The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-01-29

the tall forest trees. The hillside, a
fIrst dotted with lines aud Jets of smoke
became. overcast. The fog dragged
over the batteries like pail. The tive
clouds enlarged-spread over the en-
tire field. From the forest nothing
conld be seen bat the curling volume O
thick mist. The bill was lost 10 view
The clouds near each other-theytouc
they are one; the cannon laundering
the meantime as if life and de ath hung
upon their exertions. All was envel
oped from the sight, hut the ear wa.
stung by the sharp, wicked, intensified
crack of the pieces. PARROTS seemed
like fifteen-inch Lincolns, in the smoke
Slalioning ones self in the bend of the
bayon at the foot of tho bluff, we hear
the thuuders and bethink us of Mount
Sinai. A little before IL o'clock, a
light breeze gently rolls away the thick
veil and discloses the vivid lightning
flash. The men were running and gal
lopirg hilher and thithcr on the hill
sides. We strain our eyes for an army
bnt can see naught but the dark NOV
ing specks above the long lines OF new
turned earth.
THE GRAND ASSAULT.
1t was about two o'clock as the firing
slackened. During the terrific cannon
aiding troops had been summoned to
the front. General Steele, az second
in command, had stationed himself
near the centre, with the brigade of
General Huvcy as the reserve. Gen
eral Blair's brigade, with the exception
of two regiments, had been sent to the
left across the Chickasaw bayou the
previous night. Col. DeCourcy was
assigned the left of centre, with Gen.
Tbayer behind him as support. Col.
Landrum again on his right, General
Stuart further 20 the right, and away
to the extreme right, fronting another
spur of hills, was Smith. The line
moved forward. There was pause al
u few minutes, a cheer long and loud,
and presently we could dpsery through
the vista of trees black line of teoops
pouring up the hillside. They were
moving from the left across sloping
plateau; they entered one end of line
ri rifle pits in column of srlutterin.
fire. as the mass of rebels left it al the
other.
The volleys thickened, the cannon
hclched out canister and sharpnel angri.
". The ranks had big gaps in them.
itaked, entitled, and cross fired, the 10
ms of hundred thousand thunder
bolts, ten thousand muskets aimed a,
hem; they crouch, they falier, they
fall. A few, (ah. how few y run ar
rather crawl mp the slope. A thousand
'apidly dwindled to hundred. W.
zee the flag going upward; the cheers
,row fainter and fainter. Fifty-onc
eff they near a clump of willows which
warns with hostile mu>kets. The
:nlors are planted close L" the last line
If rifle pits. The rebels are running in
III directions.
Too late VIII, d., the rest not AL
'ance? Shattered and shocked by tb,
hnrderous fire in the hollow. they are
covering i'm The trenches All is over
The cheers. like serpent Kisses, rang in
'ur ears. The enemy exulis over our
,rave fallen. A dark looking mass
lies down the hill To the left. They |
rave onifanked few of our men, and |
ire driving them as prisoners. The
,ext that is seen is tnmntuous stream
# soldiers ponring across the bayOus.
merging through the woods, muddy, |
stained. heated, wounded, bleeding,
weeping and franticallv ours.
ng. Some of them were supported,
'thers limpirg. They rush to the
water: they force themselves back To
he rear. In vain do the officers cry,
Fall in men," They answer indig
,antly that they have been ensnared,
murdered i'm pitfall-a
Irath trap. For "a few m,nutes they
re needless, uncomfortable. /
THE HEROES OF THE STRUGGLE.
Presently down comes a youngish
poking individual on foot, n corn husk
inging to his sabre, splashed tn the
rown with mud; he gave orders Ter
olne officers, mounts horse and rides
own the creek. The men set up a
hper ms he departs. "Who is that
fiicer ?'' we asked "That is Blair.
he last man To leave the hill" was the
nswer. His brigade did indeed move
ar in advance of The rest, ard accom-
lished by far the greatest distance
nder flre OF the greatest obstacles.
~ the midst of the hail of bullets did
Blair advance unhlcnched, as it he bore
charmed life. II was truly forlorn
ope for them. OF the tw regiments
ihich followed him to the top, more
han half were disabled. and third otl
is line officers killed ar wounded.
The miracle is that there returned a
nan To tell the deed.
1t appears that from the east Of the
'ayou they had to cross slough in
r"rt of he rifle pits, in which there
we're fonr feet of water and mud. On
he fnrthcr steep bank was growth
# young cuttonwoods which had been
nj and heaped upon each other so as
% form the most impossible barrier To
,orse or foot. BIair's horse mired aud
ell in the slough, and the General made
he charge on foot. The distance from
hisbay on to the upper line of rife pits
'ear which the flag was planted, is
,ree hundred and fifty yards. Had
lis advance been sustained by the rest
If the forces detached on the service
he plateau could have been won, a
odgment made where the cnemy's ar.