Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-08-19


Ledie formed his troops in three lines of
battle, having each front of about six
hundred. The I'd Brigade of this divis.
ion (Col. MarshalD led the assault, fol-
lowed by the Brigade (Gen. w. F. Bart
lett,) and the third line made up Of the
I'd Brigade (Col. Gould's.) The left Of
Ledlie's division was supported by Brig.
Gen. Hartraupft's brigade of the Sd
Division (Wilcox's) and its right by Gen.
Griffn's brigade Of Potter's division
The 4th Division of the 9th Corps all
negroes) was directly in rear of the as
saulting column, to press forward when.
ever practicable.
The Fourteenth New York heavy ar
tillery were the first to enter the breach
made by the explosion. They bounded
forward at the word, in the midst Of the
shock Of the artillery, through the dense
clouds of flying dust, and clamberiug
over the debris, fonud themselves violent
ly pushed down into the yawuing crater.
The sight which there met them must
have oeen appalling. Bodies of dead
rebels crushed and lnangled out Of all
resemblance to humanity, writhing forms
partly buried, arms protrud:ng here and
legs struggling there. very hell of hor-
row and torture, confined to a space 6fty
feet in length and half as many wide.-
But the time was not favorable to the
play of humane promptings. This chaos
of mangled humanity mixed with debris
of implements and munitions Of war
must be unheeded. Enough for the
storming party to do was found in ex-
huming two pieces of rebel cannon with
four caissons, and, in obedience to the
law of self-preservation, turning the guns
upon the enemy, who was throwing into
the crater shower of shells and minnie
balls from the hill beyond, and from
points on either side, which they still
held en- this first line. Getting these
pieces into position promptly, and under
cover Of their fire, the assaulting column
was reformed and at the word of COM.
mand dashed forward once more to storm
the crest Of the hill.
THE REpULsE.
1t was task too great. They gal
lantly essayed it, and nearly gained the
summit, subjected all the time to with.
ering fire, which increased in 6erceness at
every step, until they became the centre
of converglng storm Of shot and shell.
Attacked OH the right flank and the left
flank, in front and rear, they were COM
PEELED to fall back to the partial pro.
lection of the crater leaving their
course thickly strewn with the dying
and the dead.
In the rear of the main column of at
tack the colored division had been form
ed with view to passing the other divis-
ion, when they had gained the outer
line, and making this starting point for
the continuance Of the charge. The first
division held the centre, with the Second
and Third on either flank, and now the
Fourth advanced beyond. The troops
were in two columns, each brigade con-
stituting column. Their splendid dis.
cipine could not but be observed, and in
the early part of the contest no soldiers
behaved more gallantly. They charged
upon the next and interior line Of the
enemy, and for time gained decided ad-
vantages, as is attested in two rebel bat
tie flags which they captured and brcugh
off with them. But the rebels, exasper-
ated as we know them now to have been
at the sight o. the negroes, fought with
the fury of devils, and, reinforcements
coming to their aid our signal officers
counted six brigades hurried from camp
beyond the towu-thc tide Of battle turn
ed. The colored troops gave way. broke
in confusion, when the rebels, having re.
pulsed their charge, charged them in
turn, terror stricken, disordered mass
of fugatives, to the rear Of the white
troops.
Many brave officer lost his life while
doing his utmost to rally them, and al
thou Oh portions Of them were got to.
gcther and led forward by those gallant
men, they could not induce them to at
tempt another charge, while it is raid by
many that they broke no less than three
times, each time suffering the most freight.
ful loss. The enemy's batteries were so
placed as to enilade the ground over
which they had gone, and perfect showers
of canister were sent among them each
moment they were in range 1t soon be-
came evident that the effort to carry the
hill was useless, so much time having
been lost in trying to get this division to
do the work and about 9 O'Clock the
order was giren to hold as much Of the
ground in our possession as possible,
while the remainder was to be evacuated.
As soon as this became known, every
body felt that the entire object Of the
movement had been defeated.
A correspondent Of the New York
Tribune speaking Of the charge of the
negro troops says:
AT nine o'clock Ferrero's division of
coored troops were brought up to dis
lodge the enemy from the hill, and. from
the gallant style ia which they came up,
it was believed their attempt would be
successful. Subjected to the same severe
ordeal, they wavered moment. and then
breaking in disorder, in spite Of tho en-.
treaties and threats of their officers. who
behaved splendidly, they fell back in con.
fusion through our lines, repulsed and de-
moralized. 1t was their 6rst baptism in
fire. and the severity Of the ordeal is
considered, the fact that they did fall
back is matter Of no great surprise
Finally rallyinQ, they again advanced