The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-29
Storming Of Fort Wagner.

From the correspondence of the Boston Herald
we select the annexed spirited description of the
two assaults upon fort Wagner:
CHARGE BY sTRoNG'S BRIGADE.
When the right moment came, Strong's Bri-
gade began to advance directly on the fort, the
gunboatS and batteries concentrtng all their guns
on Wagner, and firing with the greatest possible
rapidity. When near the fort our brigade rushed
up at doube-quick, and our artillery fire had to
cease, for our own troops would have suffered
most. Then came the rattle Of musketry, as
sheet after sheet of fame ran along the rebel
lines Their infantry had come out from their
cover, and fired continuous yolleys at our devoted
men, as they kept steadily and brayely on into
the very jaws Of death. simultaneously, too SIX
guns poured canister and grape into our ranks.
The whole brigade was exposed, and not regi
ment IN 1t escaped the first voey.
had good position to look on, and the sight
was the grandest | ever beheld or expect to see
1t would have been beautiful beyond description,
unassoclated with carnage, groans and CHASTITY
sights; as 1t was it was too sublime to give any
idea Of The fash from each muSket and rifle
could be distinguished at the instant of the dis
charge, and then they diyerged into an immense
sheet of flame. The discharges from the mounted
guns were most terrific. They vomIted forth long
columns of fire, looking as large as hogShead,
spreading out still larger, and disspatng into
sparks and then darkness, which the musketry
soon lighted up. The sounds were indiscrlbable.
The whizzing bullets, the buzzing, suffering can
mister and grape, the loud explosions of Fort
Sumter's now unregarded shells, the clashing of
bayonets and sabres together, the groans and
cnrp inns nj no anCyIp6 dad
ones, the loud commands Of the officers to their
men, the cheers which relieved but could not
drown the groans, made terrible din, complete
ly confusing except to the coolest heads.
Gen. Strong and Gen. Seymour were there, az
cool as If only reviewing brigade on holiday,
equal to every emergency which arose, cheering
and leading on the troops through the murderous
fire. None of them had ever seen such fighting
some were never in action till the attack on this
island commenced. But they were as sturdy and
unflnchng as veterans, keeping on double
quick till they came to the ditch, and scrambling
over the moat and up the parapet, near the south
eastern bastlon, shouting and rushing with an en-
thlslasm which seemed certain to conquer. Ev-
cry regiment IN the brigade got into the fort, in
whole or In part, together or successfully. The
gallant 9TH Connecticut were the first inside, and
remained some twenty minutes, helping hold
corner of the fort. Their colonel was severely
wounded on the parapet, many of their officers
were killed, or disabled, but they fought desper.
atelN sometimes getting new positions AID then
being driven from them. The oath Massachusetts,,
colored soldiers, most bravely led by their white
officers, went over the parapet with shout
charging bayonets, and making concentrated
fire of grape and bullets-for the rebels swear
they will kill or capture every negro soldier pos
sible. The Sd New Hampshire, the 18th Penn
sylvania, and the 40th New York, all pushed up
brayely and rushed in when they got turn.
The full heroism of our troops cannot be fully
appreciated unless it is considered that they had
to face this terrible ll,, of all sorts of prolectes
and missiles, from numerous foe protected by
breastworks and concealed by darkness, so that
they could not return the fire, but were obliged
to stand or advance under it. If Judgment was
effected, traverses protected the enemy still, and
guns were brought to bear on them with the
deadly grape and canister, from other parts OF the
fort, and musketry poured in voleys from behind
traverses and breastworks. Guns swept the cur.
tains, covered the parapets, and commanded every
part OF the work. 1t is not surprising, when half