The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-09

sNN@DA
they dared not expose 30 much a. finger.
OCCASIONALLY one or two would attempt to
dash down the hill and run the gauntlet.
bat Of all who attempted this not one es-
capped. At the same time the enemy was
unable to come forth and capturethem, for
esal ,muskets carefully poised on our
trenches for their protection. aAnH ..ss,
b Under the cover Of our artillery q posi-
ton several hundred yards in advance was
fortified and held by the brigades Just re-
pulsed. So little we're the troops shaken
by the failure TINT Gen'l Morgan q. Smith
proposed TO make another assault at r.
to permit 1t. These were the veterans Of
Vicksburg, and universally they proclaim
ed the ground charged over infinitely more
difficult than that Of Vicksbur1s The adj
vance position taken left tho sv-6mpy thick
ct to the rear, and indeed, include portions
Of the rifle pits on the enemy's lines. At
noon Gen'l Dodge closed upon the LEFT Of
noon wss desultory,I tie gums on Kenessw
opening occasionally and eliciting q most
vigorous reply. In the evening our brass
bands played . lively selection Of patriotic
airs, which must have sounded the least
little bit malicious to the Johnnies, who
were prone to Imagine that We were terribly
cut up, in spirits, ~ we'll - men.
THE ASSAULT IN rHE CENTER. 81.
The 4th and 18th corps-the staunch con-
ter Of the army-were called upon to give
fresh proof of their valor. These two corps
though originally in front Of Kenesaw had
been pushed BY the convergtng advance Of
our army to the southwark Of that frown-
ing peak. The noble 4th corps, though by
heavy odds, the heaviest sufferer in the ar.
my, was one Of the three from which an as
sault was demanded. The boys were tired
of heavy skirmishing-that had grown te-
dious and lost its excitement-and believe
when they were apprised that their corps
was to furnish two or three assaulting col
umns, they received the intelligence with 4
quick Understanding more. This thing
Of killing and being killed had become an
every day affair; every platoon in the corps
had bled freely since The campaign opened.
They felt, probably, as all veterans must
feel, some apprehension for the result of an
assault upon heavily fortified enemy-but
none for themselves,
Early In the gray of morning the prepar-
atoms Tor the assault commenced, the first
symptom being an unusually early break
fast. There was no evidence in the move
ments or bearing of the men that they
were soon to essay 1.-THE deadly, imminent
breach, }" though they must have been con-
one which mono but men hoping to meet
death would covet. Between seven and
eight o'clock the lines were formed-New-
toms division, consisting Of Gen'ls Wagner,
Kimball and Harker's brigades being Sc
lected ~ the storming parties, Kimbalps
being on the left and somewhat retired to
act as support to the other two. Wagner
held the center and Barker the right. SIAN
ley's and Woods divisions of the 4th Corps
furnished supports on the Hanks of the as
saulting brieades, but they were not engage
ed and their loss was trifiing.
ASSAULT OF wAGNER's BRIGADE.
This splendid brigade, composed of the
10th Indiana, 57th Indiana, 97th Ohio, Goth
Ohio, Tooth Illinois, and 18th KY, were
thrown into column of regimental divi-
sions, thus giving the brigade . front of
The advance regiment was the 10th Indi-
ana commanded by the fearless Blake
The column was formed in good season,
and during the brief respite that ensued
before the word charge was given, the men
rested in their places silently, and no one
would have guessed from their uudiSturb.
ed faces, that oil the latent .gallantry Of
into fury Of heroism during the next ten
minutes. Here was . man carefully re-
lacing his shoe, and tucking away the
strings, the proposition that forl0rn hopes
should b we'll and tightly shod expressed
plainly in his movements. Letters were
torn and crumpled and thrown furtively
aside. Doubtless miniatures came from
their hiding places for q moment that
morning, but such things are done in the
army II profound secrecy. The soldier
hates . scene, end none more than the
purely sentimental variety. .~.~e
" At half-pas eight the men sprang to their
feet, the word ffaught with death for many,
with glory for all, had that instant been
given: Thirty consecutive lines Of blue
1T Znw- 81 1T N<pam
making through the scattered trees and
underground In splendid order. Before
them, on the crest Of q ridge was the silent,
and to the sight untenanted convexRalient
I Of the enemy's works which they were
aiming for. They neared it rapidly, their
enthusiasm rising with every step.
and their hearts rising. high as indistinct
apet became mere furrow, over which il
seemed they must 80. But the next mo-
ment the gates of hell opened in their very
| faces. A close, concentrated, whitening
16last Of musketry swept over tho front
| lines. leaving IL indented but unwavering;
with the momentum Of . mighty river,
the brigade swept on until but two hum.
dred psces-a mere stones cast it looked
~divided the assailants and the assailed.
The musketry OF the enemy died to mere
| patterin9-muskets must Be reloaded, and
this fact sometimes loses battles. But pal.
isades and abattig must b passed, anC
twitl, the next rebel volley, fired as the
fearless 10th Indiana reached q point with.
in one hundred pace. Of their works c, came me
teeth of the Inspired brigade opened a bat:
terry Of six guns, belching forth grape and
canister, every shot ploushing through the
/ devoted ranks, and tho thick fumes o.
their guns enveloping the interval O
ground over which our brigade must pass
Every ball from those guns enhiaded sixty
men, the column Of attack - have a.
ready said being thirty lines deep: The
ftonf lines shattered to pieces, slackened
the furious onset, which brought those 10
the,near jammine up In ono confused mass
i Of men confused, but stu bent on theiI
feaAfully grim and bloody task. II VA
intended, when tho headiof TIA assaultinl
column reached ! point ithiA pistol shol
ofthe enemy's parapet: 70 play Into col
umn Of fegiments. This Was no Longer
feasible. for Organization was lost, and the
whole column was tightly closed, surglne
mass Of men, ragged at the edges-bus ~
4 moving ono way-toward tho enemy.
The rebel battery fred second vOlloy