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20 February 2010 Upon arriving Friday evening, we made our homes in the soft grounds
of a place in Indian Territory called Round Mountain just northeast of a town called Yale. Forage parties were sent out to
gather food and supplies, as the rest of the company made camp and tried to make a fire with the wet wood available to us.
With the use of candles, we had a good fire going after the wood dried enough to catch fire. This fire helped many of our
men in the company find their way back home. As some men came in soaked from the day's rain, they had reported that they saw
a group of Confederates just to the northeast of our position, about a half mile away from our camp. When asked if they knew
how many, they had replied that they did not know. They saw a few soldiers and several campfires' smoke columns. A patrol
was sent out to see what was out there. The men set up camp, gathered around the fire, and began to cook their dinners
when a small fire fight broke out in the distance around where the enemy was said to be seen. The men were told to have weapons
ready and nearby just incase they decide to attack us. About an hour after the shots had stopped, the patrol came back intact.
They reported that there is a company of dismounted, and 3 companies of infantry. Their artillery was seen moving toward the
town of Yale. We sent a soldier on horseback to the nearby town of Stillwater to inform the 2ND Colorado
that we have made contact and believe that they are already moving in to occupy the town of Yale, requesting their support.
The rider never returned with the response as we had to make a decision to deny the enemy access to this town and access to
the state of Kansas. Throughout the night and early morning ours of Saturday, plans were made as scouting patrols were
sent out on a rotation to keep watch on the enemy and to look for grounds for an attack. One was found just in between the
enemy and ourselves. A small field surrounded by trees, and a wooden fence line along the west side of the field. Three trails
led to the west end of this field as a small downward slope offered some cover to this attack. Along the fence line. We asked
the artillery to place their guns on the south end, inside the trees for cover. A scouting patrol returned with information
that the enemy was seen marching in line to this very location. The enemy artillery was out in front of the column as the
company of dismounted was attached for cover. The infantry was just behind them. All together, just about a quarter mile away.
As we were gearing up to make our attack, the 2ND Colorado marched down the trail to our camp. Captain Trent, commanding
the 2ND CO, assumed field command as he was brought up to speed of our situation. The idea of an attack after
drawing them into the open was a sound plan and began immediately. Shortly after taking our ready positions, our artillery
opened fire. Their guns had to set up in a storm of canister fire as their dismounted took up a defensive position. Our Signal
Corps went onto the field to draw out the dismounted to the open as the enemy cannons began to return fire. Smoke filled the
field very quickly as it was unseen that the enemy infantry had arrived. As we could hear the crack of hundreds of muskets,
we marched onto the field to support the Signal Corps. We could not see the enemy until we marched about 50 yards in front
of them. We opened fire on them as another company came onto the field to support the dismounted and one company of infantry
opposing us. Each time cannon fired, it became a smoke screen against both sides. During the fighting, the enemy had
brought on line another company and was moving to our lines left flank. We had them in the middle of the field as our 3RD
company came out behind the enemy lines just in time and cut off the new company in a crossfire. The 77TH attacked
up the middle to keep the pressure on the enemy as the 2ND Colorado attacked the right flank. As the cannons
fired on their side, the smoke dropped visibility down to about 25 yards as the enemy used that to gather themselves and re-organize.
The came at us with a stretched line as 3RD Company had rejoined our lines after loosing sight of the enemy in
the smoke. The enemy was charging into our position as our guns fired into the blind. Both sides took hits from cannons, as
our infantry gave them volley after volley. Just before it became hand in hand fighting, the enemy pulled back and brought
out a white flag to talk with Captain Trent. The field was silent as we strained to hear what the commanders were saying when
our artillery broke the silence. The Confederate commander took it as another surprise attack and ran back to his lines and
ordered his men to return fire. Captain Trent had done the same and the fighting began once again. The enemy had made
several attempts to use their numbers on each of our flanks to weaken us. Though we had lost a good number of men to the fight,
we were able to hold our lines. Once again a white flag was seen from across the field as Captain Trent sent a runner. over
to the artillery to not fire until the sound of muskets were heard again, or a runner was sent over with further instructions.
The Commanding Officers once again, met in the middle of the battlefield to discuss the next solution. It was decided and
agreed that both sides would gather their dead and wounded and return to their respective camps. In the night after
the fight, it began a down pour of rain and lightning that soaked the camp and the battlefield we fought on the day before.
