The National tribune., 1888-05-31

Island, where, as he claims, land as the officers
of that regiment have ever since the battle
claimed the rebel battery was captured and
its garrison routed by the Hawkins Zouaves
in a grand charge, which was also - the
first bayonet charge of the war" This
claim of the Zouaves has been repeatedly re-
futed and disproved by members of other organ
izations engaged in the battle, but has been per-
sistently " stuck to" to the extent that it be-
comes necessary now and then for the true
statement of facts to be made, which true state
ment proves conclusively that while the Haw-
kins ZOuayes took part in the action, and
doubtless performed their whole duty n0bly
and well, yet from the nature of the ciTcum-
stances under which they were placed, did not
and could not perform the feat they claimed to
have performed of capturing the battery by
direct charge up the causeway.
Sergt Whitney has quoted for his narrative
from the history of "The Hawkins Zouavos-
Their Battles and Marches" written by him
self propose to offer some extracts from the
History of the 2lst Mass. Volunteers" written
by Breyet Brig Gen. Chas. +. Walcott, who at
the battle of Roanoke Island was Captain of
Co b, of that regiment. He deyotes consider
able space in his excellent history to this bat
tie, and at its conclusion says: Al have per-
haps been more particular in my account of
this battle than its Importance justifes, not
only because it was our first fight but also be-
cause some of our gallant brother regiments,
fearing that the war would end before there
was legitimate glory enough to go around made
claim to some of our honors." His narrative
of the battle is as follows:
Gen Reno came and ordered us to the
front. Moving about a mile up the road we came
upon the scene Of operations A corduroy road ran
through wooded swamp, from which the trees
had been cleared away for space of hundred
yards or each side of the road. At the end Of
this vista, and about q half mile off the rebel re-
doubt hidden in a line of evergreens was now and
lspl coli 1gnn tuf rItr
marine artillery, which CALAMITY provoking
the enemys fire; but artillery sounded like
pop-9uDs in comparison with the heavy boom Of
the rebel pieces. The musketry had now ulled
down into a smuggling fire in the woods each
side of the road. In q few minutes the
list, led by Gen. Reno In person, waded into
the deep swamp on the left of the road toward the
right OF the rebel battery. Our flank companies,
ID and G, accom- panied by Gen. Reno Gel. hIaggi
and AdJt Stearns. took the advance in line of
battle, and the battalion companies followed,
marching by the flank a support.
Our two companies in advance at once be-
came sharply engaged with the so far victorious
rebels and our eight companies in support gave
them three hearty cheers. Though the cheering
probably did some good, morally il brought
down upon US, for time, the undivided attention
OF the rebel battery; and canister and shell hurtled
ana crashed around us, doing US, however, little
INJURY, thanks TO the shield afforded by the dense
underbrush and trees. And staid for a long
hour, up to our knees in the tangled morass NOV
ing forward at a snail's pace, without any Oppor-
tuhlty 70 hre q Ehot, though under the eneniy's
ire, While our good and true Surgeons and Chap
lam bore many CHASTITY cOmrade from ID and c.
past TO the rear; and worse than all now and
then we got shot from some of our own regi-
nients IN the All this time ID and G were
slowly and steadily driving their antagonists in
upon the battery. Our turn came at last. We
had almost worked out of the woods and the reb-
els had been driven in upon the battery. Cen
Reno now went TO the extreme front and ordered
the regiment up TO charge. Asmy company moved
TO the front through an interval between ID and
o, marked with wonder that there was nothing
to indicate their heavy loss. In d. which / men
"a tftaz wa F,1f,r
Foster aud i6 men had fallen; but there they
stood, apparently a strong as ever, every man in
the firm and even line, eagerly watching for rebel
heads- AS the fresh companies moved
rapidly to the front over the open ground to within
200 yards of the battery, they were greeted with
hetEy DuL ili-dlFected IRE Of muskctry and artil-
Icry. The regiment now came rapidly into line Of
battle and started for the battery with shout of
exutation as Reno gave the order to charge The
rebel garrison and reserves, firing one more vol
ley turned and fed before strong, unwaver-
ing line, and we poured into the battery captured
the rebel flag and planted our State colors-borne
oy gallant Corpl Ethan Biodgett, Of Co. A-on the
parapet Our Coor-5ergeant, with our United
States flag had fallen into deep pit full of water
and before lac could eXtrlcate himself the United
States flag of the 5lst \. Y.-three companies of
which regiment entered the battery next after the
2lst-hoated on the parapet beside our Massaclu-
sets flag. Then, with our two flags in plain sight
upon the parapet, the fort full of our men, and the
last running rebel well out OF sight the 9th n Y
tHawkins' Iouayes) came running up the narrow
corduroy road by The flank, and with great shout
OF You Loui swarned into the battery for all
the world as If they were capturing il! The only
bayonet charge on fighting rebels at Roanoke was
made by the 2lst, supported by the rest of the bril-
gade; none Of which, however, was in sight ex-
cept three companies Of the 5Ist N Y. And great
was our disgust when we read in the Boston pa
pers, month or 50 afterward, that the Colonel of
the Zou-Hou's had had the ciIrontery TO put him
sell on exhibition there as the hero OF the bayonet
charge at Roanoke Island
The above extract from Gen Walcotts mar
rative is substantially an accurate account of
the operations of the 2lst Mass, and shows
conclusiVely that the 9th N. Z. did not make
the charge which resulted in the capture of
the battery. Bat if your readers viii turn
again 10 the sketch Of the scene of the battle
as published with Serg't Whitney's narrative,
il will be plain, | think to most comrades who
have participated in such affairs, that they
could not have done so. Here was battery
OF three heavy guns In front deep moat or
pond, the only approach by corduroy road
50 feet or less in width (Serg't Whitney says
only wide enough for mule. cart }, straight
and fully commanded by the three heavy guns
and all the muskctry Of the garrison. Let me
ask any old comrade what, in his opinion.
would have been the fate of a regiment at
tempting to charge live battery under such
circumstances
That the Hawkins Zouaves did run up this
road By the plank admit. That this Charge"
had anything to do with the capture Of the
batteries IS simply preposterons. The battery
was II friendly AdHuS when the charge" was
made.
desperate charge, as this of the Hawkins
Zouaves is represented to have been, generally
has resulted IN some loss Of blood The total
loss Of the Zouayes in the engagement, / have
understood, was one man killed | am not
sure that it was not larger, but 1 noticed that
Sergt Whitney says noting about it in his mar
rative, except that he mentions the death of
Lieut-Col. DeMonteil, Of whom he speaks as
the Lieutcnant-C of the Zouayes but
who was Of another New York regiment, which
was not in the action. He took a musket and
fought in the ranks with the Zouayes till he
was killed.
Serg't Whitney refers to pursuing the
enemy and capturing prisoners at Shallowback
Bay tamong them Commandment Wise") Gen.
Henry o. Wise the commander of the rebel
forces on Roanoke Island, was not captured. He
was absent from the island sick at the time of
the battle. Capt. o. Jennings Wise, of the
Richmond Blues, was wounded in the battery.
and endeavOred, with others, to escape from
the island in boat, which was compelled to
return by the fire of the 21st Mass. He died
next day. but it is pleasant to know that he
was able to testify his appreciation Of the GAL
lantry Of the ZouaYes by assuring them that
" You are the only men who fought to-day!"
Numerous official reports could be cited
which controyert the claims of the Zouayes
but wish not to encroach too much on vour
space, and will only give an abstract from that
Of Gen. Reno, who says:
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