Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-05-29
''The 18th of May"

4 day memorable in the annals of war-got-
I halowed in its sacred associetion-its recur-
renee turns the memory few revolutions
l:,le and recalls the blood, the carnage
and the terrific struggle which made it historic
and gave victory to cur arms at the BATTLE OF
CHAMPION HILLS. 80
Four years ag'; as the sun was bursting over
/ the eastern hill-tops, the brave hearts and he
roic spirits from This and other localities, BAN
ded together in the 18th regiment of Wiscon-
sin volunteers, were grouped in the leafy en-
virons of Champion Hlls-a forest capped series
of small steep hills gorged with ravines and
washed by the storm of the season The fields
over which April showers. and Ma suns had
marched and flung sheen of glistenng blades
and green leaves. mingled their fragrance with
the notwithstanding bland and genial
smile over the marshaled hosts crouchng in
their shadowy resting places and making ready
farathe coming onset.
"skirmish line.''-a wavering thread from
the martial coil-adyanced to ''feel the enemy
| followed by the anxious eyes Of hundreds,
through which shone the to er:ng strength of
patriotic hearts. Cautiously, steadily, the de-
ployin. line move around the billy crest like
a necklace Of blue Deeds glistening in tho sum
light.
"a foe was heard in every rustling leaf
fortress in every rock and tree"
But not wsrd or the report of single gun
broke upon the. wekin until the brow of the
hill was neared, when little clouds Of smoke
were seen TO curl bove the tree tops simulta-
neously with the crack of musketry, which
cracked louder and aster until 1t ratified and
roared with all the fury of an opening battle.
The accommodating line, spun out in semi
circle, indicating the position Of the enemy,
which the Twelfth division, the only force up
on the field and only about 5000 strong, was
ordered % attack. The mass of soldiery
stretched upon the green-sward instantly
sprang into line and the background bristled
with bayonets as quickly as though the God of
Mars had touched the soil with magic wand
and an army had leaped from some subterra-
mean vault
The first brigade, of which the Twenty ninth
formed a part, was assigned the right, and
bore upon the enemy's centre, y hich rested up
on the loftlest hilltops and was supported by
battery of field pieces. The advance mmedi-
atel, commenced, the officers conducting it
with caution, taking advantage of the clay of
the country which broke into hills and
vines in front and sloped away into broad
fields on the right. Slowly ascending the con
fronting Hillside until no longer covered" by
its projecting brow, the regiments rushed over
and down the opposite side on the 3" ouble
quick, greeted by rounds of grape and CAMS
ter Thus the command advanced until with
in forty yards of the battery, wnen the order
to CHARGE was given and the little army, with
soul-stirling cheer, leapea up the bill towards
the lannon's mouth. The contest was soon
wag ed in close quarters After discharg ing
their guns, they fell upon the enemy with the
bayouet and made sad havoc with limb and life
Wreathed in a sheet of fire and fame of
death, the combatants sent up a shout that
arose above the din of battle and reverbersted
through the distant valleys; while the woun-
ded. from whom the life-curr Mt was ebbng in
rivulcts of gore, gave vent to their agony in a
wall that, at auy other time, would have chilled
the heart of the most caoused. The clash of
bayonets, the clubbing of muskets, the rattle of
musketry and the roar of artillery. the stupen-
dous strife and the blood and carnage that
marked the scene of those two armies Crap
ping in death ana lite struggle cannot and
per, apps should not be described by our feeble
pen.
Hardly man in that battery and but few in
the rebel brigade supporting it, escaped being
killed, wounded or captured. The rebel artll-
erists died "game' one Of them being in he
act of friSg his gun only Il few PAGES from AGO.
l." when a federal bullet sent him out of the
world hero in bad cause.
Logan having attacke on the right and
other forces on the left, the ba tile became gen
eral and lasted until four clock, when the en-
envy retired, iHwas termed. a defeated, dis
comftted, demoralized army, to Big Black riv-
err and thence to VicksbUrg, hotIy pursued and
soreiy harrassed by the Union forces.
This was the test battle of the campo gn and
decided the tate of Vicksburg so long the rebel
Gibralter of the Mississippi. Bnt we purchased
victory dearly that which we gave was prec-
ious, but it was given none the less freely and
! that too for a noble cause. The flower of the
army was decimated, the jewels OF society smit-
ten and the JOY Of parents taken away that day;
let it ever be green in the memory of a grateful
people for the heroi, dead. whose deeds there
is no marble too white to commemorate nor no
parchment too durable to perpetuate.
Dare we prick anew the sorr ws thai have
heen solaceo by the lapse of four Years we