in quick sue
cession by others, until 1T became
continuous fire, reaching lar away
on our right past us to the lett. some
of the pickets came rushing back ana
cleared the breastworks with one
hound and sped away to the rear,
while others more sensible than the
rest. stood their ground, waiting to
see something to run for. We rous-
ed ND imediately, cooked our guns
and fixed bayonets and lay there
ready to meet them. A good many
along our line fired their guns, but
none of our company shot. Soon the
firing began in our rear and finally
whole volley came whistling along.
Those who lay behind trees for pro-
lection, changed their POSITIONS. and
shifted around the the other side OF
the trees, believing that side the SAT-
est from the rebel bullets. 1t lasted
but a few minutes when it began to
die away and soon it ceased altogeth-
err. and we sat down again, having
been more scared than hurt. | pre-
sumo we fired fifty shots to the rebels
one. 1t was so dark we could not see
man two rods distant, so probably
il all started from some ones lmagln-
alton. We again curler down to rest
and shiver until morning, but thrice
again before daylight were we rous-
ed up in the same way, but did not
have so much firing from the rear. AS
early in the morning is a favorite
time for an attack we were aroused
up at the first appearance Of day and
Law in waiting for the enemy. Twas
thus we passed the night in our most
advanced line in sight of the rebel
breastworks at Altoona mountains,
and thus burst upon us the morning
of May 20, 1864.
AS daylight gradually exposed OBJ
iects to view the firing along the line
Increased in rapidity until at length
it was quite brisk, but the officers
seeing that it was doing no good,
stopped it as much as they could, but
still a "reb" would occasionally show
his head, or give us a puff of smoke,
followed by the whistle of ball, and
our boys would give him two or three
in return. The sun rose bright and
clear, and after while we got warm
ed up and feeling drowsy, would curl
down and sleep soundly, while the
balls would whistle over us and our
boys reply to them. Thus passed the
morning, the forenoon, and it was five
o'clock before we were relived. It
was dangerous for man to stand up
and many were the quick and involun-
tary bows and stoops made by the
darings ones much to the amusement
of the lockers on. At five o'clock our
whole brigade was relieved and we
were told that we were going to the
rear, seven miles away, to rest and
recruit up some, which we felt the
need Of doing, and for which we
were very thankful, After getting
back out of the firing little we drew
three days rations Of hard bread, cof-
fee, sugar and salt and then went to
our destination. After going about
four miles we came to a supply train, !
belonging to the 23rd corps and our |
regiment were left to guard it while |
the rest of the boys went on. We
spread our blankets down on the |
ground for good nights rest, having
had only one and half hours sleep |
during the last two nights. In the
past four days and two nights that |
we had been under fire our company
had had no one seriously hurt, and |
but one man killed and four or five
wounded in the regiment. We had /
driven the enemy inside Of their own
breastworks and kept them there, but
how much other damage we had
done / know not.
Mondav Nav On