The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-08-17
ORIGINAL STORY
OF CIVIL WARTIME
A Story of the Battle of the
Wilderness

~ story OF the Dattle OF the
Wilderness
being the personal experience
of Waldo C. Van Vain, LIST, Lieut..
Co. A, 45th Pa. Vet. Vols, as re-
lated by himself several years after
the war;
Continued from Last Issue)
Now, as to a little of our per-
sonal experience. As | said be-
fore, as we threw ourselves down
that night on the edge of the battle
field, tired and hungry, our feelings
were not of the most agreeable
kind. Many of the wounded and
dying were carried to the rear.
Their groans were all around us.
There were more than could be at
tended to as the field hospitals were
already crowded. They told US that
the enemy was still holding his
main position although they had
driven him back at some points
considerable distance, and that the
fighting would certainly be renewed
the next morning and we could
take our turn. This was pleasant
to contemplate, or rather, mean to
say, it was not.
ATTACK along the whole line at
five in the morning." was the order
from General Grant. The Rebel
army had orders from Lee, to at
tack our lines at the same hour as
we afterward learned, but l think
We must have got the bulge on
them, for long before five in the
morning, | think as early as two
o'clock, we were in line, after hav-
ing partaken of our coffee and hard
tack. We moved out in four
ranks, into narrow road which
lead toward Mine Run, a short dis
lance away. 1t was quite dark and
we could not see where we were
going merely following the lead of
those next ahead. At one time
We were considerably jumbled up
and came to a stand-still, for sew
eral minutes. During this pause
our attention was suddenly arrested
| by a rushing noise behind US, ac-
companied by some stern COM
mand, such as oblique to the right,
oblique to the right, ease off to
the right. At first we thought it
was regiment of cavalry trying to
| get past, from the sound of horses
hoofs, but we soon discovered as
the came up, that it was General
Burnside and staff feeling their way
| through the dark. His large and
powerful bob-tailed war-horse crowd
ed me from my place. In fact, |
was glad to get out of his way for
he would have tramped me down
as the general was digging him with
his spurs. AS soon as Burnside
had forged to the front, our column
moved up rapidly.
| Just about break of day we ar
lived the point where we were to
form our line of battle, which
vas to be an extension to the left
| f Hancock's line of the End corps.
n fact, we could now see por-
ion of the line dimly ahead of US,
forming at the edge of the slope
which was covered lightly with an
underground of bushes. The head
# our regiment drew up in small
open place. our company being in
| advance. Our regiment was halted
here for a few minutes as if wait
ing for directions as to which way
We would move into line. Now,
Just at such time as this, when
we all knew that we were going into
battle, and in probability, one of
the hardest battles of the war, it
would naturally be supposed that
the men would feel pretty serious,
at least too much so, to be given to
any fun of jokes, but such was not
the case at this time. We had a
recruit in our company who was
rather comic and it might be, a
little bit scared, who struck up a
dialouge with one of our old vet
Grams which caused some amusement
to the company. The Colonel had
Just ridden up to the drum corps
and orderd them to the rear. This
was noticed by our recruit which
brought out lot of questions
Say, boys, what does that mean?
THAT means fight" says the ole
veteran. whenever the Colone
orders the drum corps to go to the
rear, then we know there is fight
ahead" But say, what's them fel
lows goin' back for?" "They are
excused from going into the fight.
"Well say, haint them fellers JUS
as good as right to fight as US fel
lers?" mo. They're non-com
batants." "Oh! wish I wal
'Nuncum-battant.' Say, diden
they enlist for a sojer?" mo
They enlisted as musicians and ar,
on the master rolls as SUCH" "Oh