Chapter 79

CHAPTER LXXIX

We went into camp about 5 o’clock, p. m., and as soon as we had unslung knapsacks and taken a short rest, a number of the boys started out in search of forage, and soon returned with an abundance of fresh meat.  I did not take us long to prepare our suppers and a royal feast we made on veal, crackers and coffee.

On the 17^th inst., we left camp on the Tallapoosa River and marched in the direction of Fitscraft in Gordon county, Georgia, marching about 8 miles.

On the 18^th inst., we broke camp at daylight, passed through Fitscraft, and went into camp after dark, having made a slow, tedious march, caused by the enemy being in our immediate front.  Distance traveled being 20 miles.

On the 19^th we broke camp at 10 o’clock, a. m., and moved about ten miles.  Considerable cannonading took place in our front.  Encamped at dusk.

On the 20^th we came up with the enemy in the vicinity of Cassville, where he was strongly entrenched.  A greater part of the day was spent in reconnoitering.  A lively skirmish was kept up in our front for several hours.  At three o’clock, p. m., our Brigade was formed into a line of battle, and when the command ‘forward’ was given, one of the best, advances we ever witnes­sed. was made.  The men marched as if on review, the colors of the six regiments floated in the breeze, the line was dressed to perfection, and the men moved with the firm determination to drive the rebs from their position.  The Johnnies watched the line advance, fired a few straggling shots and then fled in con­fusion.  In less than thirty minutes from the time that our line was formed, we had taken the position.

The rebels fell back and the Army took possession of their works. We captured several large hospitals filled with sick and wounded rebels.  The rebels had turned the large seminary into a hospital and left it filled with disabled Johnnies.

The 21^st was spent in camp at Cassville, and we took advan­tage of the water and washed our clothes as well as ourselves.  On the following day, Sabbath, all the sick were sent back, U. P. Hafley of our company was one of those sent to the rear.

On Monday morning, 23^rd, a full ration of commissary was issued to us, and we broke camp and started out on the march feeling quite comfortable.  We crossed the Etowah River and en­camped having marched fully 13 miles.

On the following day, Tuesday, we took up our line of march, with the head of column turned in the direction of Alatoona Pass, where it was reported that the rebels would undoubtedly make a stand and contest our onward march.

The weather was oppressingly hot, but we were moving through forests and glens, and were partly protected from the heat of the sun by the cooling zephyrs which sported amidst the branches and foliage of the monarchs of the forests, and the boys frequently removed their caps and allowed the breeze to cool their heated brows.  On this march we succeeded in securing a large quantity of “cow” or “sand” peas, which furnished us an additional luxury for our meals, the only drawback being that they were of the last year’s growth, and not like many articles being improved by age, we did not find time to cook them soft, but eat them we did, though many of us past restless nights and had troubled dreams besides suffering other inconveniences.  Nevertheless the boys did not give up the peas.

The march was continued until the evening of the 24^th of May, when we went into camp at dark, in the midst of a terrible rain storm.  We hastily put up our tents as well as we could under the circumstances, in order to secure some protection from the soaking rain.  We succeeded in building a number of fires, and sheltering them from the rain as much as possible, we tried to get our suppers.  In the very midst of the storm one of Colonel Candy’s, our Brigade commander, aides came galloping up and announced that the 147^th must go out on picket as an attack on our lines by the rebels was momentarily expected.

The shrill “fall in” of our Colonel was soon heard above the fury of the elements, and down came our tents and our knapsacks were packed and we were in line in less than five minutes, ready to move wherever ordered.

The rain was coming down in torrents, and we were soon drenched to the skin.  “Keep your arms and ammunition dry,” was the orders given to the men by the officers, a precaution which the men were endeavoring to fulfill to the best of their power, for no one could tell how soon they might be needed.

The regiment was kept under arms for fully an hour in the rain, when Lt. Kellog came riding up and countermanded the order.  A madder set of men never were met anywheres than were the members of the old 147^th on that night, everybody from the President of the United States down to the humblest eighth corporal in the ranks, came in for a full share of abuse.  The most provoking part of the affair was that many of the boys after striving hard to keep their fires going had been called upon to throw their half finished meal away.  This had been done too, without accomplishing any good to us or the cause.  At this juncture the “little one” struck up with the comic song of, “Oh, why did I go for a soldier?” which song, as it generally did, had the effect of dispelling the gloom and caus­ing us to be much better satisfied with the predicament in which we found ourselves placed.

The boys proceeded to put up temporary shelter and tried to make themselves as comfortable as possible.

We had the good fortune to secure our supper, W. E. Fausnacht, one of the members of the mess to which we belonged had taken the kettle containing several quarts of peas and a large piece of pork from the fire, and when we did not move, he placed it on the fire, and by the time that the order to move was countermanded, the peas were considered digestible.  Never will we forget that supper, it was the last one that our mess as it was then constituted, ever took together, little did we think as we swallowed our peas and coffee in the rain and in silence, that ere the morrow’s sun should set, one of our mess should be maimed for life, yet such was to be the case.

After finishing the peas we stretched, or rather curled ourselves into as small a space as possible, in order to keep from getting wetter than we then were and soon fell asleep.

The day dawned bright and beautiful and we were routed out at an early hour, with orders to prepare our coffee hastily and be prepared to move at the call of the bugle.

Having been in the advance on the previous day the rear of the brigade was our position for the day, and as the five other regiments had to move before we did, we had plenty of time and did not get started until after eight o’clock.

We moved along leisurely, little anticipating the bloody drama that was so soon to be enacted and in which we were to enact a leading part.  At a little before noon, Generals Thomas and Hooker with their staffs, rode to the front passing us on the road.  We were marched a little further when we filed left into the woods and the brigade was massed in a line of battle.  We were ordered to lie down and rest.  No sooner had we fixed ourselves in a comfortable position, than we were aroused by the rapid discharge of firearms and soon after the generals and their escort came galloping back as fast as their gallant steeds could bear them.