The National tribune., 1883-07-19
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Cur Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
Gallant Charge.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
As an additional contribution TO the history Of
the battle Of JonesBoro permit me to say = word
mot IN criticism OF lhe statement OF coihs3'.e out
70 chronicle an exploit IN connection with that bat
tie. which is deserving Of especial "a nlloil ciiler
comrades have done justice 10 DINER ceiisllatiS
Mhai have 10 relate concerns regiment belong
Ing 10 tie Tlaird brigade trsi division, Fourteenth
Army ,5ls,s which, with the second brigade Reg
lnrs constituted the only troops Of tne First d.
vision engaged. The Third brigade WAS coist-
lncnded by Colonel Moore, OF the -Ixty-IlInth oho,
and The division by Brigaaicr-GcneIsl " y. Car
lin The regiment referred TO was the thirty
eighth Indiana ts first colonel being Ben. f. Serb
ner better known as gallant sEiJse Scrlo --:, So
briquet bestowed upon hitn ny General ttonsseaI
for distinguished gala ny ~ the battle OF Perry
willie. .tlld who long commanded the flrst brigade
First division, lvnEteentl Army Corps IN tie or
der Of hatiie the Third brigade. in double lines
the iCi. OF the Regular brigade Its len rest
ing on tie railroad. The 1etenSes OF the enemy III
front OF lhe Third brigade were in some WOODS,
and crossed The railroad and common roaG, when
here pursiiel al about right angle. The fI5t
line Of the brigade attacked the enemy about the
same time thc charge was made by the Regular
brigade huf owing 10 tse dense underground The
troops were unable TO make much progress but
held their position, under calling fire, close TO
the enemy 3 works. The enemy had battery
plantCd IS sweep the two roads. just before
the finai advance was ordered the IhIrty-eigkjh
Indiana Colonel .. II. Griffin, commanding. which
mp 70 thus time Formed portion OF the second ilAe,
was ordered forward and placed IN position Near
Estes bIsEG4c Of B.irds {thiraj division, which
had Tclict ei tac Regular brigade, with orders from
General CsTliE that when the signal for the adj
vance was gwen 10 make vigorous charge. IN
obeyng tins order il fell 10 The lot Of this regiment
20 perform service, all things considered, which
entities Il 10 especial mention in connection with the
proud achievements 81 that day As stated before,
tins portion OF the eDeuly's line was posted IN a
wood which extended IN "A west direction from me
railroad solae two hundred yards. To reach these
works the ass.nting troops must cross a piece of
open ground, then over ground covered by trees
loo small tnT protection. nc duty OF asSaultiiiS
this pOrtsCa Of the line. which haG ValIlly been at
tempted before assigned 70 tie thirty llh
Indiana. Va hen at last the ringing cheers and roll
ing musiSetIy told thst the Second DIVISION was
charging there came the command Attention,
Thirfy-u fsl ix hsvonets forward 10 the worlzsI'
A moment and the opened space J. cleared now
the line enters and disappears al the woods; pene-
trates them FOR n Short distance; then Is heard a
roar-a crash; Il has met Fame OF DEATH the en-
envy Is sheltered and protected; every soldier OF
thai Inc Is fair target; men TAI by the score. but
il breaks not waivers. only pauses; bllOw Of
flame rolls along The line OF blue, followed by a
cheer; then, FORWARD AGAIN another cheer and the
works are woD; the defenders throw down Their
and surrender. Bot the regiment work Is
only half done IL has already achieved all that has
crowned the NRlor OF other troops other por-
tions Of the field. Scarcely breathing spell now
for the survivors; far more terrible ordeal awaits
them. No sooner do they find themselves IN pos
session OF this portion Of the enemy works than
they become targets for enilading fire from a
portion os the eHenly's line across The railroad.
v here nov i the Fourth Corpse This ilne, too,
must be taken. II was undertaking well cSlcu-
lated 10 daunt the courage Of the bravest, but
- Theirs not 10 question why,
The two roads are swept by terrible fire Of grape
and canister at shoTT range. At this point the rail-
road passes through cut ten feet deep; this must
be crossed the farther side scaled. and then the
works beyond assaulted For this duty the left
wing j. assigned, under the command OF Major
Carter, veteran OF the Mexican war. Some one
has said that there Is heIi-=pot every field OF
ba;tle-some spot which becomes q maels,ron OF
cold. cruel slaughter. This cut was hell-spoi
on that day of battle The order is given. ana
daunted the brave detachment rush forward
reaching the cut, its intrepid commander is the
hTs one to pass down Its SIDE, but falls, as he cheers
Oh hls men 10 follow. Can any one follow and sur
vive that torrent Of death which sweeps that
narrow pass? The coiors IUtter for instant on
tine brink. bgt lis gallant bearer pitches forward
down the side his blood dycing the flag he has
RED 50 long, private. whose brother, first SER
gestnt, has just fallen snafces the coioTs from thC
death grasp. crosses to the opposite slde attempts
the ascent but falls; again they seized, this
tine by Lieutenant Redding; he mounts 10 The
other SIDE. waves the c0lors GefaIGy. and il
cbeereo by the boys who rally around him. a gsir
tie hne Is formed again il moves forward; agaiT
IS II net by fame of death; the same billow o
flame rolls along the line of blue; again cheer i
heard as tie Tag Is planted on the eneInyis works
There Is now longer breathing spell, for victory
3 conplete. +.0T moment the smoke of battle
hrs ere night closes The scene, TO reveal the face
OF those lcit within the confines Of that hel-spct
the lccs ~ Ice gallant leader three captains ane
lalf hundred mOTe-left TO tell of the heroic vslo
of thGt double charge oil tie regiment that cargeC
seroas the railroad cut at JcDesboro'.
O1FOED Iowa. ]. L. N.