Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-26

NJ N0o00y Wente0 % DO uAAoA -
oner. AsquAd leA the fort to assise the!f
beleagured~ conpanions. and then more vet.
Grams went TO the front. The "rebs' retreat
ed backward, holding the others at bay till
they could effect . retreat. Some pretty
hard knocks were given and taken in that
brush, and one vet. who came out wiping
the blood from his chin, caused BY q bayonet
scratch. rubbed his hands glesfhlly and said,
Il was lawfully like old times.S While
this was going on the cavalry fall into hard
luck and demonstrated that in mimic a. in
real warfare they cannot ride over infantry.
If the latter are firm and steady. The long
haired Mostly and his band made dash at
the veterans, and not = man escaped 70 tell
The tale Every c~avalryman Mss captured.
They were paroled and showed up no
more. The skirmish line on the right was
now extended and two companies OF the
first regiment ordered to the front. This
was soon followed by an order for the
whole regiment to move down. and never
Was order more quickly obeyed. Spring
ing from the grass, each mar fell silentlyI
into position, while the colonel rode along
the line and gave them instructions as to
firing, etc. The boys stepped out lively
over q rough country, composed principal
IL of dense brush and plowed fields. till
within 200 yards Of the fort. A rafting
volley greeted their approach, which was
returned. and the mon then ordered to lie
down. The fort was now pretty well sur
rounded, and General o. L. Mann. COM
mander In chies wishing to avoid further
tloodshed. etc, dispatched Major ID. FL
Tarble, with q flag of truce. To- request an
interview with General 7. j. Henderson,
commanding the fort, and himself. A
minute later the envoy galloped back and
stated the General would meet his oppo-
nent in the open Held, midway between the
-contending armies. At 1850 O'Clock the
toward each other. They saluted grayely,
and the following brief but interesting par
ley washeld:
General o. L. Mann-"General, to, avoid
further loss I have asked this parley, tore
quest you to surrender the fort" !
General T. j. Northumberland, /
am sorry you should have sought mt with
any such request. My men will hold that
fort to the last. And. all I've got to say is
that If you want that fort, come and take
It." And the generals parted.
Fun commenced all along the line now.
General Mann and staff changed their posi-
ton from the south to the east front of the
fort, to see If the first regiment could carry
It There. While riding down to the regi-
ment the general fell heavily from his
horse, his saddle girth having become loos.
ened. Fortunately he sustained no injury,
repaired the damages and remounted.
The attack now commenced In earnest
The first regiment was ordered to sdvsnce,
supported on the left flank by one piece Of
artillery, under Captain Mack, of the Joliet
artillery, while the veteran members of the
g. A. r. would assail from the southeast
and northwest respectively. The first ad-
vanced under heavy fire, and fred three
volleys, but the big guns threatened such
execution that the men were ordered to lie
down again.
The scribe, weary and footsore and aw-
fully thirsty, made sure he was put out Of
misery once. Sharpshoolers had mounted
the ramparts, and were picking out the
recumbent warriors, when suddenly some
thing smote the reporter on the side of tht
head. He didn't ask any questions. bu,
took it for granted it was q bullet, and com
menced cutting off locks ofluxurant hair to
give to the next fellow to send home (they
all do it) when he suddenly discovered i,
wasn't q bullet, but a g%rasshopper, about al
big as q jack rabbit, that had Jumped OF
his ear.
After the artillery had had some p1actie,
at the fort, q grand charge was sounded.
The first boys arose, fixed b~ayonets, fired
one round, reloaded, marched briskly a few
yards, then charged on the fortress. Whit
tier post, G.. A. r., was the first to enter
the place. The engagement inside was
brief but desperate, and the firing at close
quarters was productive of some few mis-
haps. Just before the capitulation q hardy
and defiant "reb" climbed the pole from
which the seven-starred nag was floating,
and cut the pulley rope, so that 1t could
not be .hauled down. This wat a
great disappointment to the vic
tors, who wanted that trophy badly. A doz-
en- athletic young fellows contended for the
prize, but it was no use there was some kline
Of . knot or bulge or wart on that tree just
about half way up, which nobody could get
by. At last, however, Peter Gardiner, pri
vate in battery c, of the first 1. N. c., Maj
Mansfield commanding, succeeded in reach
ing the obnoxious but coveted banner and
bringing It to earth amid the ringing cheer
Of thousands.
This was the crowning point. The oil
battles had been fought over once again an,
finished satisfactorily to everyone. tn
bugle sounded the dispense to quarters, an
everybody commenced q search for q wasl
and a meal.
Mention is made of some few injuries sus
tanned. The following gentlemen are sui
fering from burns resulting from the clos
firing by the vets and first regiment men
when the fort was stormed:
II Henry Schwartz, of the nineteenth Hi
nois, side of the face badly burnt by powder
George Mcclellan, nineteenth Illinois, Gu
about eyes and face.
James Dryer. left arm burnt somebod
fred up his sleeve.
Man from Batavia burned about the fac
!, s,nlix VA Ey NEWS