Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-07-02
For the Telegraph.
From the 50th Colored Regiment.

| HBADQUARTERs 59TH u. 8. INFANTRY, (TolORED,) I
MKNPnIs, TENN, June IA, 1854. }
At the present, time the question, "Will
the negro fight 2" is one Of great Importance
to the nation. 1t no longer has mere
tbeoretc interest. 1t is one full of prac-
tical importance to all loyal men Until
recently it has been supposed that be would
not and could not make good soldier.
And now the public mind is divided on this
question. Hoping thereby to throw some
light on question so vital to the nations
Welfare at the present hour, / propose to
give brief sketch Of the part taken by
the colored troops 10 the recent expedition
under Gen. Sturges to Brice Cross Roads
near Gum Town, Miss.
Only two regiments of the Colored Brig
ude were in the expedition, viz, the 55th
and 59th, being under the command of
Col. Boughtun, of the 59ih, and being
about three hundred and Fifty strong. They
were placed ln the rear to guard the train;
the 55lh, cotnpahy by company between
the wagons at proper distances, and the
59th in the rear Of the whole train. When
they came within about six miles of the
battle ground they heard the firing, and
pressed forward as fast as possible. And
when they came within four miles, an or
der came Cor them to go in on "double
quick" The day was intensely warm, and
when they arrived many of the men were
nearly exhausted. Col McMllat 10 com.
mnnd Of the division, rode up to Colohel
Boughton and said to him "Uuless the
colored troops can hold the enemy in check
the whole Division of Infantry thust be lost.
The noble reply was-"We will do it, or
perish in the attempt" Our troops had
been taken TO The field and tohipped IN dctaaj
first the Cavalry, and then the White In.
fantry, aud now The Colored were to be
led in. just as the last white regiments were
retreatng from the field. The 59th formed
on tie right Of the whole line of battle
One company was ordered forward as skr.
mshers, and the remainder of the regiment
was ordered to fall back. The skrmsb
line had become far in the advance, so that
there was danger that they would be flank
ed, aud they too were ordered 10 retreat
Bat some of them were SO anxious TO re-
tain their good position for shooting rebels
that they still stood and fired at them so
long, that some were taken prisoners. One
however, eluded his captors, aud came in
safely. In meantime the regiment had
formed another line of battle in deep
ditch, where they fought for some time
with great valor and good execution. But
as they were being ianked they were or
dered to fall ba ok, and they formed on Col
Wilkins (of the 8 h Min. right. where
they again fought with determined bravery
until all the white troops had left, and as
they were again being hanked, Lit. COL
Cowden 10 command Of the regiment, or
dered them to retirej which they did, and
firing as they went. they formed again 10
skirt of brush on bill where they stood
fifteen minutes, when the enemys shells
came so fast that they retTeated TO a cot
ton gin about two hundred yards distant,
where again they fought three-quarters of
on hour. AS they were again being flank
ed, they were compelled again to retreat,
which was done by the right of compa.
nies for a quarter of mile over an open
field, the rear keeping up o steady fire.
Here they found large portion of the
9th MiuDsoota in the brush in line of
SSaltle
By this time it was dark, and all the
troops except the colored brigade and the
9th Minnesota we're perfectly panic strick-
en- and en- route for Ripley, twenty-five
miles distant, and to which point these
troops took their line OF march, and where
they arrived about day-break on the morn
ing of the l1th of Jane. About sunrise
the enemy advanced on the town and
threatened our right. intending to cut us
off from the Salem road. Again the col.
ored troops were the only ones that could
be brought into line. the 59Ih being on the
extreme right, and the 55th on the left
holding these streets. AT this time the
men had not to exceed ten rounds of am
munition, and the enemy were crowdlng
still closer and closer when the b0th were
ordered to charge, which they did in good
style. while they sang "We'll rally round
the flag boys" This charge drove the
enemy back so that both regiments retreat
ed to pine grove about two hundred yards
distant. sas
By this time all the white troops except
one squadron Of cavalry that had formed