Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-05-10


further advance checked by destructive
cross fire from three formidable fortresses,
barricaeed streets, and house tops, and by
q deep ditch or race Of running water. In
this ,nurderons position for hotter one
men never got inio--the troops in their
temporary check, were permitted to avail
themselves, as wellas they could, of the
eos er afforded them by the stone walls and
houses, to discharge their pieces at the en-.
omy, which they did with great execution
Observing the advantageous and annoying
position oi. the enemy in fort Number two,
General Butler esolyed TO STORM and car-
ry that work with the Ohio Regiment alone,
which was five hundred yards liz advance
of the other regiments of his division, and
with Colonel Mitchel, ,dismounted and cross
ed the race TO lead the charge in person.
In five minutes from this time every officer
OF the regiment except Col Weller. had
lost his horse;-adjutant Armstrong had
lost TWO, and severely wounded by grape
shot through the knee, lay by the side OF a
mud ranch, in which condition Colonel
Weller found him. fainting from the loss
OF blood-the Colonel promptly dlsmount-
ed, examined his wound. bound up his shat
tered knee with q handkerchief, procured
n cup from the belt Off fallen soldier, and
from the race esoyer which the troops were
endeavoring 10 advance, he filled the cup
with water and returned to his thirsting
and wounded fellow otficer--it was at this
time that Milikin probably saw his Colonel
distnounted and behind the ranch; md at
this time it is said, the UaLorous U1illiEt..,
thinking his person safer in some other
place than behind the ranch even, boldly
s'ranosed' to asnp,passing himself by the
camp guard under the prelence. OF being
wounded. All agree thnt the Colonel was
not off his horse more than two minutes,
and during The whole lime, was exposed 10
the hottest fire. While the men were
crossing the race OF water referred to, over
which General Butler and Col. Mitchell
crossed, and whilst the latter was cheering
and urging his men forward, those gallant
officers both fell severely wounded. AT
this early hour, aim ST in the onset Of the
bloody conflict, the command OF the regi-
-ment deyoiyed upon Col. Weller. And
what was his department on beng called
so Unexpectedly and at such a critical
juncture TO assume the responsible station4
Ills appearance and bearing Of that mo-
men,, when told Colonel Mitchell hnd fall
en-, have often heard described by the
men. Spurrlng his gallanl charger to the
front and with his sword waving high u
bove his head, he shouted at the top OF his
voice -s.ONW ARD MY. .BRAVEBO BOYS,
THE BL kCK RASCALS HAVE SHOT
YOUR tOLONEL--ONW WARD AND
GIVE THEN TIE COLD STEEL
In moment, however orders were received
from the lamentei HAMER, upon whom the
command of the division devolved after the
fall of Gen Butler, for the regiment to adj
vance into town in another direction, and
the charge was continued through several
streets until the Colonel was again ordered
10 return 10 the plain to the support Of Capt
Bragg's Battery. This battery in atlea'pt
ing to cross the plain, under raking fire
from the Black for, had. by the destruction
of horses, became disabled, and lay appa-
rently at the mercy of the enemy. Again
the regiment ran the gauntlet over the plain,
exposed to fire from the eneHy's fortif,
cations in the rear, as we'll as from the
Black fort, infront, and reached tho brave
CaP1aiils oat,eIy jug. ~ shne ne " save Il
ron Iorlflaaois 'laac e io,ce o. F'he ehemys 8
cavalry men nen aPPfoaeninB from 'hs D'ac"
ior,,
io.IePei lae furious "asa,Se &C. =. tste aal'.
GERS, INC regiment was qu!chiy rusn'eu ~
gooo oroer' ana received 'helr ooio charge
Win q voiiey .hal sent mem sca1ler.ng PACK
TO The iort with the loss OF some iorty OF
hlty OF their pumoer. Onaef an incessant
fire from the Black foft tne regiment re-
mained upon the held the balance OF me
day and did nos return 10 camp uhtil on the
of night, isey were ordered m
From o'clock in the morning until SIX in
tho evening they had been under conlin-
uous fire-had three times run the gsn2tlet
Of The Black Fort-driven the enemy like
chaff before the wind--froa, formidable
breast work upon the plain, and repulsed
desperate charge of cavalry OF more than
three times their number. During oil
these movements, every officer of the regi-s
ment, it is believed, did his duty; and no
one was more exposed or bore himselfmore
gallantly and fearlessly than Colonel John
b. Weller. Though il was evident to all
that from the oyershooting of the enemy
horseman was much more exposed than a!