MANY NATIONALITIES IN THE ARMY. 670 They are splendid fighters; in fact, all the foreigners are who are with us. I wonder if you know how many nationalities are represented in this army. Sigel is a German, Turchin is a Russian, Stahl a Hungarian, Maggi a Sardinian, De Monteine is a Frenchman, De Courcey an Englishman, Ericsson a Swede, Corcoran and Meagher are Irishmen, and Fidella is an Italian. There is a German officer in camp concerning whom they tell this story; they say at the battle of Shiloh he rode up to an aide and inquired for Grant. "That's him with the field glass," said the aide, wheeling his horse about. Our Dutchman rode furiously up to the General, and, touching his cap, thus addressed him: "Sheneral, I vants to make von report. Schwartz's Battery is took." 66 Ah," said the General, "how is that?" "Vell, you see, Sheneral, de sheshessionists came up to de front of us; desheshessionists flanked us; and de sheshessionists came to de rear of us; and Schwartz's Battery vas took." "Well, sir," said the General, "you, of course, spiked the guns?" "Vat!" exclaimed the Dutchman, in great astonishment, "Schpike dem guns! Schpike dem new guns! No, Sheneral, it vould schpoil dem." Well," said the General, sharply, "what did you do?" de "Do, Sheneral? Vy, ve took dem back again from sheshessionists!" These Germans will fight, and they care as much for this country as we Yankees do. And so, if I have complained of them, forget it. QUEER KIND OF JUSTICE. 671 For several days past, sentence of death has been daily executed upon spies, murderers, and deserters. Spies and murderers are hanged, but deserters are shot. It is a fearful thing for soldiers to shoot their companions in arms, and yet to maintain discipline it has to be done. Two were executed to-day. Thousands flocked to witness the spectacle, but I went as far as possible from the sight of the tragedy. During the last two years I have seen men enough making their unceremonious exit from this vale of tears and "hardtack" not to feel eager to witness any one's deliberate departure. Cedar rails make excellent firewood, and that is probably the reason why there are no fences in this vicinity. Rail fences disappear like dew before the sun the moment an army camps in their vicinity. Our camp is in close proximity to the battle-ground, and the stench arising from the carcasses of dead horses and mules, which have not been buried, makes our camp anything but agreeable. We are waiting patiently for the fate of Vicksburg to be decided, and then we shall take up a forward march. CHAPTER XXXVI. SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE THIRD YEAR OF THE WAR-HOUSEKEEPING IN CAMP-RIDING "CRITTER-BACK"- DARING DEEDS-REBEL PICKETS. Battle of Chickamauga Remarkable Presentiment Housekeeping in Camp- Ignorance of the Enemy - "The walking Regiments"-" Cannon Soldiers"-Wept over his lifeless Body - Ignorance of secesh Soldiers-Yet they fight bravely - Have plenty of Hay, but no Impunity Greater Loss by Sickness than on Fields of Battle - Evidence that the Enemy are near "Riding Critter-back". After the Battle 66 of the Wilderness Any Commander but Grant would have retreated" Recklessness of the Cavalry - Daring of the Soldiers - "Divide is the word, or you are a dead Johnny!"-Ten thousand Men sing "Rally round the Flag, Boys!" - "One vast, exultant Roar!"- Talking with rebel Pickets. BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA. HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION, HE sounds of booming cannon and retreating musketry have scarcely died away, nor are the effects of the great battle of Chickamauga yet removed from our sight. I see this moment a throng of ambulances wending their way to the pontoon bridge, loaded with our comrades, who, a short time since, were joyous and strong, now carried away minus a leg, without an arm, scarred, gashed, and with a weight of Confederate lead in their bodies. I shall not undertake to give you any description of the battle. Every prominent paper has its special correspondent down here, and when they write their GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. 673 — letters from information obtained by themselves at headquarters and not from cowardly stragglers it can be, in the main, depended upon. You at home are probably better acquainted with the details of the battle than we here. My knowledge is properly confined to the part taken by my own brigade. We were not engaged on Saturday at all; but on Sunday, the 20th, we were formed in line of battle, in a strong position. Had we been left there, our loss would not have been what it is, and the loss of the Confederates in their desperate charge upon General Thomas would have been double; for we were in position to attack them with our artillery and infantry, on their left flank. I think we could not only have checked, but utterly annihilated their massed columns. But no sooner had the troops on our left commenced to give way, than we were moved on the double quick to form a line in the face of a terrible charge, with our troops. falling back and breaking through our line, while one section of our battery was unlimbered. Our muchbeloved general, William H. Lytle, fell at the head of our column, twice wounded. We could not remove his remains from the field. Our brigade numbered fourteen hundred men, of whom we lost five hundred in killed and wounded. My Company, H, lost eighteen men out of twenty-eight, and two of our officers were killed; but we are in good spiritshave not been whipped, and do not believe while "old Rosy" commands us we can be. We have another idol. It is "little Phil" (General Sheridan). This place is now in such a condition that it is lost to the rebels. They might as well charge up into the heavens to obtain the sun as to waste their time on this place. 674 REMARKABLE PRESENTIMENT. I have never come out from any fight with such a sense of loss as from this. Seven of my company are lying side by side in one grave, within four rods of where they fell. My dear messmate, comrade, friend, and bedfellow, Alvin Bunker, from whom I have not been separated one night since we entered the service together, was killed in the act of taking aim. On the night before the battle we lay down together, near where we formed the line in the morning. That was the third night we had been engaged, and so we were obliged to lie down with neither fire nor coffee, although it was very cold and rainy. Alvin and I spread our blankets and lay down together, having on our belts and arms. Holding each other by the hand, we talked for a long night about the possibility of that being the last time we should sleep together. We promised each other that if either fell the other would take charge of his lifeless remains and write home all the particulars. And then-I don't mind telling you of it- we repeated together the little prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep," and, with more solemnity and tenderness than we ever before expressed, we bade each other "Good night." In the morning, Alvin took out his watch, purse, some photographs, and little keepsakes, directed me what to do with them in case he was killed, and then said, "S- -, you will have to go home without me. It is all up with me. I shall be killed in the first hour of the fight." I remonstrated, even with tears, for you know how I loved Alvin; but I could not shake him in the least. Before nine o'clock, as he was standing by me, taking aim, a cannon-ball spattered me with his blood and brains. All who were alive and not wounded soon retreated, |