The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-08

filed by the determined foe. Now our little |
brigade of three or four hundred alone are |
fsls 70 receive the awful shock of Longstreees
whole corps, which was rapidly concentrated |
and hurled as an avalanche upon us. The
fourteenth had been engaged in heavy Skin.
mishing but now gathered cloud Of war 30
dense. so black and impsnetrable and por-
tending storm 80 terrific - 10 require, not
GOODNESS, not bravery, not heroism, to stand
and complete in its awful probabilities, but in
stead these attributes termed rashness, pre-
sumption, a fearless defiance of the powers OF
earth and hell. And yet amid it all this fear
less band of few hundred men, composed of
fragmentsof the l4th Ill,eavalry ,5th Iui, cav
airy, and 65th Indiana mounted infantry,
three as brave bands as ever marshalied 10
oppose foe, stood firm. Our whole right
being forced back. the enemy was thanking
US with fearful numbers on that side, bring
ing into action the fifth and sixty fifth
Three full regiments were marching round
upon our left while in front were concentra-
ted not thinly scattered skirmishers of dis
mounted cavalry armed with carbiues, but,
dense and double lines of infantry. with long
ranged guns and bristling bayonets, and
hordes of mounted troopers. in the pride OF
that branch Of military power, awaiting a Ia
vorabie moment to charge upon as with over
whelming force. Every rod of ground was
desperately contested as the fourteenth was
forced SLOWLY and sullenl back to a line with
the 5th. While stubbornly contesting every
hill until our assailsnts wore almost near
enough to use their bayonets we ware order
ed to concentrate upon a church uron our
rear aud hold it. q. 10 front of the church was
hill which we held until we could almost
reach our fierce assailing foe, intending to
rally upon the building named. ss ordered,
| but when we concentrated at the building not
| man but knew that to attempt to obey the
| order, which was doubtless given In ignor-
ance of it's peculiar situation. was not only
an entire and useless sacrifice OF our brave
handful. but utter folly to attempt, as il was
situated in deep narrow ravine with hills
on every side overlapping it. As soon as
reached c u an - at,nOw major, than whom
| a BRAY - ur kinder officer never lived
who was then in temporary command OF this
band, ordered forward" Then followed a
trying time. We had withstood the foe up
on the hill until near, hoping to be able here
to make q still longer stand. The delay OF
moments, short but precious, required to con-
vince us of the error Of the order, brought
our bioodthirsty foe still nearer. Now we
have before hill which might better be
termed mountain, so it appeared then, bare
| of trees OF shelter. We have no escape but
to ascend the hill before the fierce fire OF the
demons at our heels. Well does the writer
remember the trying hour, Tor being in Ill
health and weakened with excessive exertlon
ne, with a few others, was not able TO climb
the rugged hill as fast as prudence dictated,
nor to keep pace with others stronger, SO Of
course were special targets for rebel balls
When one halt the ascent had been made, ex-
hausted nature gave way and we halted des-
pite the dangers close behind, but leaden bull
| let's showering like hail aroused 10 superhu-
& Il - . 49,
performed, when sheer exhaustion yelled the
vision for a time. But the spur OF danger in
the rear brooked no rest. Nature summon
ed to her aid those latent powers of physical
strength so often described but seldom forced
into use. Keeling like the inehriate the sum
nit of the hill was reached, his command
| again discovered in advance to the left and
joined by route more easy. Twilight was
now beginning to veil the prospect. We had
| made Another stand A heavy column of the
enemy had pressed to within few yards of
our heroic handful VIII mistook the approach
ing column for true blues" Their .chal-
lenge. what command is that" was ans
wered by our boys fourteenth Illinois F" =
] Then followed the responsive challenge,
What force is that ?" The reply, Eff
| teenth and -- South Carolina" could
scarcely be heard for the thunder of the ter
! rble volley which was poured into our ranks
at the instant Here il was that Mason, of
company H., our standard bearer, was kill
ed. falling with his face TO the foe. Here
some of bravest men yielded up tn cir
| lives sacrifice upon the altar of their coun-
| try. Here Lieut. kilburne, OF Co. l. was Sc
verely wounded and carried of the field, and
| the brave Lieut.. Rich Stephenson. of COM
pany A, was wounded. Here our brave Adj
! jutaot Lieut.. Chauncey Miller, was captured
| and subsequently sent to the horrid prison of
! the south TO exc out months of miserable ex-
istence in those dens suggested. provided and
| controlled by the spirit of evil himself. The
circumstances of his capture were these -
| Being in the very front, where brave men
| are, he saw this column. and, like us, was
| deceived in their identity, he rode up to their
| lines to give orders as ne supposed to the
fourteenth, bat challeng cling them and receiv-
| ing the same re 5ly as we.he turned his horse
to escape, when they .suspecting by his move.
ments and appearance that he WAS Yankee
officer, fired o volley which killel his horse,
aud ere he could extricate himself be was
surrounded and disarmed Now we had
reached the line OF the fifth. The enemy is
even with on our right, advancing without
opposition. Slowly both regiments retire,
contesting every hin until the line of the six
ty fifth is reached, when the brigade is FORM
ed, continuing the contest as we retired until
the line of Colvin's position and the main line
of battle is reached where we halt aud def
antly hold the ground,in spite of Longstreet's
corps of fighting devils. Orders came that
the enemy must be checked here, US large
stores winch had been accumulated at the
station were not yet all removed. The
ground was favorable aud darkness came to
our aid. yelling the landscape and covering
from human view the horrid scenes of mortal
strife. We now extended a line of nick ts