The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-01-25

gained, they found the enemy on the
other side. It was stated that Lee,
speaking to Beauregard, said: "Splen-
did" Beauregard spoke With enthusi-
asm of the brilliant charge.
In an instant the federal army was
aroused, and batteries opened along the
whole line, while the infantry fire was a
continuous roar. Only breastwork d.
vided Wilcox's brigade from the feder-
ais. Amoment was required for Sanders
to re form, and his brigade mounted the in
ner line and forced the enemy back to the
outer line and the crater. The crater
confederates, surrounding it on every
side, poured volley after wolfe y into this
heaped-up mass OF termed negroes and
their brave officers. The negroes ran in
every direction and were shot down
without q thought. Bayonets, swords
and the butts of muskets were used. The
deafening roar Of artillery and lnu kerry,
the yells and imprecations ofthe combat
ants, drowned the commands of officers.
a negro in the crater attempted to raise
a white flag. and it was instantly pulled
down by federal officer. The federal
colors were planted on huge lump of
dirt, aud waved until Sergeant Wallace
of the Eleventh Alabama, followed by
others. seized them and tore them frorn
the staff. Instantly white flag was
raised, and the living, who were not
many, surrendered.
1.-The ground all around says Pollen
was dotted with the fallen, while the
sides and bottom of the crater was liter
ally lined with dead, tho bodies lying
in every conceivable position. Some
had been evidently killed with the butts
Of muskets, as their crushed skulls and
badly smashed faces too plainly indi-
Gated" Within this crater-this hole OF
forty by eighty feet-were lying one hun
dred and thirty-six dead soldiers, be-
sides the wounded. The soil was liter
ally saturated with blood. Gen eral
Bartlett was here, with his steel leg
broken. He did not look as though he
had been at diamond wedding" but
was present at "dance of death" 4
covered way for artillery was SO full OF
them out, that artillery might be brought
in. The dead bodies formed heap on
each side. The Alabamians captured
thirty tour officers, five hundred and
thirty-six white and one hundred and
thirty-nine colored soldiers. The three
brigades had seventeen stands of colors,
held by seventeen as brave, sweaty, dir
ty, powdered-stained fel]o WIS as ever
wore the gray, who knew that when
presenting their ,olors to division head
quarters, to each furlough of thirty days
would be granted.
The crater was filled with wounded, to
whom our men gave water. Adiutant
Morgan Cleveland, of the Eight Alabama
Regiment, assisted o federal captain
who was MORALLY wounded and suffer-
ing intensely. Near him lay burly,
wounded negro. The officer said he
would die. Thenegrc, raising himself
on his elbow, cried out: "lhank God.
You killed my brother when we charged,
because he was afraid and ran. Now
the rebels have killed YOU" Death
soon ended the suffering of one and the
hatred of the other. A darkness came
down on the battlefield and the other
victors began to repair the salient. The
crater was cleared of the. dead and
wounded. Men were found buried ten
feet under the the dirt. Twenty-Five of
the artillery company were missing.
Four hundred and ninty- eight dead and
wounded confederates were buried or
sent to the hospitals. Between the lines
lay hundreds Of wounded federals, who
vainly called for water, These men had
been without water since early morning.
Some calling louder than others, their
voices were recognized, and as their
cries grew fainter, We knew their lives
were ebbing away. Our men, riskine
their lives, carried water to some.
l find in my diary these lines: "Sun-
day, July 81, 1864. Everything compar-
atively quiet along the lines. Hundreds
Of federal soldiers are lying in front Of
ffln nfnn {o l0 ~
some are crying for water: The enemy's
himself" Late on Sunday evening q
to General Lee. General Grant asked
permission to bury his dead and remove
his wounded. The truce was granted, to
begin on Monday at q. M. and conclude
at a. m. Punctual to the hour, the fed
eral details came on the field and by 8
Il. m. had buried about three hundred.
The work was hardly begun and the
truce was extended. Hour after hour
was granted until it was evening before
tho field was cleared.
The crater combat, unlike other battles
in Virginia was sc ries Of deeds of dar-
ing, Of bloody hand-to-hand fighting,
where the survivor could count with
certainty the men he had slain. A few
days ago soldier said t., me: II killed
two at the crater; they were not three feet
from me when they fell. ] had followed
the fortunes Of the Confederacy from
Williamsburg to Appomattox Court
House and had. to the morning of July
so, only seen two bayonet wounds
one received at Frazier's Farm; the other
at Turkey Ridge. June 3, 1884" Men
stood face to face at the crater. Often
q bayonet thrust was given before the
MIME ball went crashing through the
body. Every man took care of himself,
intent on selling his life as dearly as
possible. The negroes did not all STAN.
pede. They mingled with the white
troops. The troops of Malone.
Wilcox, and Wright were
greeted with defiant yells, while their
ranks were moved down by whitening
fires. Many officers commanding negro
troops, held their commissic-s for
bravery. Encouraged, threatened, en-
ulating the white troops, the black men
fought with desperation. Some confed-
crate soldiers recognized their slaves at
the crater. Captain -, of the forty
first Virginia gave the military salute to
ben" and "Rob," whom he had left
hoeing corn down in Dinwiddie. If
W . OASASAOlA IdU OCCuDlcO xt0S6EVOlT
Hill, Richmond would have been evacu.
ated.
General Malone had no staff officers.
He asserted that they only consumed "a
tons and filed tho wagons with bag
gage. Private R. C. Sibley, clerk at
headquarters. was chief, and Courier
Nelson carried the rice and canteen.
Lieutenant Girardy volunteer aid to
General r. Wright, offered his services
to Malone at the crater, which were &C.
copied. Girardy was one of the bray
est men in Lees army. General Leo
watched this daring man. Insensibie to
fear, he was always found where the
danger was greatest. Three days after
the battle Lee sent Girardy q commits
sion as brigadier general and consigned
him to command Wright's Brigade.
Two weeks later, on the 10Th Of August,
near Fort Harrison, he was killed. I
never heard of a similar promotion In
Lees army, that of lieutenant to
brigadier general.
The following order was read to the
after the battle. We have
never seen it published and as it was
the only one Malone ever issued We