Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-10-01
The Assault on Fort Wagner.



Miss Anna Il. Dick,nson's novel with this
title, published by Messrs Ticknor & Fields,
will attract unusual attention from the prom
inence Of its author in another field of labor.
Reserving any extended notice of the book
for future opportunity, We select from its
pages single passage as specimen of the
manner of the book. 1t will he seen that
the author appropriates an historical event
of the war, substituting her fictitious char
acters for the real actors in the scenc:-
Through the whole afteEnoon there had
bee tremendous cannonading of the fort
from the gunboats and the land forces the
smooth, regular engineer lines were broken,
and the fresh-sodded embankments torn and
roughened by the unceasing rain of shot
and shell.
About six o'clock there came moving UP
the island over the burning sands and under
the burning sky, stalwart, splendid appear
ing set of men. who looked equal to any
daring, and capable of any heroism; mer
whom nothing could daunt and few thing
subdue. Now, weary, travel-staii cd, will
mire and the rain of two days tramp,
weakened by the incessant strain and lack
Of food, having taken nothing for forty
eight hours save some crackers and colo
coffee with gaps in their ranks made by
the death of comrades who had fallen in
battle but little time before. Under al
these disadvantages, it was plain to be seen
of what stuff these men were made, and fol
what work they were ready.
As this regiment, the famous Fifty-foufth,
came up the island to take its place at the
head of the storming party in the assault on
Wagner, it was cheered from all sides by the
white soldiers, who recognized and honored
the herolsm which it had already shown, and
of which 1t was soon to give such new and
sublime proofs.
The evening, or rather the afternoon, was
lurid and sultry one. Great masses nl
clouds, heavy and black were piled in The
western sky, fringed here and there by ar
angry red, and torn by vivid streams o.
lightning. Not breath of wind shook the
leaves or stirred the high, rank grass by the
water-side; portentious and awful stiffness
filled the air,-the stiffness felt by nature be-
fore devastating storm. Quiet, with the
like awful and portentous calm, the blaci
regiment, headed by its young, iair-headed
knightly colonel, marched to its destined
place and action.
When within about six hundred yards o
the fort it was halted at the head of the regi
ments already stationed, and the line of bat
tie formed. The prospect was such as nigh
daunt the courage of old and well-tried vet
erans, but these soldiers of few week
seemed but impatient to take the odds, an,
to make light of impossibilities. A slight,
rising ground, raked by mnrderous fire, Il
within little distance of the battery
| ditch holding three feet of water; a straigh
lift of parapet, thirty feet high; an impreg
nable position, held by desperate and in
vincible foe.
Here the men were addressed in fey
brief and burning words by their heroic com
mander Here they were besought to glori
fly their whole race by the lustre of thei
which said, s'Though men, we are ready t
do deeds, to achieve triumphs, worthy tn
Gods |" here the word of command was gi,
en:-
"We are ordered and expect to take Ba
terry Wagner at the point Of the bayone
Are you ready2"
Gay, ay sir! readyl" was the reply.
And the order went pealing downthe lin,
"Readyl Close ranks Charge bayonet
Forward! Double-quick, march!"-an
away they went, under scattering fire,
one compact line till within one hundred fe
Of the front, when the storm of death brol
upon them. Every gun belched forth i
great shot and she'll; every rifle whizzed o.
its sharp-singing, h-freighted messenge
The men wavered not for an instant ;-fo
ward,-forward they went plunged into Il
ditch; waded through the deep water, l
longer of muddy hue, but stained crimst
with their blood; and commenced to clin
the parapet. The foremost line fell, al
then the next, and the next The groul
was strewn with the wrecks Of humanit
scattered PROSTATE, silent, where they fell,
or rolling under the very feet of the llvll