Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-15
we received orders to advance to the support

we received orders to advance to the support
of the l56th.
We filed off to the right until we arrived in
their rear, and then advancing at the ''double
quick" proceeded from ditch to ditch until we
finally halted about five rods in the rear of the
l5Gth, awaiting orders from Lieut.. Col Sharp
commanding that regiment. As we lay there
between the burrows in the corn field, sho
roaring over our heads and strikins with a
dull thud, and the shriler sound OF .ic min
ME ball as they whistled all about us, there
was chance for one to reflect. Much has
been said Of the peculiar feelings attendant
upon ones first engagement, and | was pre-
pared for rich experience, but [ was destin-
ed to find myself disappointed happily so.
Many is the boyiSh engagement with stones
and snow balls when | have felt more timor-
business, more nervousness. Could it be that
L was myself? felt my pulse beat as quiet
and regular as though | had been seated in
my own room at home digging away on knot
ty algebraic problems. 1t was certainly a
new experience, but | was surprised to find
how little 1 was affected, and so with the men
as they lay there; they laughed chatted, and
joked as freely as though the bullets were not
whistling all about them.
knowing the men we were fighting against
to be composed largely of Texan rangers, [
was much surprised in another respect
Having the advantage of fighting, to a
great extent, under cover, tnctr loss was
much larger than the federal loss. But
very few of their men were wounded,
nearly all hit being shot through the
head. One misfortune of the superior
craftsmanship of our men | have in mind.
One Of their skirmishers, lying in ditch be-
hind Il rail fence, raised his head to look over
the lower rail OF sir mimic balls that passed
through the rail. five entered his head. Short
ly before dark the l56th made Il charge upon
the woods, from which the strongest resist.
ance had been made, and drove the enemy
before them, their gallantry leaving nothing
for us to accomplish. As darkness fell over
the scene, we lay where we were, and slept
the sleep Of the weary, the l56th picketing in
the advance upon the right of the line. Dar-
ing the night the rumbling of wheels could be
heard IN the direction OF the enemy'S works.
About o'clock the succeeding morning, four
companies of our right relieved the pickets OF
tile l5Gth, and Immediately after, the two bat
talions retired several hundred yards, it being
SurmSed that Il light battery might have been
brought around to shell our former position.
In the early dawn our Skirmishers received
orders to advance, to discover the situation in
the enemys works Slowly and cautiously
they advanced, taking advantage OF every
bush and tree, until, arriving near, they re-
ceived orders to charge the works. On they
marched, over the rampant and around into
the redoubts, opposed by no one. The works
were evacuated-theY were ours. We iceTe
rtctoTt0US Thus you have a full account of
the part taken by the 3lst (and partial ac-
count of the brigade), in the reduction of fort
Bisand, La. Our loss was SMALL very small :
one man Shot through the heart, aud five
wounded, only one dangerously. The aver
age loss of the brigade was much larger. Had
we had Il few hours more of daylight, we
should have captured nearly all. In the mean
time Gen. Grover had gone around in trans
ports, and meeting them about four miles
above Franklin, whipped them again Since
then, with the exception of slight diminishing
in the advance, we have had no fighting
though advancing from fifteen to twent,--r,, .
miles day, we cent catch them. Opeiousts
is about one hundred and twenty miles from
Berwick's Bay. You can easily see we have
done come tall marching. We arrived here
the evening of the 10th, and may stay here a
day or two longer. Our destination is,
think, Alexandria, on the Red river, about
one hundred miles from here.
l am well. and all right. II.