In the August 1966 issue of CW Times Illustrated I just read the following first person account of Captain J. W. De Forest. I did a search for this type of topic and came up with either every post made or nothing. I am considering including the following as part of my regimental history to add a 'personal' touch to the history/narrative.
"Here we first came under fire, and here I first saw a wounded man. In a country carriage, upheld by two Negroes, was the sufferer, his knee crushed by a shot, his torn trousers soaked a dirty crimson, his face ghastly yellow, and his eyes showing the agony of death. I did not want my men to see this dismaying spectacle, so I called their attention to something, I have forgotten what, that was passing on the other side of the bayou….
I remember that my chief anxiety while crossing was lest I should wet my feet in the sloppy bottom of the flatboat. The terror of battle is not, I think, an abiding impression, but one that comes and goes like throbs of pain. This is especially the case with veteran soldiers, who have learned to know when there is danger and when there is not. The moment an instantaneous peril has passed they are as cool as if it had never approached. But on the present occasion I was buoyed up by the physical excitement of rapid movement and by my anxiety that my company should do well, and by my ignorance of the profounder, the really tremendous horrors into which battle can develop. A regiment of well-trained greenhorns, if neatly brought into action, can charge as brilliantly as veterans."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 8.
"The shells came fast now, most of them screaming over the colors, at which they were evidently aimed. Each shot came lower than the last, and I thought, calmly, 'They will hit something soon'. I did not attempt to dodge. I reflected that a missile would hit me about the same time I heard it. I thought that the eyes of all my soldiers were upon me, whereas they were probably only looking for the enemy. And so, for appearance sake, I kept my head steadfast. This cost me no great effort. I had no nervous inclination to duck, no voluntary twitching or trembling. I was not aware of any painful quickening of the pulse. In short, I was not frightened. I thought to myself, 'It is very possible they will hit me, but I hope not and I think not.' It seemed to me the most natural thing in the world that others should be killed, and that I should not. I have suffered more in every engagement since, than I did in the first trial. It is a frequent, natural experience."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 10
"On the right of me a sharp crash, as of dry bones broken by a hatchet, drew my attention. Looking that way I saw Edwards, one of the color bearers, fall slowly backwards, raising one hand to his mouth as the blood spurted from it. An 'Oh!' of pain and alarm burst from him, and in his eyes was a stare of woeful amazement. I had expected that such sights as this would be most depressing and terrible. It was not so. It was not even painful, but only produced a feeling of surprise."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 10
"The swearing mania was irrepressible. Nothing but oaths could express our feelings. I was not a profane man; I never swore at one of my company before that day. But at that moment I had a gift, in the rage of the charge, in the red presence of slaughter; it seemed as if every extremity of language was excusable provided it would aid in achieving victory. A serious friend has asked me since if I did not think of eternity. Not once. I was anxious for nothing but to keep a steady line and to reach the enemy position. I did not, as I had previously supposed I should, urge my soldiers to fight desperately and fire rapidly. They were fighting well enough and firing rapidly."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 28.
"Here we first came under fire, and here I first saw a wounded man. In a country carriage, upheld by two Negroes, was the sufferer, his knee crushed by a shot, his torn trousers soaked a dirty crimson, his face ghastly yellow, and his eyes showing the agony of death. I did not want my men to see this dismaying spectacle, so I called their attention to something, I have forgotten what, that was passing on the other side of the bayou….
I remember that my chief anxiety while crossing was lest I should wet my feet in the sloppy bottom of the flatboat. The terror of battle is not, I think, an abiding impression, but one that comes and goes like throbs of pain. This is especially the case with veteran soldiers, who have learned to know when there is danger and when there is not. The moment an instantaneous peril has passed they are as cool as if it had never approached. But on the present occasion I was buoyed up by the physical excitement of rapid movement and by my anxiety that my company should do well, and by my ignorance of the profounder, the really tremendous horrors into which battle can develop. A regiment of well-trained greenhorns, if neatly brought into action, can charge as brilliantly as veterans."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 8.
"The shells came fast now, most of them screaming over the colors, at which they were evidently aimed. Each shot came lower than the last, and I thought, calmly, 'They will hit something soon'. I did not attempt to dodge. I reflected that a missile would hit me about the same time I heard it. I thought that the eyes of all my soldiers were upon me, whereas they were probably only looking for the enemy. And so, for appearance sake, I kept my head steadfast. This cost me no great effort. I had no nervous inclination to duck, no voluntary twitching or trembling. I was not aware of any painful quickening of the pulse. In short, I was not frightened. I thought to myself, 'It is very possible they will hit me, but I hope not and I think not.' It seemed to me the most natural thing in the world that others should be killed, and that I should not. I have suffered more in every engagement since, than I did in the first trial. It is a frequent, natural experience."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 10
"On the right of me a sharp crash, as of dry bones broken by a hatchet, drew my attention. Looking that way I saw Edwards, one of the color bearers, fall slowly backwards, raising one hand to his mouth as the blood spurted from it. An 'Oh!' of pain and alarm burst from him, and in his eyes was a stare of woeful amazement. I had expected that such sights as this would be most depressing and terrible. It was not so. It was not even painful, but only produced a feeling of surprise."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 10
"The swearing mania was irrepressible. Nothing but oaths could express our feelings. I was not a profane man; I never swore at one of my company before that day. But at that moment I had a gift, in the rage of the charge, in the red presence of slaughter; it seemed as if every extremity of language was excusable provided it would aid in achieving victory. A serious friend has asked me since if I did not think of eternity. Not once. I was anxious for nothing but to keep a steady line and to reach the enemy position. I did not, as I had previously supposed I should, urge my soldiers to fight desperately and fire rapidly. They were fighting well enough and firing rapidly."
First Time Under Fire by Captain J.W. De Forest, from Civil War Times Illustrated, August 1966, page 28.
Bringing the