Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-16
fwnllsm swintou's Cerrsspoaeisnes sIth the New
York Tines 1

tWllliam swintou's CerFsa 20 udsnes sIth the New
York Tines.
am about TO narrate an incident
which will make draft on the faith Of
the reader even greater than the asser-
ton that portions Of our line held their
position within fifty yards Of the rebel
works--and that Is, that ene portion Of
our limo retained al day position with
in fifteen yards Of the rebel works This
heroic band vas the brigade Of Colonel
Mexican, brigade Of Gibbon's division
Of Hancock's corps, and numbering
about eight hundred men. The conduct
Of these eight hundred ia "a splendid Q
stroke OF heroism as ever liz up the story
Of " the glory we call Greece and the
grandeur we call Rome" Through the
hve-long day these men hsld their line,
within hlesn yards Of the enemy, aud
all his force could not dislodge them.
Repeatedly during the day the rebels
form double columns Of attack 10 come
over the work and assail them, and the
officers could be heard encouraging their
troops BY telling them there are only
four or hve hundred Of lhsm-come on.
But the moment the rebels showed them
selves above their parapat n lias Of fire
flashed out from behind the earther
mound where those eight hundred herosl
stood in new Thsrmopylm, and many
rebel threw up his arms and fell prom,
under their swift avenging bullets.
The sequsl Of this biz Of history is al
curious as the deed itself-for xhile the
rebels dared not venture out TO assai
McKean's men, neither could he nor hii
command reeede from his peEilous posi
ton. He could not get back to as--w,
could not 90 forward to him. In thi
dilemma the ingenious device was hi
upon Of running a sap" or EigzaI
trench, up from our line to his. In thi
way working party we're able to di
their way up to where they lay, begrim
med with powder and worn down wit
fatigue, and, few hours ago, they wer
brought safely away. IAN that wer
: left Of them, left Of eight hundred J
But Mexican, their gallant leader, cam
not away alive. Since eleven in th
morning he had lain behind the bulwar
his valor defendsd--a corpse. Viii
standing up preparing to resist . rebl
assault, ne leiii picTSeu uT tus outtct
sharpshootsr, and, after living for a
!. hour or two in an sgonizing death-i
; life, begging his staff officers to put q
] end to hiH misery, his heroic soul forsoc
! the turmoil Of this weary, wArrir
world.
There we're other scenes along tho
lines drawn so close up to the enem
: not so grave, and others Of grim kir
Of iolliiy. For example, q man wou
sing out from behind our breastworks 4
h signal Of attack, Forward, guide CO
II tire, whereupon the rebels, plainly hes
\ ing all that was said, would start up fro
Il behind their parapet, and our men, ju
pesring above their pits, and "drawil
bead " on the uprising rebels, wou
bring many one down with bloc
gift, dispatched with znerring aim. {
is again, one Of the rebels calling 8 parls
would cry out: Yauks, aint il abe
yoar time to cook eofee3' "Yes,"
a plies Yank. "Then," rejoins Mr.. Reb
"a "a diff you won't shoot while I make
=. johnny-cake, / won't shoot while y
y make your coffee" Whereupon the
iinary truce Was observed with seru
ia lous fidelity. Il is in such ways 4
'ss' grim-visaged war, Of = time, smoo
his wrinkied face.