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Department of me G. A. R.Reminiscences of Camp, Battle andivouacI This Depart ineut Is open to all soldier* and sailors who served in the Union Army during the War of Uw Ktbellioti. Incidents of Battle, Camp and March are earofldij solioited.]~THE TEf HE CAMPAIGN.(concluded.) llurbridge's brigade consisted of the 16th Indiana, With and Kid Ohio, 67th Indiana and 23d Wisconsin, encamped in the order named from right to left, J facing west, and occupying the front of the timber that skirted Carrion Crow Bayou, four miles in advance of the main force. Capt. Rice's 17th Ohio Bat-tftrv of siv t^n-nniind Parrott guns waslocated near the center of the command. On the retrograde movement fiom Opelousas the enemy had followed us sharply. It was evident he did not take kindly to our invasion of the sacred soil of western Louisiana. Skirmishing in our front had been almost continuous from the time we went into camp on the bayou. Cavalry outposts had frequently to be supported by the infantry, ami occasionally a shell was sent over to the Johnnies by Capt.Kice, with his compliments. But theenemy was persistent, and gave us no peace of mind nor solace of body. He knew our numbers and was thoroughly familiar with our location. The old*j men and cripples met on our route to Opelousas were spies of the enemy, whorvafb man horse. vv8(JOn SUdI-piece of artillery in the Federal com mand. They stood in the doorways or sat on the fences smoking cob pipes, and took notes, which were hastily transmitted to the rebel commander. Knowing tiie numbers and isolated conditionLof Burbrldge'a brigade, it was not surprising that they should harraas it on the flanks and threaten it in front.On the morning of November 3d, '08, skirmishing at the front was unusually active. The premonitions of an approaching buttle were numerous, and the air seemed ladened with the angry threatenings of a sulphurous storm. The camp was in considerable commotion. Reinforcements were four miles or more in our rear, and the enemy was known to outnumber us three or four toone. It was only by the most obstinatefighting that our cavalry held its position during the early morning hours. All this tiine, however, the enemy wasmaking his preparations for a vigorous attaek on our right flank.In the £kl Wisconsin it was pay-day. Maj. Tenney, assistant paymaster, and his efficient clerk Alexander Botkin (atpresent Marshal of the territory of Montana). were distributing Unde Samuel'sgreenbacks to the regiment, and theboys were happy in the possession of much-coveted wealth. At noon most oftiie regiment had been paid off. and the writer, with his friends Captains Fit-1,V*dohIOairman and Sumner, of Madison, Wis., lt;wlju.it silt down to a feast of clncken which the,cook had succeeded in rapturing in a skirmish with the fowls in the barnyard of a neighboring plantation. We will never forget that dinner, of which we were surnariiy dispossessed by the order“fall in!” and’which wes ir rendered to the rebel cavalry, who not satisfied with devouring our substance. put a shell through our mess box and destroyed our culinary department. The relinquishment of such ameal at such a tune and under such circumstances was a sacrifice that no soldier willingly makes.The enemy in heavy force, under command of (rens.Taylor and lt;i i een, atteked the brigade on tiie right tlank at uoon. The 83d Ohio had been sent out early in the morning to protect a foraging party, and consequently was not in camp when the attack came. The 67th Indiana was hastened to the front to guard against cavalry, and there surrendered without firing a shot. It was as fine a regiment as that loyal State ever sent to the front, but had the misfortune to be Inefficiently commanded. Its Lieutenant Colonel, in command at the time of its capture, was. after being exchanged, permitted to engage in mercantile business in a sutler's tent.The full force of the attack fell at first on the 16th Indiana. In vain (lid thissplendid regiment try to stem the tide ofI tharebel steel that moved forward to cap ture the command. Their overwhelming numbers crumbled it into fragments in the face of terribly destructive vol-lt! leys. As the 16th gave way the 96th jr|Ohio, Col. Vance, (afterwards kir. kilted atSabine Cross Roads,) was pushed forward, and heroically attempted to check the enemy. Never did a regimentevince more determined bravery than the gallant 96th. Volley succeeded vol-p. (ley in quick succession; but the rebels ’1 closed rapidly around its tlank*. andby sheer ioree ot numbers soon disorganized it and forced its retreat. Meanwhile the 17tb Ohio Battery vas literally plowing great gaps in the enemy 's front. Double shotted with grape and canister, the roar of its guns seemed continuous; and when driven fromone position it would, almost with the rapidity of thought, seek a new one, unlimber and again hurl its thunderbolts at the enemy. Thus far the brigade had suffered terribly. The 67th Indiana bad surrendered bodily; the16th Indiana and 96th Ohio were out ofthe fight; and the 83d Ohio was absen«-cThere was left only the battery and 23d Wisconsin (226 strong) to meet the victorious foe. This regiment was rapidly pushed to the front, and af+er permitting the (Uhrin of the Ifith and 9«th to pass through its ranks, (an ordeal which tests to the utmost the character of thebest soldiers,) it delivered a volley square in the face of the enemy that not only checked his progress but sent him reeling to the rear. Fifty-six of the enemy fell before this single volley,—a fact made known to some of the' 2Hd w ho were taken prisoners on that day. How this regiment fought is told by Mr. (.»ree-lev in his second volume on the Civil W’a r :“Our right, thus suddenly assailed in great force, and with intense fury, was broken, and was saved from utter destruction by the devoted bravery of the 2fkl Wisconsin and tiie efficient service j of Nim's [Rice s] battery.”We will never forget one Incident thatj occurred in tiie heat of this enguge-i nieut. A boy name,! Leo Roach** and a rebel fought a regular duel from behind trees. At the third fire young ltoache killed his antagonist, and taking off his hat and swinging it in I be air, he criedexultinglv. I hit him that time! I hithim that time! I hit him that time!” andthen cooly and deliberately commenced reloading and firing as if nothing had occurred. Another boy w ho had been shot in tiie arm. reloaded his gun as lie slowly feli hack, and received another wound as he turned and fired, still slowly retreating aiul loading, be declared he would give the rebelsanother shot,” turned, rested his gunupon his wounded arm. fired and felldead, pierced through tiie heart by another rebel bullet. And so the regimentfought all along its line. It was fairlyD1 a hand to hand tight—the distance sep-« a stating the combatants being only a few i feet. At one time we could have' sliak-* . „ „ . _{rn.| eu hands w itb a rebel officer by advanc-i ing three or four paces. The enemy ! was upon our Junks in large numbers and his cavalry playing havoc m our rear The only alternative was a hasty retreat which the reg. effected with th * loss of a number or prisoners, including Col. J. J. tiuppey, who was wounded. Therebel loss was 60 killed, between 3U0 and 4tiu wounded and to prisoners. Tha pulverized brigade was reformed on the east side of tlte bayou, and cliarging I the enemy drove them two miles, capturing prisoners and gaining possessioni of its camp. The total loss of the 23d Wisconsin was 11m and of the brigade ^0 7i6, and one piece of artillery. The . brigade had been whipped in detail.—, If the whole command had been pot ini line at once, the enemy would have iteeu 1severely handled. The command fell j back tiie same evening, and soon afterthe Teche Campaign ended.J. E. Duncan.
Newspaper Details
Ames Intelligencer
Ames, Iowa, US
Sat, Feb 28, 1885
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Stuart S.
USA 31 May 2019
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