Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-06
THE sToRM;Se OF BLAKELEY.
fHR 18th WISCONSIN FIRST on The RAMPARE.

i'll the storming OF which the 18th Wisconsin,
under command of Maj MILLER, won great
distinction. Col. HARRIS, of the 18th, com
manded brigade. We extract the account
of the storming of Blakeley:
WHAT OUR MEN MUST sURMoUNT.
AsI looked through the embrasures con-
structed for Capt. Rice's guns, and saw the
nature and extent of the ground over which
| ou- soIdiars must pass in order to reach the
| enemy, / felt my heart almost sink within me.
| It would be impossible for them to move in
| line. Each man must climb and Chamber for
himself, and that over distance of nearly
seven hundred yards, through masses of mat
| ted timber, which really seemed insurmount-
able There could be none of the moral
power and courage which moving in line of
battle gives. The strength of each stout
soul must alone sustain its owner as he made
! the fearful journey. There could be none of
the enthusiasm and excitement produced by
gallant officers careering around on spirited
chargers. From the Major General down to
the private soldier, each must scramble along
on foot--eaeh one must pick and push his
way through the tangled mass of timber at
the same time that he breasted the fire from
the works.
THE ATTACK.
Our advance skirmishers began to feel their
way, and the rebels Immediately opened their
artillery Now it so happened that the point
where Gems. Garrard and Macarthur were
stationed, Ga little to the left of the 18th
Ohio battery although the best for cbserya-
ton, was probably the most exposed of any
along the whole line; for it was just at the
mouth of Favine which the enemy had all
along taken special pains to sweep with his
cannon. . storm of shot and shell tore
Al.
shivered to atoms some pine trees in our rear.
| stopped into the trench, and saw lying there
the fragments of a shell which had burst al
most at the feet of Major Sample. The brave
| General Macarthur stood cool and collected
upon the works, glass in hand, to watch the
| advance of the skIrmishers, as did also Colo
mel Harris, who was here near the center of
his brigade. 1t seemed impossible that they
should escape, and General Gerard warned
both to descend for a moment into the ditch.
The next instant huge shell darted like light
ming within couple OBJECT of them, and with
stunning shock exploded into fragments
lust beyond. Both then betOok themselves
for few minutes to such poor shelter as the
trench afforded.
CHARGE By GARRARD's FIRST LINE.
At six O'Clock the advance of our skirmish
lines had fairly begun and the regiments l
called the first line of Gen. Garrard's divis.
ion, we're moving with loud shouts towards
the rebel works. Then all sense of danger
from shells or bullets was forgotten by those
who remained behind, and hundreds who had
hitherto lain closely in the trenches, jumped
up anC cheered on their comrades.
looked with the rest and the scene was in
deed strange one. Wreaths of thin, blue
smoke were curling around the rebel ram
llxyH ID Aacr
OF vindictive fire. A rolling sound, like the
call to battle, beaten upon thousand drums,
pulsated through the air. Never for a mo-
ment did the fire slacken-not for an instant
was there an intermissIon in the sound. Sc
cure behind their works, the rebel foe poured
a continuous stream of bullets in the faces of
~ advancing soldiers.
And Gnese we're moving on, not in line of
battle or IN mass, N9r yet in confusion or pell
NELL Each man ha@ rs own obstacle to en-
counter, while all glanced som time to time
at the flags of their respective -egIments,
ready to form in serried phalanx the iaEtant
the nature of the ground would admit. At
one point they could be seen leaping sue
cessively over the huge trunk of a fallen tree;
at another, they pushed and crept through
wilderness of tangled branches. Here they
disappeared for a moment in the depths OF
ravine there they leaped line OF obstacles
at a bound. But whether climbing, leaping
or creeping, they still held their faces stead
lily toward the enemy still looked steadily in
the face of that line of angry fire and scarce
ly deigning to discharge a musket in return,
except at the rebel skirmishers who fed
wildly before them, seeking the shelter of
their works, they still advanced. n, " they
have reached the abattis, and are pus ling the
sharpened branches aside with their bayo-
nets.
OUR FLAG UPON THE RAMPARTs.
A ringing cheer sounded along our lines
A short, sharp struggle takes place at the
foot of the rebel rampant. Our men have
flung themselves across the ditch, aud are
elambering up the outer slope OF the works.
Another moment, and something flashes like
a meteor through the smoke and fire. Thank
God, it is the sacred banner of the stars! 1t
| floats as ever mid the storm of battle, the
emblem of liberty and light; and N an in
slant long lines of blue-coated soldiers are
ranged upon either side of it, standing proud
" erect upon the crest of the hostile works
1t was the flag of the 18th Wisconsin,
whose appearance there, betokening victory,
sent thrill through all hearts, and made
each man who looked upon it, as it fiuttered
over the rebel breastwoIks, envy the heroes
who had placed it there. o, the ecstasy of
that moment to the patriot soul, when the
banner which symbOlzes to him all the dear
est objects o. his enthusiasm, his reverence
and his love-that flag whose every fold is
bright with the light of freedom, amid
whose brilliant stripes cluster sweet thoughts
of country and of home; and whose every
star speaks of the strength and glory of the
Republic-how grand the moment when, af-
ter being borne by gallant hands amid the
storm of battle, il is seen to fash at last up
on the defenses of the foe, revealing the fact
of Wet Jry !
Tie last rays of the setting sun struggling
through the branches ofthe trees that fringed
the river, fell on that waving flag and /
could almost fancy that the ray of light was
the glance of blessed angel, who, looking
upon our banner through curtain of clouds,
had smiled in joy to see it once more trium-
plant, and had illumed it with the smile. -
Scarce had the loud shout which greeted
the appearance of the flag of the 18th Wis
consin broken forth, when my attention was
directed little further towards our left, aud
saw the flag of the l19th Illinois also hut-
tering over the works. Those of other regi-
ments in the advance line were soon placed
there also by the stout hands which bore them
and the stern bayonets that guarded them.
az ,TAURLow WEED has removed his resi-
dence to New York, and has rented fhe.heuse