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.
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