Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-10-25

shelling from that direction. These work,
were SO situated as to command the intervals
between the other redoubts on the north
bank of the Rappahannock, and could aid
them BY their fire against any enemy attack
ing in front or flank.
These works were fully manned. In the
works on the side of the river facing the
federal troops there were two entire brigades
"Stonewall' Jackson's famous old brigade
was there, and with them also were the ia
nous Louisiana tigers.
This Louisiana brigade was commanded
by Brig. Gen. Hayes, who as senior officer
commanded all the forces on that side Of the
river. The other brigade was that of Gen
Hoke, who commanded brigade of three
large regiments, the 9Th, 9th and 18th
North Carolina. They were the flower OF
the rebel army. Well dressed and splendid
ly equipped. they no doubt, considered them
selves match for any equal number of men
in the world. The Louisianians occupied
the two redoubts and the rifle pits connect
ing them and small party of the line to
their left of the larger redoubt directly in
front Of the pontoon bridge. The line to
their left was held by the North Carolina
regiments Our troops took some little time
to depoy and form the desired connections
with the Fifth corps. As soon as the lines
were formed, the skirmishers Of the 10Th
Pennsylvania were called in and the entire
right wing Of the 9th Maine. under Major
Fuller, deployed as skirmishers, with orders
70 push the rebel skirmishers back inside OF
their works, if possible.
This was quickly and gaIlantiy done. the
artillery aiding in the work and the men lay
down behind stumps, fallen trees, hillocks
and any object which afforded shelter keep
ng up sharp but desultory fire on the en-
trenched line Of the enemy
In the meantime several batteries had
taken position on the ridge in front Of the
infantry lines and had opened a heavy can
nonade on the enemy entertainments. Shot
and shell flew like hail through the forts on
both sides Of the river, but without any per-
cepthle effect. The enemy's infantry would
lie down in the rife pits while the iron
storm passed over them, perfectly protected.
The artillery. shielded bv the heavy curtains
Of earth, could not be silenced
Gen. Russell. who commanded the first
7. division Of the 9Th corps that day, solicited
permission 70 make an attempt with his
brigade to carry il BY storm. The desired
permission was given bv Gen. Wright, who
commanded the corps that day, in place OF
Gen Sedgwick. who had charge Of the entire
right wing Of the army and preparations were
immediately begun. Il was trying ground
for 4 charge. Between our lines and the
Y enemy We're two long ranges Of billy ground.
with several hundred yards of broken de-
Y clIyitv between, at the bottom of which was
\ a small stream. The first hill shut out the
I view o.. the enemyS works, but from the
Y crest Of the second the cnemy's lines and
/ the country On the other side Of the river
We're plainly visible. From this second
\ crest THE ground Hat al first, slopcd gently
\ downward until right across the path extend
4 ed 4 swlle. or ditch. fourteen 10 twenty feet
\ wide, with Steep banks, i've Of >ix feet de, y
and covered with two or three feet Of wafer
and mud. Crossing this came flat field
\ covered with short stumpS and underground
I and hu,hy trcc-top>. left by tho troop, who
had cut ,hc timber FOR tircwaod Next
came d smooth. clear stretch wU.ch Y, idrnt-
ly had been used fer 0rill or parade ground
hy the troops tucAmpcd there. Then a
sunktn road. ncNt a dry mout about twelve
feet wide aud five feet deep Then came d
smooth upward Slope and at the summit.
about fifty Yards distant. thc strong tower
Ing earthworks
The stormnE party selected consisted Of
the left wing VI tue 9th Main, ana the eu-
tire 9TH Wisconsin They were % BE- sap
ported at some distance hy the i9th and
ll9th Pcnusylt Ju-t a, the sun
touched thr horizon the left wing If the 9Th
Maine dep.uycd IA the >gmmit of the first
ridge. in the form Of a strong ,kirmI>h lIne
The 9TH Wincursln formed hundred yards
behind them and the whole moved forward
When the 9TH Wisconsin reached ,hr lit
tie creek | have spoken Of two on three
Shells wh.zzcd aboye the heads Of tile regi-
meut and burst close by In another mo-
meut the regiment would be under fire
There was an ominous grJw along the line
and . half stup. What i the matter
men cried an officer '.Htrs MT Iof,i,,l:"
''lor RI TAXING W. IN WITH fIITl nUNN," :"
cried half a hundred voices, Some officer
riding in the rear. think one Of Gen Rus
scll's staff, cried Out, Forward Your or
der, arc v depend entirely on the basonrt" :"
TIE only answer To this was the deepenin.
ot the EOarse murmur along the liue and
the and rattling Of ranr0ds. Nearly
every man had bitten off cartridge and
was trying 10 shove It down hi, rife barrel
as he marched in the line. Finally, Col.
ON Allen, who Was riding in front of the
regiment, had hls attention called. ID the
confusion, and, ascertainIng It's cause. thuu-
dered out; "llALT, L0a3 at rW, LOAD -
''Be quick men" Col. Allen added "Don't
sap your guns. cried out the same staff Of
Ger from the rear again; rely entirely on
the hayunet. The only answer was half
contemptuoH> -rOwl, accompanied by the
clicking ut gun locks a.I along the line, as
tbs hnght piece, ": copper we're fitted to
the tubes.
That fellow mu>, think were pack Of
greenhorn-." tAe writer heard one Of the
men say.
The rifle, icing loaded, tie line moved
quietly and rapidly forward The DELAY
caused by loading had considerably increased
the interval between the 9th Maine skirm-
i,hrrs and the line Of battle These gallant
fellows had pushed fearlessly forward until
they came up with the skirmish line formed
by the right wing Of the regiment, and
the two thin lines together rushed headlong
on the enemy.
/ There We're less than three hundred and
seventy Of them, officers and men. and they
/ had charged nearly ten times their number
The audacity and impetuousity of the at
| tack WAS suCU tndt tlt enemy rtCOlIeQ Tor a
moment before il. hut seeing how small was
the number of their antagonists, they sprang
back to the attack and the work became
/ hot.
No better regiment than the 9th Maine
ever marched. They had never known de-
feat. They had never failed to break the
enemy in charge, nor to well back the
waves Of attack from their front Between
them and the 9TH Wisconsin there was pc
cullar affection. The men OF the two regi-
merits had traternized from the first. They
were together all through the war and had
| helped each other IL many hard spot At
| Williamsburg, when the 9Th Winconsin was
in front, fighting the advancing enemy. the
9th Maine had almost to be forced back at
the point Of the sword BY their officers to
the new line chosen for them, so anxious
were they TO go to the rescue. 1t was the
9th Maine that followed closely upon the
heels of the 9TH Wisconsin when they led
the bloody charge on Frederick sburg
Heights.
| They had right To exnaCf that the 9Th