The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-01-29
HOW sufLeh GOT OVER mo PAIN.
JuDiSES.
Thrilling Description of tie CHARGE -
New klarket Heights.

| %
Thrilling Description of tie CHARGE At
Ne" market Heights.
| From Buffers Speech on Civil Rights RIM 3,
Congressional Record, Janua.y s.
Now, sir, you will allow me TO
state how got over my prejudices.
l think the House got over theirs sf.
Ter the exhibition we had yesterday,
think no man will get up here and
say he speaks only 20 white men
a2ain' lie mcst at first show himself
worthy before he can speak to some
cclored man in the House after what
occurred yesterday. Applause1
came iEto command in VIRGINIA
in 1868. | there organized twenty.
tive regiments with ,ume ,ha r..
sent to me, aud disciplined them
Still all my brother officers Of the
regular army SAID my eolored soldiers
would not fight; aud l 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 citizens is to defend
their own liberties and their country's
flag and honor. On the 29th of Sept.
1864, was ordered by the COM
manding general of the armies to
cross the James river at two points,
and attack the enemy's line of works,
one in the centre of their line, Fort
Harrison, the other a.. strong work
guarding their left flank at New
Market Heights; and there are men
on this floor who will remember that
day, | doubt not, as do myself. I
gave the centre of the line to the
white troops, the Eighteenth corps,
under Gen. Ord, and they attacked
one very strong work and carried it
gallantly. l went myself with the
colored troops to attack the enemy
at New Market Heights, which was
the key to the enemy's flank on the
north side of james river. That
work was redoubt built on the top
of hill of some considerable eleva-
ton; then running down into
marsh; in that marsh was a brook;
then rising again TO plan which
gently rolled away toward the river.
On that plan, when the flash of dawn
was breaking, placed column of
5000 cOlored troops, in close column
by division, right in front, with guns
at right shoulder shift l said i;
THAT work must be taken by the
weight of your column; no shot must
be fired ) and to prevent their firing
l had the caps taken from the nipples
of their guns. Then I said, your
cry, whcn you charge, will be, Re.
member Fort Pillow ) and as the sun
rose up in the heavens the order was
given, Forward ? and they marched
onward, steadily as if on parade
went down the hill, across the marsh,
and as they got into the brook they
came within range of the enemy's
fire, which vigorously opened upon
them. They broke little as they
torded the brook, and the column
wavered. 0, it 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 abs, some $50
yards from the enemy work. Then
the axe men ran TO the irnat ,C cut
away the heavy distractions, nI at-
fense, while 1000 men Of the ene.ny
with their artillery concent,-'-''
from the redoubt poured a hsa,y
fire upon the head of the coiGma
hardly wider than the clerks desk.
The axe men went down under that
murderous tire; other strong hands
grasp the axes in their stead, and
the abatis was cut away. Again, sc
double quick, the column goes for
ward within fifty yards of the fort, to
meet there another line Of abatis.
The column halts. And there very
fire OF hell is pouring upon tn IN. The
abatis resists and holds, the head OF
the column seems literally to melt
away under the shot and shell, the
flags of the leading regiment go
{. down, but brave black hand seizes
the colors; they are up again, and
wave their starry light over the
storm of battle, again the axe men
fell, but strong hands and willing
hearts seize the heavy sharpened
trees and drag them away, and the
column goes forward, and with a
shout which now rings in my ear,
they went over that redoubt like a
flash, and the enemy never stopped
running for four miles. Applause on
the floor and in the galleries.
1t became my painful duty, sir, to
follow in the track of that charging
column, and there. in a space not
wider than the clerks desk, and 500
yards long, lay the dead bodies OF
543 of my colored soldiers, slain in
defense of their country, 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 as l looked on
their bronzed faces .upturned in the
shining sun to heaven, as if in mute
! appeal against the wrongs that coun.
try for which they had given their
lives, and whose flag had only been
to them flag of stripes and:op which
no stars of glory had ever ishone fol-
them-feeling had .wronged them
in the past and believing what was
the future of my country to them
among my dead corhrads ehere
swore to myself 4 solemn oath, 'May
my right hand fsrgetits cunning and
my tongue cleaye to-. the roof OF my
mouth, if / ever fail to defend the
rights of these men who have given
their blood for my country this day
and for their race forever; and, God
+ helping me, will keep that oa,h.-
Great applause on the floor and il
the galleries. ws.
The Told Democratic Wheei Horses.
lSioux City Journal
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