The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-10

yi- a pitiable sight as dazed, and uncerta
rs of what had occurred, they recou
IN ted the improbabiIities Of the expl
q. sion. No doubt wonderful escap
le we're had; bordering on exaggeratio
ID and improbable A tall, slabslded so
II of Carolina, in woeful voice describe
or to US, as he rested within our line
IF Of the effect OF the "bloY-up." He sal
81 "he was cooking coffee, having arise
3. early according TO orders; when all &
4 once the ground all around him heave
Ie up, and he saw and felt the fire and hea
# as it rushed by him, scorching him bad
el ly; he was thrown into the air, and fel
e into pile of debris, but had sens
4 enough to keep kicking, thus wardinj
d of much of the falling earth. Besidl
i him lay a soldier with the upper part OF
t his body buried, his legs sticking out
i and working in vain efforts to get out
= his sufferings soon ended, as deatl
7 by suffoeatlon, ensued" Many poor
r wretches presented sickening sights, a.
5 flame seorched or powder burnt, or Grip
/ pied by heavy falls, they filed by us
3 Some were wild in their sufferings, and
recklessly exposed themselves to the
/ sharp-shooters now doubly yenomous
J We did what lay in our power for their
relief and wondered at this new phase
of warfare.
The battle, by o'clock, was going all
right, and Mahone's men had the advan.
J tage; they were driving the blacks and
whites pell-mell; and asNthey crossed
the open field we saw the rush and fury
of the battle. A friend in Weiseiger's S
Observation-Disclosures old command-told
US of the fight, and what he saw. "We
understood through our officers" said
he, that no quarter was to be shown,
| the niger soldiers. That they hau
shown no mercy to the fallen Confeder-
ates; and none should be shown them
all must be lost-no prisoners must be
reported" Continuing, he said: "We
formed in several Columns, and then
advanced to the charge; as We crossed
the rise of the ridge a furious fire was
poured into us from all sides, which
worked US up to high pitch of despera
ton and frenzy" The idea of having
to fight niggess, and perhaps our own,
and seeing our comrades falling by their
fire, was maddening; thus excited we
swept irresistably forward. Their line |
was easily broken, and they were driven
iheadlong back to the main line in and |
around the crater. Amongst these they |
plunged and sought safety In the depths |
OF the mine; and to hundreds of them |
proving their sepulture. The resistance |
offered, did not check the assault; the |
cry of mo quarter to the dam rebelsp
rang out at intervals, "and was answered /
by a shot or a stab with the bayonot at
some poor devil of negro who fell into
our hands. Gradually we approached
the very edge of the gap, and saw it /
seethlng with frenZied human beings
some fighting; some crying for mercy, for
help; and others, "no quarterp Thus
they struggled for room or shelter, while
shower of pittiless minnie balls was
pouring in on them; the living dying
by the hands of the dead, as it were, as
they fell SO thick and fast, crushing and
suftOcating those around them. The
white Federal troops acted very coward
ly, and their bullets destroyed as many
negro lives as of the Cenfedelates. Thus
between two fires the poor black soldiers
soon fell to the last man; and the pit
became vast burial vault. The scene
was one of demoniac conception, one
never to be forgotten. We lay down on
the brink, loaded and fired our rifles
into the dense mass, where every ball
found a mark. One man that seemed
imbued with devilish impulse would
gather rifles from around him, and
throw them into the pit, where the dull
thud told that the bayonet was driven
to very shank. A Confederate gun Sc
cure from Federal attack got the range
of the mine, and threw shell and shot
with fIightful precision. | got tired
and surfeited with blood, and was glad
to hear orders to retire gwen; and the ,
dying were left with the dead"
The record of that days work shows
a dreadful one; full twenty-five hundred
Federals were "hOrs du cOnlbat," of whom :
more than eighteen hundred were ne
groes. The attack was badly mana ged /; :
led; and from the first start !
an ignominious failure; and met bar ]
rier indeed in Mahone's veterans, when !
they were thrown into the breach A
portion of this fight we could see if we !
chose to risk butting our heads against ;
minnie balls, and it was frequently :
risked. The artillery fire upon us had /
not ceased; the ground around US was I
ploughed and torn by the cannon balls.
And as heet of minnie balls, as it were, !
swept Just over the breast I
works, singing deceptive tunes as if to a
lure one on to meet the danger guised !
IN sounds of harmony. .
In the height of the melee, while Ma j
bone and Beauregard were charging, E
Sen. Lee alone, and on foot, came into :
1ur lines and adjusting his glass swept s
he field in front for some time with :
jome anxiety. Apparently not satisfied !
With the survey, and TO our conster- a
nation he left the protection of the a
works, and advanced to our open rear, :
ind then carefully and calmly surveyed i
.he battlefield. Poins after point was i
carefully scanned. Picture to yourself +
he tumult of battle; men frenzied by h
passions contending in death grapple; n
.he very air dark with exploding mate /
-ial; the ringing cheers or yelIs of COM a
latants; the death shrek; the wall of 4
tgony; the appeals for mercy from some :
Door stricken wretch, as he knows his +
lays are numbered. The ground around :
jorn, and great fnrrows of dirt continu- !
lily being thrown up as shot and shell !,
trike, and in the midst of this scene !
tands our peerless commander, Gen. E
Robert E. Lee, bare-headed, erect, proud
md magnificent. Gracefully he sweeps
he field and takes into consideration
he most trivial matter We looked on T
With bated breath and trembled for his
afety. A shell rushing by, strikes our /,
and hurls the fragments far h
o the rear. Unconscious of danger, Il
here he stood until satisfied. Great &
lneasiness prevailed for fear some sharp c
hooter might spy him, with a fatal aim a
md several of the 48th regiment went Z
b him and kindly demonstrated with I
Iim for thus exposing himself. An q
ITishman, who exposed himself few q
Iteps from Gen. Lee, was shot through Y
he head. Thus no wonder we trembled
or the life of our great captain. Gen.
Lee kindly noticed this demonstration
nto the lines. He was attracted by the !
many little conyeniences the men had
sontrived for comfort, and drank a cup 4
If water from our wells. A fireplace
ut out Of the bank of earth, seemed to 4
please him. With salute peculiar only il
% himself, he retired and then all felt a
! sense Of relief, while prayers Of thank i
Euifess arose from grateful hearts for b
bis preservation. The battle ended !; +
luiet vas again supreme, d few shells I
1nly coursing the the heavens more out 9
Il practice than with intent to harm. {
TIE day after the .mine 6asco,n OBJ
aimed permission to see the battlefield. g
c was bot IS blazes, bothoverhead from
I'D Sol and the more dangerous ones I I
,ontriTed BY man for mans destruction !.
-bomb b-ehells. Taking roundabout
way, ] found myself in BIanf0rd ceme- 7
cry, where 4 look could be had gener-
lily Of the field and Of the opposing \
ines. Near the monument erected %
he sCOckade Cityssgp heroes Of the war I
4 1912. I sheltered myself and took IN !
Ia sights. Marks of cruel war and )