Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-08-03

of the day. He at once protested
against Gimat's appointment for COM
mand during his own tour of duty. Be.
ing informed by La Fayette that the
assignment had already been made
and approved at headquarters, he
wrote spirited letter to Washington,
who, upon inquiring into the claim, de-
cided in favor of Hamilton, much to
the latter's qualification. Gimat's bat
talon, however, as the oldest and one
of the three that had been in Virginia
from the first, retained the post of hon.
or in the van of the assaulting party.
1t had been drawn from the eastern
lines. John p. WHY'S, of Hartford,
was it's major. and its original captains
were Richards, Douglass, Heart, Wei
, les, and Barker from Connecticut, Hunt
and another from Massachusetts, and
| Olney from Rhode Island Hamilton g
battalion was composed of two New
| York and two Connecticut companies
and of Laurens' TWO companies, which
were part of Scammell's old corps, one
was from Connecticut, under Captain
Stephen Belts, of Stamford, and the
other probably from New Hampshire.
With this detachment went also par
| ty of sappers and miners under Captains
Gilliland and Kirkpatrick For re-
serve corps, La Fayette drew up
the remainder of the Light Divis-
ion, under Generals Muhlenberg
and Hazen, and in their rear Wayne
posted two Pennsylvania battalions.
At the given signal-the six shells
Hamilton and his column advanced
rapidly with unloaded muskets, Lau-
rens have first been detached to take
the redoubt in reverse, and prevent the
escape of the garrison. Under the al
most perfect discipline of these troops
every order was executed with precis-
ion. AS they neared the work, they
rushed to the charge without waiting
for the sappers to remove the abatis,
and thereby saved themselves the de-
lay and loss which befell the French.
Climbing over or breaking through the
distractions, they reached the ditch,
enveloped the work, and scaling the
parapet, were quickly in possession.
The forlorn hope of twenty men, under
Lieutenant John Mansfield, of the
Fourth Connecticut, led the column
without wavering Mansfield, who en-
tered the work among the first, receiv-
ing bayonet wound, was reported by
Hamilton as deserving particular COM
mendation for his Goodness, firmness
and punctuality." Stephen Olney, of
Rhode Island, perhaps the oldest cap
tain in the service, marched with his
company at the head of the detach-
ment, but in attempting to climb into
the fort two of the enemy struck at
him with their bayonets, which slid
down his spontoon or spear, and wound
ed him severely in the side and arm
Hamilton thought him entitled to "pe-
culiar applause" Captain Hunt was
also wounded, as well as Kirkpatrick,
of the sappers. Hamilton himself was
accompanied by Colonel Armand and
three officers of his troop, as volunteers,
who behaved with conspicuous gallan-
try, all climbing the parapet under fire
to stimulate the courage of the rank
and file. Gamat was wounded in the
foot just as the distractions were
reached, and retired Laurens mean
while conducted his two companies
with his usual skill and nerve, and sue
ceeded in coming in at the right mo-
ment to make Major Campbell, the
the commantant of the garrison, his
prisoner. With him was Captain Belts.
Who also was honored with wound.
In ten minutes the work was over, and
SO well timed was every movement,
that Major Fish's battalion, which fol-
lowed Gimat's, inclining to the right,
participated in the assault, and Lieu
tenant-Colonel Barber's battalion,
which La Fayette sent forward at the
last moment to support Hamilton, was
on hand after the assault TO help hold
the position in case of counter-attack
by the enemy The American loss in
the assault was nine killed and twenty
five wounded. Washington could not
conceal his enthusiasm over the success
of these brilliant feats, and in general
orders he praised the troops unstinted-
ly-officers and men alike. A Sergeant
Brown, of the Fifth Connecticut, was
subsequently awarded special "badge
of merit" for his GOODNESS and gallant
conduct as one of Hamilton's forlorn
hope.
No sooner were the redoubts taken
than the supports fell to digging, and
by morning both works were included
in the second parallel, which thus be-
came complete, and unpleasantly men,
acing to the besieged.
1t would have been quite contrary to
the custom of besieged force, and
rather a reflection upon the British
troops in particular. had no sortie been
made by them upon the besiegers and
accordingly ON the night of the 18th we
find them dashing out at the second
parallel with their usual courage, and
repeating what the French and Amer
leans had done two nights before, Corn
wallis object was to cripple some un-
finished batteries whose fire, when
opened, would prove too destructive,
and thus gain little more time for
still possible relief The party, which
was led by Colonel Abercrombie, num-
bered about four hundred men, half of
them light-infantry, under Major Arm
strong, and the other half the grena-
diers Of the Foot-Guards and Captain
Murray's company of the Eightieth,
under Lieutenant Colonel Lake. Nov
ing forward about three O'Clock in the
morning, they rushed upon French
battery, drove off the guards, spiked
four cannon, and then attacked Captain
Savage's Massachusetts, battery to its
right. Entering it they quickly spiked
his three guns with bayonet points,
and challenged, What troops?' French,
came the answer, on which Abercrom-
bic shouted, Push on, my brave boys,