Nuggets of experience ; narratives of the sixties and other days, with graphic descriptions of thrilling personal adventures

Front matter

NUGGETS OF EXPERIENCE

NARRATIVES OF THE SIXTIES AND OTHER DAYS, WITH GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF THRILLING PERSONAL ADVENTURES

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Dedication

I deem it fitting that this little Book be dedicated to my comrades, the Veteran heroes, of the stormy and rebellious days of the Civil War, (who are dear to me as brothers), their sons and daughters, the patriotic and liberty loving citizens of our United States of America.

With esteem and affection of the Author.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

CHAPTER I. Boyhood, and Days Leading up to the War

Election of 1856 — Stormy scenes on the floors of Congress — Old Bowie Knife — Another Presidential Election — I>ay3 that tried the soul of man— Three boys — Noble aged patriot.

CHAPTER II. The Sixties

Historical Review of the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery, (one hundred and twenty-ninth infantry) — Its enrollment, organization, transformation — Duties in the defenses of Washington — March to the front — Movements with the army of the Potomac in the ovenand campaign — Siege of Petersburg.

Chapter III

General Grant Lieutenant General — The Eighth New York Heavy Artillery leaves Baltimore — March through Washington — The Potomac — Landing in old Virginia — the night in the woods — Arrival at Spottsylvania— The first engagement — The gray horse — A two mile dash — Charge on the enemy.

Chapter IV

To the North Anna River — Crossing the bridge under fire — The turn to the left — The Chickahominy — And Battle of Cold Harbor — Captain Ludden a prisoner three minutes — Tribute to Colonel Porter — Sergeant Joseph Shaw.

CHAPTER- V.

In the Shadow of the Wilderness — The Dawn — General Grant's strategy — Sherman and the western boya — Sheridan in the Shenandoah — Historic march — Charge the enemy's works at Petersburg — Death of Lieutenant Colonel Bates — Captain Ludden, a prisoner, goes to Richmond — Captain Ludden's return to the Regiment — Colonels Murphy and Mclver — The boys in the blue and the gray.

CHAPTER VI. Battle of Hatcher's Run (Boydton Road)

Leaving the line in front of Petersburg — My difficulties — The new recruit — on the flank — Captain Ludden in command of the Regiment — Death of Lieutenant Fellows — Officers assembled — Rebel battery opens fire on the house — The boys on horse — We charge the enemy — The Rebel prisoner — Two brigades to the rear — Memories of General Grant — Billy McCabe — The Retrograde march — The wounded Lieutenant — Return to the line in front of Petersburg.

Chapter VII

Some of the reasons why the comrades are clinging together today.

CHAPTER VIII. Eighth New York Heavy Artillery (129th Infantry) Volunteers

Official Reports.

Letter of E. D. Morgan, Albany, N. Y.— Letter of Thos. Hillhouse, Adjt. General — Regiment arrives at Baltimore — Transformation — Joins Second Army Corps — Major Gen. John Gibbon's Report of Cold Harbor — Major Erastus M. Spaulding.

Battle of R-eam-Station.

Report of Colonel Murphy — Maj. Gen. John Gibbon — Gen'l Order No. 63 — Letter of Major Gen. Hancock.

Hatcher's Run or Boydton Road.

Report of Brig. Gen'l Egen— Col. James Willett— Thos. A. Smith, Brig. Gen'l. — Gen'l. Order No. 41 — Major General Meade.

CHAPTER IX. America's Heroes of Freedom

Two score years— Lee and the two Johnsons — Senators and Representatives — Brave men wept — Seized forts and arsenals — Grant and Sherman— Logan's encouragement to the Government —The President's call for Volunteers— Battle of Bull Run— Increase of the army to five hundred thousand — Four long years — The enemies' country— All the same gnawed hard-tack— An army of Patriots — Our country could not be divided — Invincible army — Gathering of the Veterans— Ties that bind men most closely to each other — The fallen comrades— American, we love thy name.

Chapter X

Our social meeting day— The year of Sixty-Three— Auld Lang Syne — Happy days of yore — Flowery Florida.

Chapter XI

The Postponed Horse, or Across Dakota Territory in 1880.

A contemplated journey to the gold fields — My new friend- Trotting horse Turk Gold-dust— Fitted out for a campaign on the open prairies— White-Swan and Fort Randall— Piatt Creek— The quarter dash— Fort Thompson— A night with old friends- Indian agencies— The Big Muddy— Big Bend— Birth of contemplation—Fort Perrie— The Village Hotel— Wakpa Shicka.

Chapter XII

Bad river— The storm at Plum Creek— Indians on the warpath — Dead Man's Creek— Cheyenne River — A greater misfortune — The Indians in sight— The phantom Horse-guards.

Chapter XIII

Elk Creek Valley— My reverie — Bull-dog Ranch— Scooptown— Bowlder Park— Metropolis of the Black Hills— Arrival at the Race Track — Runners about Camp — The strange horse — President of the Trotting and Racing Association— The postponment— Corpulent butter— Two gentlemen became the owners of my Trotter— Eastward Bound— Curley and Auld Lang Syne.

Chapter XIV

Ten Days in the Flood on the Missouri River, 1881.

The cold winter — Breaking of the ice — A venturesome people — The Steamer Western — The gorge unbroken — Hanson's landing — Our first duty as rescuers — The blessings of a delighted young wife — The house that became Historic.

Chapter XV

Arrival at the Park's Place — The little skiff at sea — Terrific Btorm — Thirty-six hours imprisonment — Danger not fully realized — Mercury hovering around zero — In younger days — Preternatural scenery — Arrival of Captain Lavender with yawl and crew — Searching the icy country for an outlet — Singing on the water a bad omen — Captain Noble at the helm.

Chapter XVI

My craft — Captain Noble a stranger — Receding of the waters — The Hardys — Return of the water — Crowded apartments — West's Harbor — Religious services — Monday, April fourth — A hard and a long pull — The Nelson Family — We took a walk — Return to the troubled waters — The widow and family — Blinding enow storm— Brave hearts and willing hands.

Chapter XVII

Paper of S. K. Felton

Necessity of more boats — The Iron life boat — Our appearance hailed with joy — Crashing ice and roaring waters — Hemmed in by the gorge — Helping along the old and encouraging all — The sturdy hearts and willing ones.

Chapter XVIII

The Days of the High Wheels, or How Dakota Belle Trotted away with the stakes.

Mitchell an aspiring town — The Race-Track — The favorite gray mare — Excitement running high — The young mare that was raised in Dakota — Faint hopes — The third day of July — The Immense crowd of people— A newly aroused intelligence— A desperate trio— Plenty of ice the balance of the season.

CHAPTER' XIX.

A Feast With the Hawkeyes.

Unlike Uncle Isaac Grossman- The Hawkeye Club— So saya the Doctor— Beach and Gould— Natural Scenery — More experience than capital— All smiles and attention— Invited for an outing— A Tam-0-Shanter ride— The old mare's blood was roiled — Jack's obligated duty.