Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-16
Another Assault on Port Hudson,
Terrible Charge Of 4th Wisconsin.
Correspondence of the sheboygan Times.

to record the scenes and doings of the
past two weeks. My heart recoils and l
shrink from the task. In my last in
formed you of the pititul condition in
which the 4th Wisconsin was placed; of
its heroic actions on the we'll fought field
OF May 9th. June 4th the regiment was
relieved from its position in the front,
after holding their post in advance of the
rest of the line for six days and nights
June 9th they again mounted, and ac-
compaDied Col. Grierson, with his Illinois
Cavalry, to Clinton, % miles distant,
where they fought a desperate battle, los
ing several men and two good oficers,-
Capt. Blake, Co. |, killed, and 1t. Maxon,
of Go. f, mortaily wounded. They were
driven back by superior numbers, return
ed, and on the 7th Gen. Paine started
with his whole brigade, and marched to
Clinton, when the rebels skedaddied. The
regiment remained under the command of
Col. Grierson till the 18th, when it was
again ordered to the front. June 14th
commenced the grand assault. ...55.
The 4th Wis.,, 226 men, and the Sth N.
H., 2l7 men, were deployed as skirmish-
ers, ia front of PaiEe's division. The
second consisted of the 1l0th, 1850, 173d,
n Y. and 4th Mass, carrying hand gre.
nades. The Sd line comprised the remain
der of the division, who were to roll up
cotton bales for protection and advance
in line of battle. The two regiments OF
skirmishers advanced under murderous
fire of grape, shell and canister, to within
short rifle range, without looking behind,
supposing that their supports were close
behind; but on looking back, what was
their dismay to find themselves unsup
ported, the remainder OF the division hav-
ing faltered snd halted, seeking shelter
where they could find it.. Only the l33d
and 1880 continued to advance, when Col.
Currie of the 1884 was wounded in both
arms, and Major Galloway, the command
er of the 173d, fell dead. They, too,
halted, leaving the skirmishers within a
few yards of the parapet exposed to one
OF the most murdelo Gus fires ever showered
on man. The rebel infantry was formed
in tour lines behind their works, each
firing in succession, keeping up a constant
sheet of fame and terrific shower of
grape, canister, shell, rail road iron. &c,
with amazing rapidity then to crown the
whole the enemy opened on them with
the guns situated at the angles of the par
apet. cross. firing and taking them terribly;
and worst of all, the troops which were
to have been their support, opened a fire
in their rear, CALLING them teartully. If
that was not enough to make the stoutest
hearts quail, think it beyond the in
genuity of man to invent anything that
will do it; but those men never knew
what it was to retreat without orders, so
they rushed on to certain destruction.
Only six commissioned officers started with
them in the morning from the 4th. Capt.
Carter, Co. B. fell badly wounded. Lieut.
Wintermeyer, Co. @, Adjt, was complete
~ riddled with balls. The other com.
panies were led by their ranking sergeants,
most of whom were killed and disabled.
and the men falling at every step. 1t
seemed as though frenzy had seized
those men, rendering them desperate, for
they rushed on, leaped the ditch, climed
the parapet, and what remained of them
went over the works in sight of the whole
army, and was either slain or taken pris-
oners. .E
Gen. Paine, in trying to urge the COW
ardly poltroons in the rear to follow him
to the rescue, was severely wounded in
the leg, about 10 A. NJ. He fell, crying
Forward! Forward!" but not step
would they go. 1t is said that he weep,
bitterly when he saw those brave me1
hewn to pieces, powerless to aid them
and those cowardly whelps in the real
hiding for shelter. There he lay in fail
view between two fires, and our troops
| were unable to rescue him. Two faithful
negroes, belonging to the 4th, volunteered
to go and bring him off, but were killed
in the attempt. Four of the hospital
corps, for carrying off the wounded, then
attempted the feat, but three of them tell
the remaining one reached him, tied up
his leg as best he could, gave him some
water, and crawled off in safety. The
General told him to tell the men TO keep
away from him, and not sacrifice any
more lives in trying 10 save him; that it
was of no use, he could remain there till
they could take him off with more safety.
The man got away and reported to Capt.
Dnrgin, the Adjutant General. He dis
patched messenger to Col. Fearing, OF
the 9Th New Hampshire, who was in
command OF the division, asking him to
devise some means of rescue. The COL
sent to Gen. Grover, who commanded the
right wing, asking for orders. The Gen.
eral said nothing could be DONE they
would have to wait till night and take him
away under the cover OF darkness, which
was accordingly done. . ..
After the destruction of the line of Skin
mishers, the rebel officers mounted the
parapet and called out to the wounded
who were lying about in all directions,
telling them they were brave men; that
they hated to shoot them, that if they
would give themselves up, they would
bring them inside the fort, snd care for
them, and parol them but if they at
tempted to stir to get away they would
shoot them. A few. who were badly
wounded and who were suffering for wa
ter, and nearly dead from long exposure
to the sun, acceded to the proposals and
gave themselves up; but the greatest part
chose sutferingirather than to surrender.
When one of them moved hand or foot,
the rebels would fireka volley at him. So
it was death to stir. They suffered awful.
ly for want of water, and the burning
heat Of southern summers sun. A few
crawled off IN safety. When night came,
those that were able, got away, and the
hospital corps searched the ground and
brought off all they could find. Some
were taken in by the rebels. The dead
lie unburried, so we can only estimate our
losses by counting those that returned,
which Can be easily done, they are so few
The eight companies that participated in
the late battles, now muster 46 effective
men. Twice have those men assaulted
the Notifications, each time carrying the
works, and twice have they been left un-
supported by towards in the rear, who
dared not follow them after they had