The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-20
The Charge Oh Fort McAilfs'er.

with the most interesting incidents con-
nected with the capture of Fort McAllis-
ter, we cannot give place to anything more
interesting than the following graphic and
admirably penned account of that event,
from a correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gazette:
The ground having been accommodated
the previous day by the cavalry, the troops
were formed in line in the woods, and
moved forward. Warning of a line of tor
pedoes across the main road about a mile
from the fort having been received, the
line avoided them, but the signal detach-
ment of the 18th corps, consisting of ten
mounted men, dashed up the road over
these torpedoes, unconscious of their dam
ger, cleared the place in safety, captured
the picket on the main road, and estab-
lished their station on the river bank only
eight hundred yards from the fort, and
concealed from it by clunp of trees.
Meanwhile the lines were forming.
Our Western troops had never formed
for their accustomed work in such spot
as this, nor had such task ever been al
lotted them before. With no covering fire
of artillery, with no forlorn hope to clear
away obstacles and fill the ditch, with no
reserves to strengthen them if the death
storm proved too fierce, but in single
line, they with their bayonets alone were
to carry the strongest work their eyes had
ever looked on on failing, were to bring
suffering, perhaps, on the army.
Of 1pha
were marshalling for such purpose, was
enough to chill even brave soldiers hearts.
The tall dark pines stood in thick ranks,
covered with thick roles of long gray
moss, waving ghost-like; the darker live
oaks, covered also, and festooned with
vines, forming long aisles and corridors,
while the high arches reached far upward,
all dim, and sad, and gloomy and still as
some old cathedral crowded with worship
pers and hushed in prayer. And earnest
we're the petitions, solemn Was the wor-
ship, and rich the sacrifice in those tenn
Piles that day. Soldiers do face death
bravely, but ever as men, and their hearts
shrunk from its terrors, as the great heart
of humanity ever has. Amid such scenes
each soldier erects an altar in his own
heart and as its priest, he ministers there
according to the light he has. For a short
time those ranks stood silent, waiting Or
ders. And thought was very busy. Faith
ers and mothers, you are not forgotten in
such an hour; sisters, longing for the sight
of brothers face once more, your image
even now is before that eye SO fixed in
thought. Maidens, dearer than life itself
to those bronzed veterans, you may thank
God that the tenderness of such rough
visaged men is lavished upon you, and
that their earliest and latest and hottest
thoughts are of home, and heaven, and
you.
But this chance season of preparation
for death, which all in some degree im-
prove, was ended soon. The heavy guns
of the fort oped suddenly upon the woods;
but, installing the position Of the line,
fired over it. Solid shot and huge charges
of canister and grape from columbiads
came sweeping through the tree tops,
swapping the tall pines as one would sweep
icicles away, or plunge through their
trunks as wild beasts in headlong haste
rush through the jungles. Great wreaths
of moss dropped on the lines as if to dress
them for the grave; and branches of that
laurel which the Romans crowned their
victors with, fell on them also, as if ma
ture would not have any 60 down to the
grave uncrowned. Ivy dropped on their
backs, and palmetto leaves strewed their
path, so that these Northern men trod for
the first time upon the hated emblem of
South Carolina as they started on their
charge.
The lines reached the edge of the woods,
and waited moment for the order to ad-
vance. The waving signal flag soon
brought it from Gen. Sherman" Assault
the works and open our communication
with the coast" The lines had grown i'm
patient with even the short delay. Officers
peered hurriedly along their front, the
color-bearers changed their clutch upon the
banner often, the men grasped their rifles
tightly, and all listened for the buele to
sound, for then they were to start on the
widest charge that the war had seen. A
silence as CT death settled along the lines.
while overhead the shot still Kissed and
crashed. At last the bugle sounded, and
as its notes swelled along, repeating the
forward, or preliminary to the ''charge.n
each soldier grew strong for the great oc-
aston, and as the first note of the final or.
or rang along the ranks, cheer from nine
regiments of hearts almost bursting with
Impotence and suspense swept through
the dim arches of those old forests. and
as wave after wave of the glorious cheer
rolled backward through the solitude.
those ranks with waving banners and
cleaning rifles rushed rapidly, yet with
the organized tread of veterans, to-
ward those trowning parapets. The small
guns of the fort were actively served,
but with the exception of>our sharp
shooters, scarce a man fed shot
in return. Cheers were our soldiers in
SEPARATIONS and the only weapons. 1t was
as if by shouting loud and long the walls
of this Jericho would come down. The
line crossed the open interval in less time
than it takes to tell of it, and its trial had
come. As it rushed for the abattis under
the close and CALLING fire of the fort, only
fifty yards away, it crossed the line of tor