The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-17
Eight Hundred Heroes.

Mr.. SwINToN, whose lucid account of the
battle of Chicahominy, fought on Friday, the
Sd inst, was given in the Post Thursday morn
ing, gives the following instance of unqualified
heroism which occurred at one portion of the
battle line. After stating that the enemy in
one place had made the strange mistake of
drawing their intrenchments on the rearward
slope of the crest, he says:
This explanation is the more needed, be-
cause am about to narrate an incident which
will make a draft on the faith of the reader
even greater than did the assertion that por-
tions Of our line held their position within fifty
yards of the rebel wOrks-and that is, that one
portion of our line retained all dav position
within fifteen yards of the rebel works This
heroic band was the brigade of COL Mexican,
a brigade of Gibbons division of Hancock's
corps, and numbering about eight hundred
men. The conduct Of these eight hundred is
as splendid a stroke of heroism as ever lit upon
the story of "the glory we call Greece, and the
grandeur we call Rome" Through the live.
long day these men held their line, within fif-
teen yards Of the enemy, and all his force
could not dislodge them. Repeatedly during
the day, the rebels formed double columns of
attack to come over the work and assail them,
and the officers could be heard encouraging
their troops by telling them "there are only
four or five hundred Of them-come on" But
the moment the rebels showed themselves
above their parapet, line Of fire flashed out
from behind the earthen mound where those
eight hundred heroes stood in O new Their
mopyle, and many rebel threw up his al ms
and fell prone under their swift avenging bull
lets.
The sequel of this bit of history is as curious
as the deed itself-fOr while the rebels dared
not venture out to assail McKean's men, nei-
A. I, L. 4v.I IL
the perilous position. He could not get back
to us-we could not 60 forward to him. In
this dilemma the ingenious device was hit upon
of running sap or Zig-Zag trench up from our
line to his. In this way working party were
able to dig their way up to where they lay, be.
grimed with powder and worn down with ia
tigue, and few hours ago they were brought
safely away
"All that were left of them
Left of eight hundred
But Mexican, their gallant leader. he came not
away alive. Since eleven in the morning he
had lain behind the bulwark his valor defended
resist rebel assault he fell pierced by the
bullet ofa sharp-shooter, and after living for
an hour or two in an agonizing death-in-life,
begging his staff officers to put an end to his
misery, his heroic soul forsook the turmoil of
this weary. warning world.
There were other scenes along those lines
drawn so closely up to the enemy, not SO grave,
and others of grim kind of jollity. For ex-
ample, man would sing out from behind our
breastworks the signal of attack, Forward
guide CENTRE" whereupn the rebels, plainly
hearing all that was said, would start up from
behind their parapet, and our men, just peering
above their pits, and '' drawing bead on the
uprising rebels, would bring many one down,
with bloody gift, dispatched with unerring
aim. Or, again, one OF the rebels calling a
parley would cry out ''Yanks, amt it about
your time to cook coffee" ''Yes," replies
Yank. Then" rejoins Mr.. rebel, if you
won't shoot while make my johnny-cake, |
won't shoot while you make your coffee. y
Whereupon the culinary truce was observed
with scrupulous fidelity. 1t is in such ways
that grim yisaged war, of time, smooths his
wrinckled face