The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-04-16
A Scene Of Carnage.

tam, the 1orueln anu Tllty-sSNehth
Indiana, Ninety-seventh and Twenty
sixth Ohio, Twenty-eighth Ken
tucky. and One hundreth Illinois
regiments. each numbering about
500 men, were selected to assault
salient on a ridge 500 yards in their
front The lines were formed III
regimental divisions and while the
front was only the width of two
companies the depth was thirty lines
Of men in open order. Il was in
fact giant wedge of flesh and blood
and steel which was to drive itself
through the Confederate lines.
As the men stood in line their
officers explained to them in low
and earnest tones what was planned
and what was hoped for. 1t was
forlorn hope indeed. Every man
must have realized that there would
be terrible loes of life even before
the salient was reached, but each
one seemed TO nerve himself for
what was to come. During the
twenty minutes interval between
forming and the order to advance
there was almost dead silence in the
ranks. The men leaned upon their
muskets and peered through the
forest in their front which hid the
Confederate position, and the sup
ports on the tanks moved up and
into position, as If fearing that their
footsteps would disturb the dead of
the day before.
1t was not positively known TO
the Federals that the salient was
defended by cannon. The hope
that it was not gave the men more
spirits, as the lay Of the ground
forest, thicket AID ridge-furnished
fair shelter from musketry fire.
Soon after S o'clock a single low
spoken order brought every man TO
front face. The moment had
come. As the column had been
formed under cover it was hoped to
take the defenders of the salient by
surprise. The lines were dressed,
and in a moment were moving
through the woods. From the val
ley at the base of Kenesaw, Lost or
Pine mountains to their crests there
is scarcely level spot. The sides
are covered with forests and thieket,
and the ground is almost a success
sion OF rocky terraces. Over this
difficult ground the great blue wedge
forced its way at a rapid pace, but
no cheer was heard-no shouts were
given.
Crack ! crack ! crack
1t was the alarm from the Confed-
crate skirmishers, who have crept
down almost TO the base of the
mountain. They are posted behind
great rocks and hidden behind ledg-
es. They cannot retreat they mus,
surrender or fight it out. They
choose the latter course. Nine out
of every ten held their position un-
til the point Of the blue wedge reach
es them and brings savage death
with it.
All along the sides OF the grim
mountain the skirmishes bar the
way seeking to detain the wedge and
alarm the defenders of the salient.
Here aud there a Federal throws up
his lands and falls back, but the
column makes no halt. Up, up.
and now an officer in front waves
his sword as the slopes of the para
pet come into sight. Here the COW
er suddenly ends. From the bushes
to the salient, a distance of 200 feet
the ground has been swept bare of
trees and bushes, and rocks have
been rolled aside. At the foot of the
parapet is paliside-outside of that
an abattis. Behind the works are a
thousand muskets-a thousand
Coniederates with fingers on triggers.
At regular intervals along this line
$50 feet frOnt-are six field pieces,
each one loaded with grape and
canister The men within are wait
ing. Not an order is given nor a
head appears in sight until the first
line of blue Is out of cover.
Now, as if one finger had pressed
the thousand triggers, a great sheet
of flame leaps forth and scorches and
blisters and shrivels the advance.
The second line crowds up over the
dead and dying-the third and
fourth cheer. Now, with crash as
if a volcano was breaking the crest
fthe mountain, the SIX guns belch
their contents into that mass of men
sixty deep. Tn, effect was horrible.
! What were men a moment ago, are
now bloody shreds blown against
the rocks and scattered afar over the
ground. Some of the CORY fragments
fall upon the lines yet half way up
the slope
The advance halts in confusion
the rear lines crowd up. There is
another bloody feast ready as soon as
the cannon can be charged. Then
came the order to break lines and
divide to the right and left to get
out of range of the artillery. The
men rush forward to the abattis
some lie fat down-others take
cover behind rocks. For fifteen
minutes heroic courage holds them
before the salient. The Confeder-
ates have them attheir mercy. Men
take deliberate aim and send a bull
let through the head OF the living
targets. When the burial party
comes to do its work it will find
that seven out of ten Federals lying
before that abattis has been killed
stone dead by single bullet.
The fire of musketry might have
cheered the assault. but aided by ar
tillery the check became a butchery
Grape and canister search out spots
secured from bullets, and ia the
very rear ranks, men who did not
even catch sight of the abattis were
struck down by the iron missiles
No assault could have brought out
more nerve and heroism. but il. was
the nerve dashing against the rocky
cliff. When the men had fallen
back to their original position the
roll of dead and wounded was a
shock to those who escaped. No
one had blundered Johnston's