The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-05-05
The Assault on Fort Wagner.

On rushed the federals at q double
quick, saluted by simultaneous out
break of hot shot; an implacable, con-
centrated fire from Sumter, Gregg and
James Island They began to appreci-
Roland for ones Oliver.n And con-
spicuous in the van, on came the little
misguided and unfortunate Massachu-
sets Colonel Shaw, his long hair waving
behind him as he led his sable entanS
perdus. A portion followed him over
the ditch and planted their flag upon
the ramparts, where the colonel was
shot and Instantly killed. The others,
however, could not endure the sight of
that gaping ditch-or the revolving
sensation of winged metal, viciously
near-therefore they broke, and under
the influence of panic, disgraceful and
irretrievable, acted rather like wild
brutes let loose from a menagerie than
reasoning, responsible men. They
Numbered first upon the Ninth Maine,
and afterward upon the Seventy-siXth
Pennsylvania, partially destroying the
organization of both. Some of the
frightened creatures ran like deer;
others, in the base paralysis of terror,
Frustrated themselves upon the ground,
crawling along on hands and feet.
Then, in startling contrast with this
pusillanimity of the Black Regiment"
by the side of which even the action of
the Spartan Helots (who confronted
bravely enough their masters spears,
and covered only at the crack of the
Whip looks like Hottest heroism; then
ha oil
would have called deed of derring,
was performed by men of the ever domi-
nant Caucasian race, the thought of
which as write, a quarter of century
after its occurrence, here in the tran
quill Indian summer, makes my heart
beat and pulses throb unanimously.
Across the narrow and fatal stretch be-
fore the fort-every inch of which was
swept by hurricane of fire, bosom
of destruction-the Sixth Connecticut
Colonel John Chatfield) charged with
such undaunted resolution upon the
southeast salient that they succeeded,
in the very face of hell, one may say,
in capturing it. What though their
victory was barren achievement!
What though for three hours they were
penned in, no support daring to follow
them! Friend andf foe alike now, as then,
must honor and salute them as the
bravest of the brave Grimly they
held on to the salient they had taken
Indeed, retreat was next to impossible.
Even a body of croc nitaineS are
naturally indisposed to taste twice of
the Hadean flannel Vainly a section
of the Charleston Irish volunteers en-
deavored to dislodge them, They were
repulsed, and their captain, Ryan,
killed. A detail from Major David
Ramsay's command, advancing upon
the same Grand, the gallant major was
struck in the back by shot from the
bomb-proof, and fell MORALLY wounded.
But the enemy were at this time re-
treating from all parts of the field.
Their generalization was complete.
Nevertheless, sharp fire of grape and
musketry Kissed over the faces of the
salient until the Thirty-frst Georgia
Regiment (who had just reached the
island with igadier-general Hagood)
charged over the south scarp, and two
companies of the Charleston battalion,
Captain julius Blake, deployed along
the western face, when the Sixth
Connecticut, convinced that the game
was up, sensibly surrendered. The
history of the war, rife with desperate
conflicts, can show no more terrific
strife than this. 1t was, in more than
one particular, battle of giants. Pau
Hdyne, IN Southern BirOudc.