ry. The only Federals who got within our
range at this position were a lot that crowded around a railroad water
tank, at the foot of the mountain. We put a few shells through the tank
scattering both Yanks and water. But the Yanks put a rifle battery off
in the valley, out of our reach and went to work on us scientifically.
They figured out our range and the very first shell burst about three
feet exactly over our breastworks, and the next one or so killed one of
our men, named Blackstock, a Georgian. A splinter clipped Horace
Martin's ear--marked him. Lt. Hargrove was on the bare top of the
mountain to see what he could see. They fired at him and the shell
struck the ground in his front, and ricochetted over his head, end over
end. It was certainly fine shooting and sport for those rifle gunners,
and doubtless they enjoyed it. We certainly did not, but each got to a
safe place and kept it, as soon as we found what those fellows could do
at over a mile distance. This was on June 19th. As this position was a
worthless one for our guns, we were ordered down and moved to the south
edge of Little Rinnew, relieving another battery. The change was made
during the night, and Lumsden was told that it was a hot place. So we
worked on the entrenchments from about midnight when we had arrived
until daylight. We made good embrasures, thickened the works in our
front and dug trenches for our caisson wheels close behind works, so
that axles lay on the ground. The limber chests were taken from gun
carriages and placed on ground close up to the works. That afternoon,
Col. Alexander, in command of the artillery along this line, came along
and Capt. Lumsden told him that he'd like to find out what the enemy
had over there. Col. Alexander told Lumsden, "Well, open on them and
I'll order the rifle battery further up little Kennesaw to your right
to support you." Lumsden gave him time to get up to the rifle battery,
and then came his command: "Cannoneers to your posts!" Each gunner was
told where to aim, and the estimated distance. Then: "Load! Battery
ready! Fire!" Those Yankees opened on our four-gun battery, with
twenty-four guns and the dirt was soon flying over and around us. We
fired rapidly and so did the rifle battery, but directly a shell came
through number 3 embrasure, killed Gurley, standing erect with thumb on
vent, plunged into caisson just behind and exploded all three chests
thereon. The flame exploded a cartridge lying on lim