Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-20

Colonel Daudy, commanding the Tooth Nov
YORK volunteers, in a speech before the Buff
falo Board Of Trade, foW days since, gave the
following eloquent description Of the part
taken by his regiment In assault on Fort
Wagner
w The 10th OF July the attack on Morris
Island was madei with what result you know.
The Tooth crossed Light House Inlet under Gre
Of the enemy's artillery, behaved with great
GOODNESS, and were highly complimented by
Gen. Hodges, commanding the brigade, for
their conduct on that occasion. And now We
come to the memorable assault on Fort Wag-
ner. II will be remembered that on tho 1Ith
of July force consulting OF two regiments and
battalion of four companies, under COM
mand Of Gen. Strong, advanced at daybreak to
assault Fort Wagner. That assault was re-
pulsed with great loss. Our regiment was not
engaged on this occasIon-it was reposing
after the tolls OF the previous night.
Our regiment, belonging 10 the ID brigade,
Col. Putnam, was formed for the attack at o In
the morning. We remained on tho beach, in
the boiling sun, until In the afternoon, when
we were ordered to advance. This we did until
we reached point OF the island under the fire
Of Forts Johnston, Sumter, Gregg and Wagner.
1t was here, while drawn up In line, that
round shot from Sumter took three mon from
my ranks, and 1t was with pleasure observed
that the order TO close up 70 NIL the gap thus
made was promptly obeyed. 1t gave me great
confidence in the courage and discipline OF the
men, many OF whom had not served on the
Peninsula. But we advance again, and as the
shades of evening draw around US, many
brave man looks bis last upon the setting sun
Now the grape shot and canister tear through
the ranks shells explode among our devoted
men; the heavy, dull thug Of the grape shot, n
1t reaches Its victim, 10 relieved by the demo
MAC whlstllng and screaming OF that terrible
projectile, tho Bchrapnel.
At last death is before us; behind us; on each
side OF us-blood, blood, everywhere. To add
TO the terrors Of this occasion the routed first
brigade comes screaming back and breaks
through our lines. We press oDj the deadly
mimic bullet lends Its aid, and the parapet Of
Wagner Is one fierce glare as Of lightning. W,
have immense gaps In our ranks, but no paus.
ing. Coward I" is the cry, and onward ",
go 70 meet death in new formi TO gasp amid
all the horrors OF suifocatlon In an almost bot
tomlcss ditchi or, when a footing could DO OBJ
tained, to be raked anew by grape and CAMS
ter. Many OF the brave men OF the 100tt
gained that parapet, but only TO die there; theil
bodies moulder at the bottom Of the sllmN
ditch, 1t was on the Rarapet that the color
bearer OF the regiment, the gallant Sergean
for the colors between the rebels and our colo
guard ensued. He was Pt last borne of b.
Corporal Ebenezer spooner, who is now Plrs
Lieutenant In the regiment.
Here fell Lieuts. Cyrus Brown, Renckle Kay
auagh, and my Adjutant Haddock, with hos
OF noble men.
Honor to the dead Of that neld-they uer
buried In shallow pit, and the encroO chment
Of the ocean have left many OF their bones u
whlten on the banks OF the neighboring islands
The winds sing tho requiem as they hurr
thither from our northeastern uStsrS. Psac
#9i They have fought their last hsht,
They have seen their last battle,
No sound shall awake them
To glory again"
In that hght our regiment behaved like vet
Grams and our officers like heroes. Let tn
names OF Bailey and Rauert, OF Ernst an
GranlDr, Of NcMann and Howell and Frida,
and spooner, who still live, be put on the rec
ord that they may be known for their braV
deeds when the history OF the regiment shall
become part Of the history Of the nation an
they themselves have passed away. And Il
fact we are all making history, you as certain
ly by the aid and support you give to the caus
at home as we who are called upon 10 shar
the tolls, labors and dangers OF the field L
this engagement took 1876 enlisted mon an
Is officers into action, and lost In killet
wounded and missing l76 enlisted men and
officers. When you consider that the engag,
ment lasted not longer than two hours from Il
commencement TO our final repulse, you wi
say that the assault on Fort Wagner was pc
haps the most deadly conflict ofthe war.