The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-20
WIPED OUT IN BLOOD.

WIPED OUT IN BLOOD.
THAT WAS THE WAY GENERAL BUTLER GOT
OVER HIS PREJUDICE-A VERY DRAMATIC
NARRATIVE.
In the course of the civil rights debate.
General Butler gave a thrilling description
of one of the memorable scenes about Rich
mond, while Grant lay sieging Petersburg:
1 came into command in Virginia in 1863.
there organized twenty-five regiments with
some that wers sent to me, and dis
ciplined them. Still all my brother
officers of the regular army said my
colored soldiers would not fight; and felt it
was necessary that they should fight TO show
that their race was capable of the duties of
citizens; for one of the highest duties of citi-
Zens is TO defend their own liberties and
their country's flag and honor. On the
Goth of Sept, 1864 was ordered by the COM
handing general of the armies to cross the
James river al two points and attack
the eneny's line of works, one in the rear
Of their line, Fort Harrison, the other 4
strong work guarding their left flank at New
Market Heights; and there are men on this
floor who viii remember that day, / doubt
not, as / do myself gave the center of the
line to the white troops, the 18th corps, I'M
der Gen. Ord, and tbeY attacked one very
strong work and carried it CALAMITY. /
attack the enemy at New Market Heights,
which was the key TO the enemy's flank on
the north side of James river. Tha. work
was a redoubt built on the top of
hill of some considerable elevation; then
running down into marsh; in that
marsh was brook; then rising again to a
plain which gently rolled away toward
the river. On that plain, when the fash Of
dawn was breaking, j placed a column of
three thousand colored troops, in close col
umn by division, right in front, with guns
at fright shoulder shift" / said: THAT
work must be taken by the weight Of your
column; no shot must be fired !" and to pre-
vent their firing had the caps taken from the
nipples oftleir guns. Then said, "YOur cry
when you charge will be, Remember Fort
Pillow" and the sun rose up in the
heavens the order was given, Forward"
aud they marched forward, steadily as if on
parade-went down the hill, across the
marsh, and they got into the brook
they came within range of the enemys fire,
which vigorously opened upon them. They
broke little as they forded the broo6, and
the column wavered. 1t was moment Of
INTENsEsT ANXIETY,
But they formed again as they reached the
firm ground, marching steadily on with
closed ranks under the enemy's fire, until
the head of the column reached the first line
of abatis, some one hundred and fifty yards
from the enemy's works. Then the az men
ran to the front to cut away the heavy OBJ
structions of defense. while 1000 men of
the enemy with their artillery concen-
trated, from the redoubt poured heavy fire
upon the head of the column hardly wider
than the clerks desk. The ak men went
down under that murderous fire; other
strong hands grasped the axes in their stead,
and the abatis was cut away. Again. at
double quick, the column goes forward
to within fifty yards of the fort, TO
meet there another line of abstis. The
column halls. And thereia helvy fire Of shell
is pouring upon them. The abatis resists
and holds, the head of the column seemed
| literally to melt away under the shot and
shell, the flags of the leading regiments 90
down. but a brave black band seizes the
colors; they are up again. and wave their
starry light over the storm of battle; again
| the ak men fall. but strong hands and will
ing hearts seize the heavy sharpened trees
and drag them away, and the column
| forward, and with a shout which now rings
in my ear, they went over that redoubt like
| fash and the enemy never stopped run
ming for four miles. Applause on the floor
| and in the galleries. Ii became my painful
duty, sir, to follow in the track of that charg
| ing column, and there, in a space not wider
than the clerks desk, and three hundred
yards long, lay the dead bodies Of five
hundred and forty-three OF my colored
|
and who had laid down their lives to uphold
its flag and its honor as willing sacrifice;
and as rode along among them, guiding
my horse this way and that way lest he
should profane with his hoofs what seemed
to me the sacred dead, and looked
on their bronzed faces upturned in
the shining sun to heaven. as if in mute
appeal against the wrongs that country for
which they had given their lives, and whose
flag had only been to them flag of stripes
on which no star of glory had ever shone for
them-feeling 1 had wronged them in the
past and believing what was the future of my
country to them-among nv dead comrades
there, / swore to myself a solemn oath,
"May my right hand forget its cunning and
my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.
if ever tail to defend the rights of these
men who have given their blood for Inc and
my country this day, and for their race for
ever;" and, God helping me, will keep that
oath. Great applause on the floor and in
the galleries.