New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-08-02

by the officers. A man near me, who
was tearing out the cedars, had the top
of his head blown of, and the blood
spattered over dozen men behind. A
lot Of us got down and tried to shoot
through the breastw0rk, and I saw
dozens of men trying to climb over. but
it was no use. We were losing four to
one. and the bugles called us back for
the fourth time. Then there was reg
ular row among the officers, and Wheel
er was so mad that he was as white asa
clean shirt. We had wasted q heap of
time, and the racket had sent ali the
Federal wagons beyond Lavergne off on
gall0p. 1t was cutting us both WAYS,
and l never heard so much cussing in all
my born days.
ANOTHER FLAG.
Then Wheeler sent another FLAG of
truce. He had Innes boxed up, and had
only been fooling around little to give
him time to change his mindp He would
now offer him one more chance to sur
render, and if he refused he must take
the bloody consequences.
Oh the consequences and Wheel
er, toon' replied Innes; ..and if YOU send
in another white rag I'll shoot the man
who carries it!''
Then Wheeler bobbed up and down
in his saddle and swore by the great
horn spoon that he'd have Innes' sword
in less than half an hour. He could
take four successive lickings as a matter
of military courtesy, but when it came
to 9'sass'' he wouldn't stand it. His
entire force was called in, his artillery
advanced still farther, and the men were
told that if this assault failed they must
retreat
THE FIFTH,
From another Confederate who par
ticipated in the fight am indebted for
the following particulars:
1--WE meant business that last time,
for the men were all mad and the of,
ficers had been giving us blazes for gig
ging back. Some one now spread the
report that there were only 200 instead
of. 400 Federals behind the breast-work,
and we meant to walk over 'em in q
hurry. We made as pretty an advance
as you ever saw, though some Of the
boys looked mighty solemn at the sight
of SO many dead men in our way. The
artillery kept blazing away until we
we were ready, and then we rushed. 1
was in the front line, and calculate we
were within stones throw Of the
breastWork before gun was fred
Then-blim -blaze-whir! It was like
a vivid flash of lightning cracking
along the brush, and it was SO bright
that shut my eyes for two or three sec.
onds."
''Were you hit?''
mo, but the men on either side were
killed stone dead. Indeed, believe
saw forty men fall under that fire. We
kept pushing on, firing at will, and fir
ing without seeing a head to shoot at,
and as the smoke thiokened we kept
stumbling over the bodies on the
ground. When I reached the breast
work fired over it, and was reloading
when bullet tore along this left leg
like red-hot iron, and keeled me over.
Now, then, if you want to know what
sort of fighters them Yanks was I can
tell you. Hay close to the breastwork,
and heard 'em laughing and cheering as
if it was only a dog fight. heard one
officer call out, Keep down! Give it to
'em in their legs!' The Yank who fired
over me dropped two men inside Of two
minutes, and I heard him say to the
chap beside him. sBill, there goes an
other Johnny to the bone-yard.' Two
bullets tore my sleeve without drawing
blood, and the first intimation I had
how the fight was going was hearing
Federal officer yell out: Keep it up,
boys-give 'em more h--ll, for they are
gigging back on the rightr' In three
minutes after that our folks were on
the skip, and fifty Of them tarned Miohi-
ganders stood up and crowed like roost-
ers!'
DRAWING OFF.
That was the last assault, and it was
the worst licking Wheeler ever got dur
ing the whole war. He was ready and
a steady fighter, and he had some Of the
best fighting stock of the South In his
command, but less than 400 Federals
got away with him in square fight. II
Innes had the best position, Wheeler
had six men to one, and he had also
two pieces of artillery, well served
Once or twice the Confederates had Just
such q fight against superior Federal
force and came out first best, but
four-years' war will not witness many
such instances. On that same pike, an
hour before this fight, ten of Wheeler's
men captured seventy Federals and
twenty-one wagons. And, further, six
Of Pegram's men captured seventeen
Federal cavalrymen and four ammuni-
ton wagons without man being kill
ed.
Lavergne was a tally on the other
side, and long mark at that. Had
1nnes surrendered after the first assault
he would have been called q brave man
who had to yield to an overpowering
force. Had he surrendered after the
second he would have been hero. The
hero of Altoona had twice the chances
that lines had, and poets have sung his
praise. Wheeler set out to gobble In
mes and got whipped. The Confederate
force which assaulted Altoona had or
ders simply to feel the strength of
the place, and in retreating were
only obeying orders. That defense
of Lavergne was the most heroic fight
of the war. If Federal bards have re-
fused to sing it, Confederates who
fought there have been more liberal. -
N Quad IN Detroit Free Press.
The Sentimental Editor.
A few evenings AGO we saw a lovely