The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-08


tbat n was a Union vessel would have escaped
but the colored man cut himself loose, Jumped
overheard and cTied out, "She's prlVaVeer."
vessel captured, and the Rebels put In irons
The nation once more rejolced, black stock
began 10 go up, wool began to rise: The Federal
army was still fighting the Rebels with kid
gloves; their hands we're tied. Millions of dol
lars had been spent and the bones OF thousands
of the sons of the North were whitening in the
The nation had become satisfied that the
negro could fight, and wanted his aid in putting
down the Rebellion. True, it had been forced
to it, which somewhat reminds us of the young
man at the West, who came running in from
the woods, fell upon his knees, and began pray
ing. The mother, good Methodist, hastily
inquired what was the matter; the man replied,
"A rattlesnake has bitten me-" Whereupon the
mother fell upon her knees, and said, 80 Lord,
] thank Thee for sending snake to bite jim;
please now, send one to bite John, and one to
bite Pete, and another to bite the old man, for
nothing but snake bites will ever bring them to
repentance
The nation had been bitten by the rattlesnake
OF the South, and hence they we're ready for the
The Emancipation Proclamation gave new
life and vigor to our men on the battlefield;
the bondmen everywhere caught up the magic
word, went with it from farm to farm, and from
town to town. Black men 1ocked to recruiting
stations and offered themselves for the war.
Everybody saw light in the distance. The
glorious 54th Massachusetts Regiment sprang
colored men be massed together like the whites?
Would they stand fire when facing the enemy?
The Copperheads said 'Non However, this
question was settled. The 54th Massachusetts,
Regiment is on James Island: the 10th Oonnec-
tcut regiment of whites, is also there; the
whites Will not recognize the blacks; indeed,
they hate them, and are not backward in show
ing it.. The whites are put on picket duty
mile of, they are attacked by the Rebels, they
are surrounded, they fight bravely, but are
outnum bered; they are about to surrender, when
the 54th rush in, rescue the Yankees, and put
the Rebels to flight White soldiers shake han1
with and embrace the blacks, and they become
friends ever after.
Next comes the storming of Wagner. 1t is
nightfall, and there stands the 54th Massachu
setts. They have been out in a pelting storm
for fifty hours, their garments are still wet;
they have had no refreshments for ten hours,
and they told that it is too late to have any,
for they are to lead in the assault. The fort is
six hundred yards of, and is filled with Rebels
armed to the teeth, and ready for the tight. Our
men are drawn up in line and the gallant shaw
cheers them up. The time draws near; the
word is given, March ~ every man is in his
pl ace: no straegling but all move forward in
high glee. There is ditch between them and
the fort; as they near It, she'll from the
enemy's guns falls and bursts among them, but
The Rebels open deadly fire on them; the
first battalion hesitates for moment, but only
for moment; the gallant Shaw springing to the
front, and waving his sword, shouts. Forward,
my brave boys,n and with another cheer and
| p arapet Of the tort amid shower of shot and
| shell which sweeps themAdown; Sergeant Doug
| lass shouts Come, boys come, let's hight tor
| God and Governor Andrew" The coior-ser-
| geant is wounded he falls, but rises again and
| filings the old flag to the breeze. Our brave
men rally around it. moment more, and the
heroic Shaw is pierced by q dozen balls. The
order for retreat is given and the gallant Fifty
fourth retraces its steps. The brave color-ser-
geant with three wounds IN his body follows
his regiment, and as he crawls into camp, ex-
claims, II am wounded, boys, but the dear old
flag never touched the ground"
The next morning the Rebels found the body
| of Colonel Shaw with three of his black soldiers
| lying on 1t, and twenty-five near 1t, and they
| buried them all in one grave, and boasted that
they "buried him with his mggers," yes, he
| was
"Buried with a band of brothers
| Who for him would fan have died;
| Buried with the gallant fellows
Buried with the men God gave him,
| Those whom he was sent to save;
| Buried with the martyrs, heroes.
He has found an honored grave,
Buried where f 6i his dust is SO n6 precious s
Buried where, by Christian patriot,
He shall never be forgot"
But the brave Shaw and his companions are
not dead. They live in the affections OF the
race they were trying to redeem from the curse
OF slavery. They live in the hearts of all true
friends of the Union. They live in the history
OF our common country, and as the Republic
grows older, their deeds will grow brighter and
brighter. But the Copperheads said, ''These
|
Fort Wagner. Will the slave in the far South
meet his master on the battlefield, and stand
frer' However, this was soon settled.
The speaker then described the encounter at
Mllhken's Bend, after which he continued as
follows:-
But this fight was only prelude to more
| desperate engagement which was soon to take
place q little further down the river; battle
that has since become historic; a battle to which
the colored American in future ages shall point
with pride and enthusiasm, and which no
amount of negro hate shall ever be able to
efface from the history of the great Rebellion.
The nations enemy is intrenched in one OF
his strongest holds; he has the broad river
before him lined with his gunboats, carrying
cannon of the largest calibre. Behind him lies
the thick, dark swamp, with deep ditch hall
filed with muddy water. Trees are felled still
further back to make approach more difficult
| the Rebel flag flies detantly over the heads o
the insolent foe that occupies the fort. The
| Federal forces, bearing the Stars and Stripes,
representing every phase of society Tue
colored men were there too, with arms in their
hands and the love of liberty in their hearts.
1t was night-the lovely Southern night
? with its silverY5moonshine, and the cleaning
waters of the Mississippi; the glistening stars
+ appeared suspended in the upper air as globes
4 Of LIQUID light, with its fresh soft breeze
e bearing such sweet scents from the odoriferoui
r trees and plants, that poet might have fancied
}. | angelic spirits were abroad, making the atmo-
, sphere luminous with their pure presence, and
E every breeze fragrant with their luscious breath
! Such was the beauty OF the night preceding
f the battle of Port Hudson
# The deep red sun that rose on the next morn
ing indicated that the day would be warm, anC
: as the day advanced the heat became intense
: The earth had been for days parched, and thu
5 hitherto green verdure had begun TO turl