Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-08-03
The Behavior Of the Blacks at Fort
KauueF.

| LuD bEualhAuE VI AEO otArhA ~ ENAN
| Wagner.
Even the rebels acknowledge the 54th
Massachusetts, fought we'll. In describing
the assault upon Fort Wagner the Charles
ton Mercury says:
GOn the right the negro troops were
met with terrible cross-fre Of musketry.
In the center Of our lines a
small body Of the enemy succeeded in
gaining a lodgment in a salient, the gun
Of which had been dismounted. Here
they maintained their position for more
than an hour. A gallant but unsuccessful
attempt was made to dislodge them, in
which Captain Ryan fell, and it was not
until a small force Of Geergians had as
cended the magazine, and thus gained a
position to command the salient, that the
sudscious Yankees surrendered"
Very many of the 54th Massachusetts,
were from Ohio, and the following extracts
fcom the correspondence of the New York
Evening Post will be read with great in
terest here
"Fresh honors crown the colored troops.
So fully had their character for bravery
and relisnce been established, that in the
recent assault upon Fort Wagner, the 54th
Massachusetts were allowed to lead our
veteran troops, nor did they Ito their hon
or be it ssid) refuse either the lead or their
support.
"On forming them into line General
streng, who had by his soldierly and kind
/ bearing toward them secured their conf
dence raising his sentorian voice. cried
out, Is there a man here who thinks him
self unable to sleep in that fort tonight p
The earth rang with the thunder Of their
| tNoT Turning TO the eolor-bearer, he
said Is there any man to take his place
if this brave color-bearer should fall 2
With lifting Of hands, and leaping, and
almost yelling, all through the enthusias-
tic ranks, came the response, sYesl Yes
"From General Strong himself, as he
lay in the hospital four days afterward,
suffering from his ghastly wound, learn
ed that these men had had no sleep for
three nights, no food since morning, and
had marched several miles Under cover
Of darkness they stormed the fort, facing
stream OF fire, faltering not till the
ranks were broken by shot and shell, and
in all these severe tests, which would have
| tried even veteran troops, { they fully met
my expectations said the General, for
many Of them were killed wounded or
captured on the walls of the fort No man
broke till fired upon ...a.
The 9th Connecticut, who had honored
themselves st Jacksonville cooperating
with colored troops, supported the 54th in
the assault. Several of the officers lying
in the hospital confirm the testimony Of
General Strong. The regiment went in
| 700 strong, and brought off only $50
sound men. OF IL officers, only three
came out unhurt The number of killed
have not learned. About 300 are now ly-
ing in our hospitals. Some who had
pTophesied that the colored man would
not stand FIRE, but had finally yielded in
his favor, still contend that CHASTITY
wounds and suferings, with slaughter
and death of comrades would quash all
/ their love Of freedom and soldering, and
silence the boasts Of their friends
"0n the second and fourth days after
the fight passed through nearly all the
wards Of the hospital. On the second day
a very large proportion of their wounds
| he'd not been dressed, and Of course they
were very painful Some lay with shat
tered legs, or arms, or both others with
| limbs amputated. Rebel bullets, grape,
shell and bayonets have made sad havoc.
Standing amidst large number, said :
Well, boys, this was not part Of the pro-
gramme, was itf 'Oh, yes, indeed, we
! expected 10 take all that comes, said some.
Others said, Thank God, we went in to
| live or die -e
aIf out oft and home, how many would
4 - I
some raising Of even wounded arms or
hands, all said Oh, never give 1t up till
thelast rebel be dead, or the last brother
breaks his chain or 'if all our people get
their freedom, we can afford to die.
frank Myers, from Ohio, whose arm
was badly shattered by shell, SAIL oh,
I thank God so much for the privilege;
went in to live or die, as He please He
stood right under the uplifted sword OF
their brave Colonel Shaw, on the very top
Of the psrapet, at he cried, rush on, rush
on, bOysr and then suddenly fell, quickly
followed by Myers himself.
"No man can pass among these suffer
ers, so patient, so cheerful, hear them ex.
press their desire for a speedy recovery,
first and only, that they may (the almost
universal expression) try it over again :
also, their firm conviction that they are
soldiers for Jesus, to help on his war Of
freedom for all the oppressed, and not be
inspired with deepest adherence Of slave.
~ and unquenohable desire for the freedom
of their race. I have seen much to ad,
mire in them as servants, laborers in The
/ field; as soldiers in camp, on the battle
fele, but never so much in all these rela.
tiOns that is so truly manly, heroic and
sublime as exhibited in the furnace FIRE!
Of war;