The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-09-16

From Harper's magazine these M
tiers Of q century ago are republishe
Of Waterbury. He fought
Seeing that 1t was impossible
to take the Bridge that way
General Burnside ordered Regi-
ments--ours, 9Th Connecticut, 10th
Connecticut and 4th Rhode Island
Ito 90 down along Greek about
half q mile below the Bridge
wade across and come UP on the
other side. This we did successful.
ly, routing the Confederate IN
fantry that had been guarding the
battery which had done us so
much harm, and gaining complete
possession Of the historic old
stone Bridge'--imnortal from
that day as the Burnside Bridge
'sThe 18th Connecticut, that was
with US In the Bridge affair I've
just told about got into O bad
Scrape @ little later. You've prob.
ably read about the 'Cornfleld'
that figured In the battle. ] can
see now just how II looked that
September day seventy-six years
ago-waving and glittering In the
sunshine. But I could see steel
bayonets glittering, too. Then
something very beautiful showed
above the high corn. II was the
flag we love. But II was put there
for an evil purpose by the enemy.
1t was o decoy. And without sus-
pecting the ruse the gallant boys
Of 10th Connecticut got into the
trap and paid an awful price for
II, ''@t''e' 20
DO you have any idea how
many bullets you fred that day9"
I asked the old soldier.
Eyes, can tell you exactly" he
replied with q chuckle, which he
explained was caused by his recol-
lection OF o comical thing that
happened In the midst Of q trag-
edy when he fired the last bullet
he had--an incident that set o
whole regiment laughing In the
midst Of q great battle.
II had started out that day with
40 rounds Of ammunition. Late In
the afternoon all but one had been
Aired. twas 50 with my comrades,
and as no further supply had
come we were ordered TO retire.
AZ we started back and was
wishing that had a chance to
shoot that last unused builet--i
looked over q stone wall we were
passing and saw q body Of Union
troops who ! found later to be
Ohio boys, silently crouching be-
hind o low breastwork with their
guns held ready for instant action.
Just then their order came TO
stand and fire. n" Z,
Here was my opportunity to FIRE
my fortieth and last bullet. Over ,
the wall went In jiffy, and
joined them In the first voliey and
fired my bullet plumb IN the mid
die Of a bunch az Johnny Rebs.,
Astonishing Is 1t may seem,
they all dropped and their 'colors'
lay nat on the ground. Only
one man got UP. He was O very
tall and lanky fellow and instead
Of q gray uniform, he wore butt
ternut-colo one. can see him
now-just how he looked. He
grabbed up Rebel flag and ran
zigzag. lupging and plunging and
stumbling for dear life, making
such Q iudicrous picture, that, as
said before, the Ohio boys and
all burst out laughing and by
common impulse gave the desper-
ate, fellow q break and nobody
fired q shot at him. M
"Then ! climbed back over the
stone wall and hurried to catch
up with my regiment.
WAS there much swearing done
that day-do you remember.
asked. .....
20 but didn't my lieutenant
swear like a piratel" came the
answer-the old soldiers eyes
sparkling at the remembrance.
"He was Lieutenant John D. Lane
"a wonderful fellow, from Corn
wall or Kent. Just little older
than was. He. had been boss of
a section gang on the New Haven
railroad before the war. After the
war he was In business In Meri-
den. His was a case like another
splendid American soldier-You
remember Thomas Jefferson's re-
ply to the question. Was General
Washington q ''profane man?'--
No. he was not a profane man:
but when occasion required, ne
could swear like an angel from
heavenl'- And so could Lieutenant
John q. Lane. ! can see him now.
and hear his voice shouting in all
the excitement Of battle-'0ive
EN- hell. boys!
where did you sleep that
night7" I asked. 50
Right there on the battlefield"
he said. The Union Army was
left In possession Of the field, and
Lee was on his way back through
Harper's Ferry to Virginia.
Speaking Of where we slept
nights'-here's an incident that
may interest you: On the night
of the 18th Of September. the
night before the Battle OF South
Mountain. we calnped IN Barbara
Frietchie;s town OF Frederick We
came In at dusk Of the evening.
tore down the fence Of the hospi-
tai grounds and slept there and
moved out early Ia the morning.
! suppose you know lhat Barbara