October 1863, a terrible time

Some text from the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. There are many, as in thousands of, noteworthy items in this giant collection.

First

He himself blew the brains out of one, and, as I had ordered that no more prisoners should be taken, he says their loss must have been very great.

THOMAS C. FITZ GIBBON, Major, Commanding Fourteenth Michigan Volunteers

Second

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
La Grange, Tennessee, October 29, 1863.
Lieutenant HILLIER,
Comdg. Detachment of Ninth Illinois Cavalry:

You will proceed immediately to La Fayette, Tennessee, and, if you find the railroad bridge destroyed and cannot find the men who did it, you will promptly arrest every man and lad in that neighborhood and send them here. You will then burn down every house in that vicinity.

By order of Brigadier General Thos. W. Sweeny:

THOS. G. MORRISON,
Major, and Chief of Outposts, Second Div., 16th Army Corps.

Panzerlied

Ob’s stürmt oder schneit,

Ob die Sonne uns lacht,

Der Tag glühend heiß

Oder eiskalt die Nacht.

Bestaubt sind die Gesichter,

Doch froh ist unser Sinn,

Ist unser Sinn;

Es braust unser Panzer

Im Sturmwind dahin.

Von Oberleutnant Kurt Wiehle am 25 Juni 1933 auf der Fahrt nach Königsbrück gedichtet

Auf Englisch:

In blizzard or storm,

Or in sun warm and bright,

The day hot as hell

Or bone-chilling be the night,

Our faces may with dust be laid,

But spirits never fade,

No, never fade;

Relentless, our tank

Thunders out on a raid.

 

There are four more verses to enjoy, should one be inclined. That first verse is in the 1965 Battle of the Bulge movie, with actors getting somewhat close to German singing.