Company G 43rd OVI incident

[Bruce]

Sergeant J.J. Gruber Company G, 43 OVI relating an incident at Rivers
Bridge S. C. Feb. 9th, 1865.

"Just after the capture of Savannah, Geogia, the Ohio Brigade entered
on the campaigne through the Carolinas. At Rivers Bridge over the
Salkehatchie Swamps, South Carolina, General Wade Hampton's forces of
Confederates were fortified. To dislodge them, Companies A. G. and D.
of the Forty-third Ohio were ordered to fix bayonets and charge down
the roadway in platoons of four, while four companies, preceeding,
should carry planks to the river. The charging column was successful
in gaining the bank of the river, but the planks for the crossing,
never came up. The enemy's canon in our front scattered the men who
were carrying the planks. The loss of our men was very heavy in
killed and wounded.

In gaining the banks of the river, a continual fire was kept up by us
at the works which had been thrown up and at the field battery of the
Confederates. While this assault was going on, our men made a
successful crossing about a mile below. While I was in the firing
line, my canteen was full of water, corked tight, and swinging in
front of me. A minnie ball struck the canteen in about the middle of
it, and knocked me down. I soon got to my feet and after a careful
survey, found myself unharmed. My canteen however was badly damaged as
the force of the ball burst it wide open at the seam. The ball, which
I have in my possession today, dropped to my feet.

This was the closest call I ever experienced as a soldier during my
three years and nine months active service."

Mind you, my Great Great Grandpa Jason Brown had just been promoted to
1st Sergeant of the very same Company G on Jan. 1, 1865. I can just
imagine that one of the first persons Sergeant Gruber told this to was
my Great Great Grandpa. Kinda neat... I'm very lucky that this
incident was written down and published.

[SteveW]

Great info and pics. Thanks for sharing. S. Ward.

[Bruce Lamping]

What's just as remarkable is how much my oldest nephew resembles Jason. When my Mom got out this picture last year, we all thought how much of a resemblance there was....even to the extent that they both have lazy left eyes ..no one in the family except those two have lazy left eyes...and it's funny that my older sister, for over forty years, had thought maybe she had done something wrong until her son pointed that out. Jason is his Great Great Great Grandpa.
 
> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:26:33 -0800
> Subject: Re: Company G 43rd OVI incident
> From: tarh...@donet.com
> To: ohio-in-the...@googlegroups.com

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