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had been brigaded with us ever since 'Shiloh；' were into it as hot and
heavy as we had been； and had lost numbers of their officers and men； but
were hanging on to their little rail piles when the fight was over。
At one time the Rebs were right in on top of the Seventy…Eighth。 One big
Reb grabbed their colors； and tried to pull them out of the hands of the
color…bearer。 But old Captain Orr； a little； short； dried…up fellow；
about sixty years old； struck him with his sword across the back of the
neck； and killed him deader than a mackerel； right in his tracks。
〃It was now getting dark； and the Johnnies concluded they had taken a
bigger contract in trying to drive us off that hill in one day than they
had counted on； so they quit charging on us； but drew back under cover of
the woods and along the old line of works that we had left； and kept up a
pecking away and sharp…shooting at us all night long。 They opened fire
on us from a number of pieces of artillery from the front； from the left；
and from some heavy guns away over to the right of us； in the main works
around Atlanta。
〃We did not fool away much time that night； either。 We got our shovels
and picks； and while part of us were sharpshooting and trying to keep the
Rebels from working up too close to us； the rest of the boys were putting
up some good solid earthworks right where our rail piles had been； and by
morning we were in splendid shape to have received our friends； no matter
which way they had come at us； for they kept up such an all…fired
shelling of us from so many different directions； that the boys had built
traverses and bomb…proofs at all sorts of angles and in all directions。
〃There was one point off to our right； a few rods up along our old line
of works where there was a crowd of Rebel sharpshooters that annoyed us
more than all the rest； by their constant firing at us through the night。
They killed one of Company H's boys； and wounded several others。 Finally
Captain Williams； of D Company； came along and said he wanted a couple of
good shots out of our company to go with him； so I went for one。 He took
about ten of us； and we crawled down into the ravine in front of where we
were building the works； and got behind a large fallen tree； and we laid
there and could just fire right up into the rear of those fellows as they
lay behind a traverse extending back from our old line of works。 It was
so dark we could only see where to fire by the flash of guns； but every
time they would shoot； some of us would let them have one。 They staid
there until almost daylight； when they； concluded as things looked； since
we were going to stay； they had better be going。
〃It was an awful night。 Down in the ravine below us lay hundreds of
killed and wounded Rebels； groaning and crying aloud for water and for
help。 We did do what we could for those right around usbut it was so
dark； and so many shell bursting and bullets flying around that a fellow
could not get about much。 I tell you it was pretty tough next morning to
go along to the different companies of our regiment and hear who were
among the killed and wounded； and to see the long row of graves that were
being dug to bury our comrades and our officers。 There was the Captain
of Company E； Nelson Skeeles； of Fulton County； O。； one ofthe bravest
and best officers in the regiment。 By his side lay First Sergeant
Lesnit； and next were the two great； powerful Shepherdscousins but more
like brothers。 One； it seems； was killed while supporting the head of
the other； who had just received a death wound； thus dying in each
other's arms。
〃But I can't begin to think or tell you the names of all the poor boys
that we laid away to rest in their last； long sleep on that gloomy day。
Our Major was severely wounded； and several other officers had been hit
more or less badly。
〃It was a frightful sight； though； to go over the field in front of our
works on that morning。 The Rebel dead and badly wounded laid where they
had fallen。 The bottom and opposite side of the ravine showed how
destructive our fire and that of the canister from the howitzers had
been。 The underbrush was cut； slashed； and torn into shreds； and the
larger trees were scarred； bruised and broken by the thousands of bullets
and other missiles that had been poured into them from almost every
conceivable direction during the day before。
〃A lot of us boys went way over to the left into Fuller's Division of the
Sixteenth Corps； to see how some of our boys over there had got through
the scrimmage； for they had about as nasty a fight as any part of the
Army； and if it had not been for their being just where they were； I am
not sure but what the old Seventeenth Corps would have had a different
story to tell now。 We found our friends had been way out by Decatur；
where their brigade had got into a pretty lively fight on their own hook。
〃We got back to camp； and the first thing I knew I was detailed for
picket duty； and we were posted over a few rods across the ravine in our
front。 We had not been out but a short time when we saw a flag of truce；
borne by an officer； coming towards us。 We halted him； and made him wait
until a report was sent back to Corps headquarters。 The Rebel officer
was quite chatty and talkative with our picket officer； while waiting。
He said he was on General Cleburne's staff； and that the troops that
charged us so fiercely the evening before was Cleburne's whole Division；
and that after their last repulse； knowing the hill where we were posted
was the most important position along our line； he felt that if they
would keep close to us during the night； and keep up a show of fight；
that we would pull out and abandon the hill before morning。 He said that
he； with about fifty of their best men； had volunteered to keep up the
demonstration； and it was his party that had occupied the traverse in our
old works the night before and had annoyed us and the Battery men by
their constant sharpshooting； which we fellows behind the old tree had
finally tired out。 He said they staid until almost daylight； and that he
lost more than half his men before he left。 He also told us that General
Scott was captured by their Division； at about the time and almost the
same spot as where General McPherson was killed； and that he was not hurt
or wounded； and was now a prisoner in their hands。
〃Quite a lot of our； staff officers soon came out； and as near as we
could learn the Rebels wanted a truce to bury their dead。 Our folks
tried to get up an exchange of prisoners that had been taken by both
sides the day before； but for some reason they could not bring it about。
But the truce for burying the dead was agreed to。 Along about dusk some
of the boys on my post got to telling about a lot of silver and brass
instruments that belonged to one of the bands of the Fourth Division；
which had been hung up in some small trees a little way over in front of
where we were when the fight was going on the day before； and that when；
a bullet would strike one of the horns they could hear it go 'pin…g' and
in a few minutes 'pan…g' would go another bullet through one of them。
〃A new picket was just coming' on； and I had picked up my blanket and
haversack； and was about ready to start back to camp； when； thinks I；
'I'll just go out there and see about them horns。' I told the boys what
I was going to do。 They all seemed to think it was safe enough； so out I
started。 I had not gone more than a hundred yards； I should think； when
here I found the horns all hanging around on the trees just as the boys
had described。 Some of them had lots of bullet holes in them。 But I saw
a beautiful； nice looking silver bugle hanging off to one side a little。
'I Thinks；' says I； 'I'll just take that little toot horn in out of the…
wet； and take it back to camp。' I was just reaching up after it when I
heard some one say；
'Halt！' and I'll be dog…Boned if there wasn't two of the meanest looking
Rebels； standing not ten feet from me； with their guns cocked and pointed
at me； and； of course； I knew I was a goner； they walked me back about
one hundred and fifty yards； where their picket line was。 From there I
was kept going for an hour or two until we got over to a place on the
railroad called East Point。 There I got in with a big crowd of our
prisoners； who were taken the day before； and we have been fooling along
in a lot of old cattle cars getting down here ever since。
〃So this is 'Andersonville；' is it a Well； by …！〃
CHAPTER XLI。
CLOTHING： ITS RAPID DETERIORATION； AND DEVICES TO REPLENISH ITDESPERATE
EFFORTS TO COVER NAKEDNESS〃LITTLE RED CAP〃 AND HIS LETTER。
Clothing had now become an object of real solicitude to us older
prisoners。 The veterans of our crowdthe surviving remnant of those
captured at Gettysburghad been prisoners over a year。 The next in
senioritythe Chickamauga boyshad been in ten months。 The Mine Run
fellows were eight months old； and my battalion had had seven months'
incarceration。 None of us were models of well…dressed gentlemen when
captured。 Our garments told the whole story of the hard campaigning we
had undergone。 No