New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-17
him Johnny said, "You have hit mep-
" We,l.n said the darkey in the most indifferent

was brought In, the TCDels Haue tDe a''aeh anu
it became necessary TO retire few yards TO
more favorable position. After trying for a
couple OF hours TO dislodge us they withdrew
leaving US to enjoy the ground peaceabiy. The
next day, the 9th, We started on the advance,
and bivou&cked in an opening near the Siono
River, some two miles north Of Legare'ille and
about halfmile from the river. The Stono
River separated Us from James Island. Oppo-
site us lay couple Of monitors, who, every
few minutes, paid their respects to Fort Prin-
gle, which fort replied briskly.
We lay in this spot till the 7th. In The
forenoon of that day Colonel Silliman calied
the officers to him, and told them they would
have chance TIA. afternoon 70 show them
selves A rebel battery had been dSco'e rcd
TWO miles to our right, and the commanding
general had selected the 2cth u c. e. TO
charge it. They were to march ct two o'ciocK'
and at four The charge was to he made
The battery was posted in a very favorable
position on tie road running FROM LegoTeviAe'
North being stationed at the farther side OF "a
large clearing which might have been occu-
pied as hop yard, but was not. AT the ap-
pointed hour the regiment sous, started on
their mission. About half milo before reach
ing the field of action, The column halted, and
the men divested themselves Of all supcrl'lous
baggage, SO they had nothing hut guns ana
acoutremcnts ard canteens. We halted Tor
few moments, and then were again ORDERED
forward. Along the southern side OF the clear
ing, and just in the edge of the woods, and
nearly parallel with their line of battle, was a
road. which was concealed from them by g
high mud wall, which, in this country, answers
the pu-poses of a fence. Here We filed OIL 10
the left. Afer advancing few hundred yards
this road became indistinct, and soon it ceased
to be road. We climbed over fence into
the almost impenetrable thicket that Icy before
US, which, with the swampy nature OF the SOIL
rendered our progress slow, yet laborions, aad
our passage difficult and intricate.
1t was our purpose to proceed under cover q
these woods, and also under cover Of the mud
70 the rear OF their right file out into the open
ings and there charge them on that flank
while company Of sharp shooters was 70 DC
posted elsewhere TO draw their fire. In look
ing out upon their clearing saw that we had
q good half mile to charge under heavy IRE.
They were eight hundred strong, with four ne
ces of artillery, while we were single small
regiment, mastering less than six hundred.
The opening was full of bitches, st almost reg
ular intervals, running parallel with the line
ofbaitle. Into one Of these bitches we filed,
which with the weeds, partially concealed Us
from the enemy. They had, however, discoy-
cred 3, and were Smelling us heavily Since
our movement after entering the clearing was
necessarily quick, the men were nearly cxhaus
ted by the time VIC reached the spot where tho
charge was 10 commence. The fatigue caused
by our hard labor for the last hour, and the
heat of the sun, rendered the men fit for any
thing but charging battery, where quick
movement Is the only salvation, and the only
hope of success. After resting here for min
ute or two, the colonel rose up and said, Now
my game cocks! Are you readyt" The men
answered by rising up This is negro regi-
ment, remember "Now show them what you
are made OFF, They go forward with will
and loud shout And never had seen troops
old or new, act with cooler determination,
although they were heated by fatigue and the
sun. They went forward as though they were
certain there were no rebels at their front.
They advanced under heavy fire of musketry
and artillery. But what can exhausted nature
do. Our only safety lay in making rapid
movement, and now we were actually walking
while the missiles of death were laying many a
poor fellow low We cannot reach the works
and are ordered TO retire, which We do few
yards and take shelter in one Of the bitches
After little they go forward agan,-these ne
groes who, Of course, won't fight, you know
and now the colonel was brought down by a
sun-stroke, and taken from the field for dead
Capt. Salisbury assumes command and orders
our advance, and again we ore forced back
We charge five times sgainst their four pieces
of artillery and eight hundred support when
orders come from the rear, for US TO retreat
The men did it reluctantly. This position
should have been taken, and it would have
been, with another regiment to aid US; but
we had no aid, and the right was given to the
enemy TO fortify and reinforce, which opportu-
nifty they improved 70 the utmost
As 1t was, we gained nothing, and lost 81 in