Singular battle Incident.
--The New York
Herald tells the following story:
There were many incidents in the
battle of Stone's river that have not yet seen the light.
One especially is worth mentioning.
In the rebel charges upon
McCook's right, the rebel 3d Kentucky was advancing, and fell upon one of our loyal
Kentucky regiments.
These two regiments were from the same county, and consequently were old friends and neighbors, now about to meet for the first time as enemies.
As soon as they came close enough for recognition they mutually ceased firing and began abusing, and cursing, and swearing at each other, calling each other the most outlandish names, while the battle was roaring round them, without much attention from either side.
It was hard to tell which regiment would come off the victor in the wordy battle.
As far as I could hear, both sides were terrible at swearing; but this could not always last; but, by mutual consent, they finally ceased cursing, and, grasping their muskets, charged into each other with the most unearthly yell ever heard on any field of battle.
Muskets were clubbed, bayonet met bayonet and in dozens of instances, when old fends made the belligerents crazy with passion, the musket was thrown away, and at it they went, pummeling, pulling, and gouging in rough and tumble style, and in a manner that any looker on would consider as a free fight.
The rebels were getting rather the better of the fight, when the 23d Kentucky succeeded in giving them a flanking fire, which made them retreat, with quite a number of prisoners in their hands.
The rebels had fairly got under way when the 9th Ohio came up at a double-quick, and charging on their now disordered ranks, succeeded in capturing all their prisoners, besides taking in return a great many of the rebels.
As the late belligerents were conducted to the rear they appeared to have forgotten all their late animosity, and were now on the best terms imaginable, laughing, and chatting, and joking; and as the rebels were well supplied with whiskey, their canteens were readily handed about from one to the other, until they all became as jolly as possible under the circumstance.
