Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-30
The nnrrIe Nonr Chnrleston.

possible TO gain possession Of the work,
shorten our line Of pickets, secure safety
TO our camps, and complete a second step
in our advance across the island. Three
slender brigades, consisting Of not more
than six thousand men, were thrown for
ward at daylight. They were repulsed,
after n gallant and heroic fight Of four
hours duration. They came back to camp
with companies and regiments frightfully
decimated. In my best judgment over one
hundred and fifty OF our men were killed,
nearly five hundred lie wounded in our
hospitals, and there is besides long list Of
missing, whose fate is yet conjectural. OF
these many are known 10 have been killed
outright while scores Of others were
wounded and left upon the fatal field, to
the tender mereies Of the enemy-tO Ian
guish in Southern jails, to die in rebel hos
pitals, and to receive a cofinless burial
from rebel hands.
The forces Of Gen. Stevens were formed
in perfect quiet at his outer pickets at p
Yesterday morning, The men fell promptly
into line, having been at that hour first
apprised of the movement they were to un-
dertake. The morning was cold, and the
entire sky was overcast with black, heavy
clouds, so that in the darkness the task Of
maintaining silence and avoiding confu-
sion was one Of no little difficulty. We
moved at half-past four, no accident occur
ring to interrupt our progress. Col. Fen
TONS brigade-consisting Of the Sth Mich
igan Volunteers, under Lieut.. Col. Graves /;
the 7tn Connecticut, under Lieut.. Col. Haw-
lev. and the 2Ssh Massachusetts, under
2 ~ IN hn oHm
Col. Leasure brigade-comprising the
18th Highlanders, under Lieut. Col. Nor
rison; the Tooth Pennsylvania, under Ma
Tor Leckey, and the 18th New York, Colo
mel Rosa-Was in support, together with
Rockwells Connecticut Battery, Captain
Sears company Of Volunteer Engineers,
and Capt Sargeants company Of Massa-
chusetts cavalry. A stOrming party, con-
sisting Of two companies Of the Sth Michi-
gan, led by Lieut. Lyons, Aid-de-Camp to
Gen. Stevens, with negro guide, was IN
the extreme advance
Our route lay over an extensive cotton
field. or rather a succession Of cotton
fields, separated from each other by hedges
and bitches. The ground was broken by
these ridges peculiar to the plan tations in
this vicinity, and the passage over the un-
even, billowy surface, marching as we were
upon the double quick, was excessively
fatiguing; yet we moved forward very
rapidly. Although our line was formed
within rife shot of the enemy's piekets, so
quietly were the troops maneuYred that
they were ignorant of it, and rebel lieu
tenant and four privates were surprised
and captured. Orders had been given to
move forward by the flank, regiment fol-
lowing regiment In no event were we to
fire, but to press on and forward into line
bv regiments. When the enemy should
open upon us, we were to use the bayonet
on him, and endeavor if possible to gain
possession Of the work.
These orders were faithfully executed.
Reaching the open field, about mile from
the rebel fortifcations Fenton's brigade
was directed against the right, and 4..Gss &c.
two brigades now pushed forward with
great rapidity, the regiments keeping
within supporting distance Of each other,
and the Michigan regiment keeping close
to the storming party.
When within about four hundred yards
Of the fort, terrific fire Of grape and can
lister was opened on our columns from the
work, and from the woods, abattis and rifle
pits on our right. Four heavy guns on the
enemy's parapet sent their murderous
charges through the files of our brave men
masked batteries of whose existence we
had no previous knowledge, poured their
terrible missiles against US; sharpshooters,
stationed all along the rebel line, selected
our officers for targets, and many a gallant
leader fell at their first volley, while the
men dropped in the ranks by scores. Still
the Eighth Michigan, the Seventy-ninth
Highlanders, the One HUndredth Pennsyl-
vania, the Twenty Massachusetts,
shouting their wild cry Of "Faugh-a-Bal-
lagh" as they advanced), and portions Of
the Seventh Connecticut and Forty-sixth
New York, succeeded in reaching the very
edge Of the abattis, and a portion of the
storming party Of the Eighth Michigan,
led by Captains Ely and Doyle, together
with party from the Highlanders, led in
person by their brave Lieut.. Col. Morrison,
mounted the parapet Of the work.
Here lasted for few moments the most
exciting scene my pen has ever attempted
to describe. When the Highlanders heard
of the terrible slaughter Of the Eighth Mich
igan, with whom they had for many months
been brigaded, they could not be restrain
ed, but advanced with the utmost prompt
ness to the support of their. old comrades.
Colonel Morrison, whose horse was shot
early in the action, led up his men on foot,
shouting, aCome on, Highlanders p and
with Lieutenant Lyons, of General Ste
vens' staff was the first to scale the walls
and mount the parapet Of the fort Both
were wounded-Colonel Morrison in the
head, the bullet entering at the temple and
coming out behind the right ear, and Lieu
tenant Lyons severely in the arm. Cap
tain Doyle, Of the storming party, was Sc
vere1y wounded, and Captains Guild, Pratt
and Church were killed. 1t was while en-
deavering to scale these works that Captain
Hitchcock, of the Seventh Connecticut, was
also shot down. NeYertheless the men
went up, walking unfinchingly into the
jaws Of death But very few escaped, and
those only with garments riddled with
balls. Colonel Morrison, even after he
was wounded, discharged the entire con-
tents Of his revolver at the force within,
and had the satisfaction of killing one reb-
ell as he was endeavoring to screen himself
in one Of the numerous "ratholes with
which the interior of the work abounded.
There was but one narrow opening in
the line Of abattis So difficult Of passage
was this, and so CALLING was the storm Of
FIRE to which our men we're exposed, that
the order was reluctantly given to fall back
and reform. The men were led with eolors
flying to the cover Of hedge about five
hundred yards from the fort, where the re-
naming forces Of the division were dispos-
ed. Two of Captain ROckwells pieces,
which had occupied position in the rear,
were now pushed forward to this hedge and
opened upon the enemy, and his rihes---a
little to the rear-maintained over the
heads Of our men a'well directed fire upon
the enemy's left flank. Both these sections
were gallantly and efficiently served, and
produced marked impression on the
rebels. jIDiI3 UaJfE
4n the meantime, though the casualties
!