Читать книгу The 125th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry: Attention Batallion! - Robert M. Rogers - Страница 11

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The battle of Perrysville was always a mystery to us, and never, although we have searched for its solution in many histories of the war, have we been able to find an answer to our question, why it was that Buell allowed Bragg to get away when he had in his hands the power to crush him there and then. But with this we have nothing to do at this time, we are trying to write the record of one, only, of the regiments that helped to form the army there engaged that day. Suffice it to say the battle ended at night fall. We had nothing to eat since the night before, for the reason that our supply train could not come to us, and after the fight was over, and the over-strung nerves began to relax, hunger took possession of us, and all set about the hunt for food. The writer came across some boys who were carrying an immense piece of beef which they had obtained somewhere or other, and with true soldierly kindness they donated him a very considerable portion of it. Returning to the command we divided with our partner, and fastening our share to a sharpened stick thrust it into a fire which was burning near by. We were hungry, and although we had no salt or seasoning of any kind for our beef, we ate it with a relish. Our scant supper being finished, we sauntered off to glean from those we might meet, an account of the battle as they had seen it. The serious part of it was over, for that time, and now the more comical side came up. To hear each one relate his feelings during the time we lay there under that rain of lead and iron, to hear the jokes that passed from one to the other, and to hear how the woods echoed with the shouts and laughter of our boys, feeling in their own minds that they had done their duty, was very diverting. But amid all this general rejoicing at the discomfiture of our enemy, there was still a voice of pity for the wounded, and of sorrow for the many brave lads who had that day laid their young lives upon their country's altar. Tired at last of wandering around, we spread our blankets at the foot of a tree, and with the light of the full moon shining on us we lay down to rest. Our mind was filled with many thoughts, but before we knew it we were fast asleep. How long we slept we did not know, but we were suddenly awakened by a noise, and on rising up could see by the light of the moon that our supply train had come up, and that Sergeant Cole, who had command of it, was unloading the wagons on the ground. Giving our partner a punch, we told him it was time for breakfast, so up we got and made for the nearest pile of hardtack. We filled our haversacks, and taking a goodly number in our hands, beat a retreat to our blankets. Lying on the ground we munched our biscuits, and felt thankful that we were still alive. No other disturbance troubled us that night, and we awoke at reveille in the morning, refreshed, and ready for the duties of the day. Fires were made, and the air was soon filled with the aroma of coffee, and the smell of breakfast which we were engaged in cooking. Our cooking utensils were not many or of very stylish pattern, but they answered the purpose, after a fashion, and that was all we cared for. When in camp regular details were made, and every company would have its appointed cooks, whose duty it was to have the meals ready for the men at regular hours. These cooks were relieved from all other duty, and consequently had nothing to do but attend to this particular, and very necessary branch of the business. In the field it was quite different, and there every fellow had to look out for himself.

But here comes an orderly with dispatches. What's up? Going to headquarters we ascertain that it is a requisition on our regiment for a burial party, to bury the dead who had fallen the day before. Luckily, as we thought, we were not called on, so finishing our breakfast we started, in company with several of our comrades, to walk over the battle field. There have been, of course, larger battles fought, involving more loss of blood than was shed at Perrysville that day, but for all that, it had been a stubborn fight, and the ground was covered with the bodies of the slain. The blue and the gray promiscuously, lay around us. Here had been a party of the enemy engaged during the lull in the storm of battle in a friendly game of cards; a shell had exploded in their midst, and left them laying there dead with the cards still in their hands. Here lay a man with the top of his head shot off; yonder was one whose death must have been instantaneous, for his features were not distorted as if with pain, and he looked as if he was quietly sleeping. But we must not stop too long in our description. Death had reaped a mighty harvest there, and had put out forever the light, the life, the hope, of many a hearthstone. Passing along we arrived at a large stone house which had been converted by the rebels into a hospital, and when the army retreated of course it and its contents, fell into our possession. We entered the small gate, and made our way up to the front door and walked in. There, stretched upon the bare floor, in rows, lay the rebel wounded, and among the number several whose lives had just gone out. Men were here who were suffering from all manner of wounds; and groans and shrieks rent the air. One poor wretch, who sat with his back against the wall, had had his tongue shot off by a rifle ball, and was slowly dying of strangulation. The sight was too much for us, and sick at heart we hastily left the house. The yard was also filled with wounded men, but the character of their wounds was much slighter than those in the house. The rebel surgeons were passing around among them, and seemed to be doing all in their power for the helpless men about them. There seemed to be no ill will or malice shown by any one, but still our boys, of whom quite a number had assembled there, although perfectly willing to help, and aid those who could not help themselves, did not like to see too many airs put on, nor too much "big me, and little you," displayed by those who were not injured. One fellow was strutting around with an overcoat on which he had procured in some way, how I do not know, from one of our boys, when Captain Levin Vinson, of Co. "I," with some of his men came up; they, like our squad, were looking over the field, and had just arrived at this house of which we have been writing. The sight of this rebel, marching around with one of our overcoats on, was too much for private Joe Dysart, of the captain's squad. Stepping up to the fellow he ordered him to take off that coat; the rebel objected; down came Dysart's gun. "Are you going to take off that coat, Johnny?" he enquired. The rebel saw that Joe meant business, and without more ado yielded up the garment. Joe was in earnest, and would have made it an expensive coat for the rebel, if he had acted in any way that seemed to Joe outrageous.

Remember, reader, this was our first battle, and horrible though a battle field is at all times after the struggle, still in after days we did not think so much of any little irregularity that might be apparent in the matter of uniform. But private Dysart could not at this time look with any feelings but those of wrath at the impudence of a rebel wearing a coat of the same color as his own, and he was right.

Still we remained in camp, two days passed, but finally at the close of the second day, we received orders to march. As is always the custom after heavy cannonading, rain commenced to fall, and the night set in dark and stormy. Why it was that our departure from the battle field of Perrysville was delayed for two days, and then the march to commence in the night, is more than we can explain, but probably it was not thought by our commanding general, that Bragg would be able to move his army, and transportation trains away in safety, if we had started sooner. The march was not a hurried one, so we leisurely jogged along until Crab Orchard was reached.