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


they dared not expose 20 much ~ . 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
uuablet0 come forth and capture them, for
every man was covered by 4 hundred Fed
eral .muskets carefully. poised on our
trenches for their projections. 80
Under the cover Of our artillery posi-
ton several hundred yards in advance was
fortified and held by the brigades just re-
pulsed. So little were the troops shaken
by the failure TINT Gen'l Morgan =. Smith
proposed TO make another assault at 2 r.
r., but the commanding General refused
TO permit IT, These were the veterans Of
ed the ground charged over infinitely more
difficult than4 that Of vicksburg. The ad-
vance position taken left the sv-lmpy thick
q to the rear, and indeed, include portions
OF the rifle pits on the enemy,s lines. At
noon 0en'l Dodge closed upon the left Of
the brigades, and firing during the after
noon was desultory, the gum. on Kenesaw
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 ewero terribly
cut uP, In spirits, ~ well - men.
THE ASSAULT IN THE CENTER.
The 4th and 18th corps-the staunch CEN
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 converging 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 to-
dious and lost it's 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-
ati0ns for 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 thew
were soon to essay ''the deadly, imminent
breach, !" though they must have been con-
scious that the taak laid out for them was
one which none but men hoping to meet
death would covet. Between seven and
eight o'clock the lines were formed-New-
toms division, consisting Of Gen Ii Wagner.
Kimball and Harker's brigades being Sc
lected - the storming parties, Kimballs
being on the left and Somewhat retired to
act as . support to the other two. Wagner
held the center and Barker the right. Stan
ley's and Woods divisions Of the 4th Corps
furnished supports on the TANKS Of the as
saulting brieades, but they were not engage
ed and their loss was trifling.
ASSAULT OF wA0NER's BRIGADE.
s This splendid brigade, composed of the
10th Indiana, 57th Indiana, 07ih Ohio, 26th
Ohio, Tooth 1llinOis, and 18th KY, were
thrown into q column Of regimental divi.
sions, thus giving the brigade front of
two companies and depth Of thirty lines.
The advance regiment was the 10Th Indi-
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 undisturb-
ed faces, that al the latent gallantry Of
their natures could BE- aroused and dashed
into fury Of heroism during the next ten
minutes. Hero was . man carefully re-
lacing his shoe, and tucking away the
strings, the propooition that f0rlorn hopes
should b well and tightly shod expressed
plainly In hiD movements. Letters were
torn and crumpled and thrown fnrtively
aaide. Doubtless miniatures came from
their hiding places for . moment that
morning, bat such things are done in the
army II profound secrecy. The soldier
hates . scene, end none more than the
purely sentimental variety. .->-.A
u At half-past 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
-
making through the scattered trees and
underground in splendid order. = Before
them, on the crest Of ridge was the silent,
and to the sight untenanted convexealient
Of the enemy's works which thQS were
aiming for. They neared it rapidly, their
enthusisss rising with 18th every step.
objects grew plain, % the slopes Of the par
apet became mere furrow, over which Il
seemed they must 90. But the next mo-
ment the gates of hell opened in their very
faces. A close, concentrated, whitening
|blast of musketry swept over tho front
lines, leaving II indented but unwavering;
the brigade swept on until but two hum
dred poces-a mere stones cast IL looked
-divfded the assailants and the assailed.
The musketry OF the enemy died to mere
pattering- must be reloaded, and
this fact sometimes loses battles. But PAL
isades and abattls must Be pessed, and
with the next rebel volley, tired % the
In one hundred PAGES OF their works, came
. more awful thunder. Squarely in the
teeth OF the inspired brigade opened bat
tery OF six guns, belching forth grape and
canister. every shot plouShing through the
devoted ranks, and tho thick fumes Of
their gums enveloping the interval Of
ground over which our brigade must pass.
E-~.- =. II N.nsr. tlsS>aA nns.e ae,9l aAna sSwtv