Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-06
CAMP FIFTH WIS. Vol, |
Correspondence of the State journal.

1 correspondence Ol bAe Gbdte SONAAoA
CAMP FIFTH WIS. Vol,
In THE FIELD, April 10, 1859
Messrs acknowledging to the rapidity of
our movements since leaving our winter camp,
having been constantly marching or fighting,
even in the night time in more than one IN
stance, it has been impossible for me to give
! you detailed account of our part IN the mo-
| mentous events of the eight days just gone.
Inasmuch, however, as this part was very I'M
uorta,st and full of interest, it will be expected
by our home friends that some description be
given, even though it be at this late date.
For several days prior to April I'd, constant
| fighting on our left had been going on, and
| the very air vas full OF rumOrs as to the part
we were to bear in the events about trans
piring For three days it was generally un-
| derstood that our corps was to make an at
tack upon the enemy's lines in our front.
| The plan was definitely arranged and was to
have been carried out on two different morn
ings prior to April I'd. In the preparation of
| this plan Col. Allen was consulted, as he al
WAYS ia. by his immediate superiors, and to
him was given the post of perilous honor
that of leading the assault to be made upon
the enemy's works. Our regiment, with the
| 37th Massachusetts Vols. divided and on
either flank, all under command of Col. Allen,
| were tLe .elvenna line nf our division. and
| our division was to advance to the attack
first, when, if successful, the I'd and Sd diyis-
| ions were to enter the works also.
At IL o'clock, on the night of the first,
| (iust four years, if remember rightly, from
the time a rebel gun was fred at the Star of
| tie WeSt,) we left the camp to get in position
| for the terrible task of stOrming works before
this deemed by both sides well nigh irwin
chile. Judge of the emotions of these men,
every one of whom knew the terrible work
before them.
At about o'clock the troops filed through
the breast.works, to get in position near the
picket line. Here they lay until the hour
arrived for making the assault, still almost
motionless, notwithstanding the GOODNESS of
the night. When the hour came, away they
went, with cheer after cheer, capturing a
! large portion of the rebel picket line, cutting
down and otherwise destroying the abattis
| fronting the rebel fort-one of their most
| terrible oppOnents-then on again, until the
ditch was reached, the parapet mounted, the
Johnnies shot down" brained"-that is,
struck down with the butt ends of their mus
kets. or taken prisoners and thus the fort
was gained, the rebel line broken, and the
lock 10 Petersburg and Richmond opened !;
| for every one knew that in breaking the rebel
| lines. no matter at what point, these strong
| holds must fall.
The high honor of first breaking these
| lines. of first entering the works, menacing
our front so long, holding US at bay, OF plant
| ing the stars and stripes upon their parapets,
| of taking possession of their guns-in word,
of forming the entering wedge that was TO
| split in pieces the rebellion, belongs to the
brave men of the 9th Wisconsin Volunteers,
led by their daring and intrepid Colonel, and
his equally brave associates.
/ +ba hat might ha
/ toned in connection with the charge upon
the works. Capt. Doughty fell, as you " Ill
| have seen by the list of killed and wounded
already sent you, bravely leading his men TO
the onset. As a soldier, he was faithful and
tue to the cause which for four years he
| had served. and for which his Iifc's blood
was freely given OUl. Allen, notwithstand-
| ing his feeble health and lack OF strength,
was one of the very first men in the works.
1t is very touching to see the devotion OF
| these men so their leaders. 81 am not afraid
TO 90 where Tom. Allen leads" is the almost
universal expression The first question of
! the old men who had been wounded in some
previous fight, and were, therefore, unfit for
1 fipbt. was, Chow did Col. Allen get through?
| Is he safe ?" The other field officers, without
/ exception, share this same confidence and re
| spect of the men. LIT. Col. Bull is brave TO a
faults, and is by all regarded as very fne
| officer, valuable acquisition to our regl-
ment, and an officer of whom the men are
Justly proud, as he in turn is justly proud of
them. Major Kempfs name is but a synonym
| for bravery, and Adjutant Curran is regarded
universally, in the language of his command
err, as "a very valuable officer" While l
write, hear group of boys talking, aud in
unison with the above one says, the response
| of all being atfirmatively, 1--WE have good
men and brave men for our officers" l am
| glad can add that the same is true of near
| " all the company officers. To the simple
| fact of possessing such officers may be attri-
buted, in great part, the fighting reputation
of this regiment. That it has a reputation
second to no other, is evidenced by the fact
that the general commanding selected Col.
| Allen and his regiment to lead the charge
| upon the enemy's works. That they did their
| duty well, may be evidenced by the fact of
| glorious success, and the sacrifice by which
| it was gained, our loss being one-eighth of
/ that of the entire corps.
The feelings of suspense and anxiety and
| sadness experienced when this charge was
/ being made so plainly to be heard at the
breast works where were the Asst. Surgeon
and Chaplain with hospital attendants, were
beyond all description. They were so in
| tense as to produce well nigh utter exhaus-
| ton, "Will they succeed and how many
will fall in the attempt?" How full of inter-
est these questions How almost convul-
sively did they move the soul /! And when
the word came back, "The fort is ours-the
| line is broken" could not repress the tears,
though seldom caused to flow by even
the deepest emotion. And when the wound
ed came back one by one the tears scolad flow.
These were in part tears of sadness that so
many had fallen, but chiefly tears of thank
| fulness that the number was so small COM
pared with what we feared, and especially
| that we had succeeded. IL seemed ouovss
thus to pour forth the expression of the
hearts and thankfulness to the Providence
that ruled over all.
Immediately upon entering the works our
men divided to the right and left, attacking
the rebel TANKS, and steadily driving them
| from breast work to breast work and fort to
| fort, thus opening the way for other brigades
| to enter. The different divisions of the corps
| having thus crushed the rebels here at about
9 o'clock, reformed in line and started by the
flank for Petersburg. Nothing could be more
grand than this. To see a column of troops
marching thus by the flank, capturing work
after work, mounting heavy guns by which
the column was sheIled, for we might say
miles of its approach and delaying not mo-
| ment in that long, long day for breakfast or
dinner, fighting constantly, every heart and
| hand bent upon the realization OF the one
| hope of all-the reduction of the rebel
4 Hour uhlitna the anpetacia L