The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-18
: THE BYrNeror BRornERs.
A Trssic Ecpssnce OF IN. yar-A T~us
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seen within fivo PAGES of our line bv ths
flashes OF our guns. Once the two line,
came into actual hand-to. hand collision
with the bayonet at place 4
lew steps to the right OF whert
lstood. ! never can forget the horrid
commingling of yells, shouts, shrieks
: and imprecations which burst
out ior a few moments from that spot
where cold steel was doing its work.
while balls came tipping down the line
BY handfuls as well as from the front.
In this crossing of bayonets several men
on each side were slain, and among
these was Orderly Sergeant Byington,
belonging to company in the Forty
fourth Alabama, who fell with a hay-
onet in hfs breast, having transfxed
his asssilapt in like manner. In this. az
well as every other attack SO gallantly
made upon it that night, the Alabama
Drigade succeeded, by strenuous exer-
lions, in holding its ground and repelling
It's adverssries. We should have been
overwhelmed, suppose, alter awhile
ana perhaps surrounded and captured
BY the superior forces opposed to us.
But after an hour OF more OF she kind
OF work have Notwithstanding a luil
IN the fghting-word came to us that
jenkins attack had failed OF any useful
result and that be had retired. Our
action being merely subsidiary to his,
We also were ordered to withdraw to
our camps, which was done without
further conflict or danger. Our assail-
ants must have suffered severely, but I
never learned how much. This night
tight OF infantry, fierce and persi stcnT as
1t was, and at such close quarters. was
one OF the most thrilling experiences OF
the war.
Early in November Iongstreet's corps
OF which we formed part, left Chat
tanooga with orders to advance on Knox
vile and drive Burnside from that town
and out OF East Tennessee. mention
tnis siege OF Knoxville now merely for
the purpose OF giving a single incident
which occurred at it.
Upon the hill on the western or south
western outskirts of the town stood
Fort Sanders, flanked by strong earth
works, forming part of the continuous
nne OF defenses around tho place. Our
besieging lines of piokets and rife-pits
were pushed forward closer to the defen.
sive works, from time to time, rs
was found practicable. 1t so hap
pened that about the Goth OF
November, the writer, commanding the
Fourth Alabama regiment, was in charge
OF the picket line fronting the western
lace OF Fort Sanders and the adjoining
earthworks. During the night we were
ordered to move our line up and dig
rihe-pits much in advance of our former
position and within about three hundred
yards OF the fort and its Hanking works.
BY daylight we mad d large number of
rude, square holes dug waist deep in E
the ground (the best we could do with
The time and tools we had) in line
running parallel in the main to the
frf fltf. EaAa I.
theless, curved considerably forward at
the left and concealed In that part by.
shrubbery. These pits were occupied
by the men of one battalion OF the Fourth
ALBANIA, while the other battalion was
paced in reserve in piece of woods a
ifltle distance to the rear. The ground
IN front OF our new pits, especially ON
the right OF the line, was an open.
smooth lawn, sloping upward Ito the
Federal works. at a considerable angle
Of inclination.
As soon as daylight revealed to the
Federa's our new line Of rihe-pits, sud
denly we beheld springing over their
earthworks and dashing impetuously
down the slope toward rs, body OF
men about two hundred strong. which
We .scon afterward found was the
Second Michigan regiment, led by
Major Byington, and sent to dislodge us
from our new position. l hurried up in
. moment the reserve battalion Of the
Fourth Alabama to reinforce tho men
in the pits. And then ensued for
few minutes one Of the fiercest
and deadliest combats of the war.
These two veteran regiments. both
having come to the field at the first
(Second Michigan and Fourth Ala
hamal fhinnat unw hv hard aaru{ca
and many battles to about two hundred
men each. but every man of them
utterly fearless, sp,endi0ly daring and
knowing all about war, grappled with
each other as in a death-grip. II cour-
age, such rs makes an old soldiers hair
stand on end to think of. could have
won against equal courage and supe-
rior position. the gallant Michigan
men would have triumphed. But the
Alabamians had the advantage OF shell
ter in their pits, which, shallow as they
were, afforded much protection. 1t SO
fell out, too, that the curve in this line
Of pits on the left proved OF great ser,
vice to US, for as our assailants charged
in line parallel to, and square against.
our right, they were eniladed with terri
BILE effect by the fire from our pits on the
left, which, hidden by bushes, had not
been noticed. This circumstance quickly
decided the contest in our favor. Many
having fallen or been captured rem
nAnt only got back to their works.
some bearing on their shoulders
wounded comrades. As it looked too
cruel to fire on these, tine Alabamaians
were ordered not to fire on any one who
was carrying wounded man, and The
Michigan men. hearing this order,
shrewdly availed themselves of its pro-
"a kU Aov-sv aA
rades. % that several made good their
escape by this means. But the grassy
slope remained thickly strewn with The
dead and wounded. Alas! for the high
hearts that were stilled there forever
Major Byineton displayed heroism
worthy OF the leader OF such men or OF
any men. He came on, sword in hand,
in front OF his line, exhorting them to
follow him to victory, and rushed to the
very brink Of our rife pits, where he
fell desperately wounded within few
feet Of me. The fight being quickly
pieos Of woods In our rear and made as
comfortable as possible till he could be
sent to the hospital. His leg was broken
and he was shot also in the side, but bad
~ these wounds were he seemed 70
suffer but little pain. While lying there
he inquired the name OF my regiment,
and on being informed, said quickly: 81
have, or had lately. brother In your
hrisade-Orderly. Sergeant Byingtou.
OF the Forty-fouIth Alabama" Howhe
knew 30 we'll the brigade of his brother
and the regiments composing 1t l did
not think to ask, and do not know.
Said he: my brother is n Northern
man by birth, but went South some
time ago, and became secesh,' and be
IS now IN your brigade" snd ne anuec
that he would like much to see him,
and begged me to send for him. The
reader may imagine how II panied me
TO have to tell him that his brother OF
the Forty-fourth Alabama had been
killed three weeks before in the fight
near Chattanooga, under the circum-
stances already related.
II any surviving relatives OF Major
Byington shall read this sketch oan
say for their consolation tina. every
possible kindness was shown that gal
liant gentleman, and that he bore the
double pain OF his wounds and sad be-