Our artillery had pulled out in the early morning hours as it was heard that their powder became wet and was rendered useless
to us. They pulled back into town to dry off and re-supply. We were able to make a fire from the fire pit after scooping
out the water held inside. As breakfast was being prepared, we sent out another patrol to see the result of the enemy. As
the boys were just finishing up breakfast and making ready for the fight ahead, the scouts returned with information that
the enemy has begun to pull out to the south. They were seen marching out southbound as other companies were breaking camp
and doing the same. The order was given to break camp and leave these soaked grounds to peruse the enemy. As the wagons
came down to gather up our camp gear they became stuck in the mud, which delayed our departure to peruse the enemy. We were
now roughly 12 hours behind the enemy. Our only hope is that they do not attempt a surprise attack on us along the way, as
I am sure they will. Until then, our moral has been lifted as we had stopped this enemy from occupying this town of Yale,
and denied access to the State of Kansas. As we marched away with our rain soaked heads held high, we could only hope for
two things. One, other Federal units had the same fortune as we had; and two, the sun come out soon to warm and dry our drenched
bodies. Bvt. 1SGT. Daniel Hucker Company E. / 77th Pennsylvania Infantry Frontier
Battalion / Indian Territory
20 February 2010Upon arriving Friday evening, we made our homes
in the soft grounds of a place in Indian Territory called Round Mountain just northeast of a town
called Yale. Forage parties were sent out to gather food and supplies, as the rest of the company made camp and tried to make
a fire with the wet wood available to us. With the use of candles, we had a good fire going after the wood dried enough to
catch fire. This fire helped many of our men in the company find their way back home. As some men came in soaked from the
day’s rain, they had reported that they saw a group of Confederates just to the northeast of our position, about a half
mile away from our camp. When asked if they knew how many, they had replied that they did not know. They saw a few soldiers
and several campfires’ smoke columns. A patrol was sent out to see what was out there.The men set up camp, gathered around the fire, and began to cook their
dinners when a small fire fight broke out in the distance around where the enemy was said to be seen. The men were told to
have weapons ready and nearby just incase they decide to attack us. About an hour after the shots had stopped, the patrol
came back intact. They reported that there is a company of dismounted, and 3 companies of infantry. Their artillery was seen
moving toward the town of Yale. We sent a soldier on horseback to the nearby town of Stillwater to inform
the 2ND Colorado that we have made contact and believe that they are already moving in
to occupy the town of Yale, requesting their support. The rider never returned with the response as we had to make
a decision to deny the enemy access to this town and access to the state of Kansas.Throughout the night and early morning ours of Saturday, plans were
made as scouting patrols were sent out on a rotation to keep watch on the enemy and to look for grounds for an attack. One
was found just in between the enemy and ourselves. A small field surrounded by trees, and a wooden fence line along the west
side of the field. Three trails led to the west end of this field as a small downward slope offered some cover to this attack.
Along the fence line. We asked the artillery to place their guns on the south end, inside the trees for cover.A scouting patrol returned with information that
the enemy was seen marching in line to this very location. The enemy artillery was out in front of the column as the company
of dismounted was attached for cover. The infantry was just behind them. All together, just about a quarter mile away. As
we were gearing up to make our attack, the 2ND Colorado marched down the trail to our camp. Captain Trent, commanding the 2ND
CO, assumed field command as he was brought up to speed of our situation. The idea of an attack after drawing
them into the open was a sound plan and began immediately. Shortly after taking our ready positions, our artillery opened fire. Their guns had to set up
in a storm of canister fire as their dismounted took up a defensive position. Our Signal Corps went onto the field to draw
out the dismounted to the open as the enemy cannons began to return fire. Smoke filled the field very quickly as it was unseen
that the enemy infantry had arrived. As we could hear the crack of hundreds of muskets, we marched onto the field to support
the Signal Corps. We could not see the enemy until we marched about 50 yards in front of them. We opened fire on them as another
company came onto the field to support the dismounted and one company of infantry opposing us.Each time cannon fired, it became a smoke screen against both sides.
During the fighting, the enemy had brought on line another company and was moving to our lines left flank. We had them in
the middle of the field as our 3RD company came out behind the enemy lines just in time and cut off the new company
in a crossfire. The 77TH attacked up the middle to keep the pressure on the enemy as the 2ND Colorado attacked the right flank.As
the cannons fired on their side, the smoke dropped visibility down to about 25 yards as the enemy used that to gather themselves
and re-organize. The came at us with a stretched line as 3RD Company had rejoined our lines after loosing sight
of the enemy in the smoke. The enemy was charging into our position as our guns fired into the blind. Both sides took hits
from cannons, as our infantry gave them volley after volley. Just before it became hand in hand fighting, the enemy pulled
back and brought out a white flag to talk with Captain Trent. The field was silent as we strained to hear what the commanders
were saying when our artillery broke the silence. The Confederate commander took it as another surprise attack and ran back
to his lines and ordered his men to return fire. Captain Trent had done the same and the fighting began once again.The enemy had made several attempts to use their
numbers on each of our flanks to weaken us. Though we had lost a good number of men to the fight, we were able to hold our
lines. Once again a white flag was seen from across the field as Captain Trent sent a runner. over to the artillery to not
fire until the sound of muskets were heard again, or a runner was sent over with further instructions. The Commanding Officers
once again, met in the middle of the battlefield to discuss the next solution. It was decided and agreed that both sides would
gather their dead and wounded and return to their respective camps.In the night after the fight, it began a down pour of rain and lightning that soaked
the camp and the battlefield we fought on the day before. Our artillery had pulled out in the early morning hours as it was
heard that their powder became wet and was rendered useless to us. They pulled back into town to dry off and re-supply.We were able to make a fire from the fire pit
after scooping out the water held inside. As breakfast was being prepared, we sent out another patrol to see the result of
the enemy. As the boys were just finishing up breakfast and making ready for the fight ahead, the scouts returned with information
that the enemy has begun to pull out to the south. They were seen marching out southbound as other companies were breaking
camp and doing the same.The
order was given to break camp and leave these soaked grounds to peruse the enemy. As the wagons came down to gather up our
camp gear they became stuck in the mud, which delayed our departure to peruse the enemy. We were now roughly 12 hours behind
the enemy. Our only hope is that they do not attempt a surprise attack on us along the way, as I am sure they will. Until
then, our moral has been lifted as we had stopped this enemy from occupying this town of Yale, and denied access
to the State of Kansas. As we marched away with our rain soaked heads held high, we could only hope for two things.
One, other Federal units had the same fortune as we had; and two, the sun come out soon to warm and dry our drenched bodies. Bvt. 1SGT. Daniel HuckerCompany E. / 77th Pennsylvania InfantryFrontier Battalion / Indian Territory
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