The National tribune., 1890-09-11
inside the rebel works. OF meet most disas-

trous repulse.
Those few minutes were terribly anxious
ones to those who were waiting. There was
| hardly any firing only few scattering shots.
The enemy were certainly surprised asleep.
| Soon, however the steady roar of the old mr-
sic began, and we knew they were asleep no
longer. The daylight had now come, and VIC
saw crowds of men rushing back. The first
| thought was the attack hau failed, but soon
the gray uniform was distinguished and we
| know the success had been complete beyond
| expectation. Gems. johnson and Stewart had
been captured, with their commauds-about
| 5000 prisoners, whilo 90 cannon remained per-
manont trophies of the day.
Birnoy had moved almost simultaneously
with Barlow. The salient had been carried
| but before the second limo was reached the
enemy were ready. Furious Mt the disaster that
had come upon them, they fought like tigers.
Reinforcements from Hill and Anderson were
hurried into tho gap and the advance was
checked. As soon rs the first Intelligent knowl-
edge reached Gen. Hancock of the result of
the charge he wrote a short dispatch to Gen.
Meade, stating the capture of 5000 prisoners
and 70 cannon, and asking immediate assist
anco lie gave this to me, and ordered me to
take it to Army Headquarters.
AS i turned to go | saw Gibbons Division
moving into the fight. My old brigade Gar
rolPs) was in front, and the 14th Ind. was tho
loft of the brigade saw Col Coons in rear of the
18th Ind. and Sawyer behind the Sth Ohio as l
galloped away. In few minutes they were
into tho fight. Coons was killed and Sawyer
badly wounded. ] rode to Army Headquarters,
some two miles away, rs fast as my horse could
carry me- Gen. Meade was standing before his
tent. l gave him tho dispatch, but had ac-
quainted him with the contents. in answer to
his questions, before he read it. He was incred-
ulous. did not hear any firing" he said
" The firing was not heavy. They were sur
prised," i answered.
After reading the message, he asked mo If
know that we had captured 1900 prisoners and
20 guns. / said, We captured guns and pris-
oners. / could not know the exact numbers
but there was lot of them" / also told him
the last man OF tho Second Corps was in before
| left, and wo needed help very badly. He
seemed still to think the report greatly exag-
gerated, but said tho Sixth Corps was moving
and would get to us as soon as il could.
Toll Hancock will hurry troops to him as
fast as possible" he said, aud dashed back to
report the result of my mission.
Tho enemy was making furious efforts to
disiodge our forces and retake tho angle 1t
seemed to me that all the fighting along the
line was concentrated against the point we
were holding. Burnside was to attack on our
lett, but his movement was too weak TO avail
anything. For awhile it looked like we must
lose the hard won angle A little after o'clock
the sixth Corps came 10 help us--the gallant
Sixth Corps, who never failed TO do their
whole duty from the beginning to tho end
OF the war. Upton's Brigade was in the ad-
vance, and was into tho thickest of the
fight in 10 minutes The rain was again fall
ing heavily. The mud was so deep that the
Killed were tTampled and half buried by the
continued movements of troops and artillery
Tho air was a sea of bullets shot and she'll
All during the day until far into the night the
carnival OF death roigned. II was a desperate.
bloody, almost hand-to.hand grapple A little
before midnight the Confederates withdrew
from the contest, leaving the angle in our pos.
session. The continuous rain, the miserable
condition OF the ground. the desperate nature
OF the fighting has caused the recollcctions of
that day to remain a painful memory. At
Fredericksburg and Cold Harbor We were
hurled against impregnable positions and
slaughtered, but tho sun vas shining and
nature was smiling. / can SEQ yet tho dead
lying in tho rain. half buried In tho mud, with
their clothing cut into lint by tho continuous
rain Of bullets, ! can SEQ the trees torn into
broom-like splintors with muskot- balls until
they were cut in two; | can see the battle
smoke and lowering clouds mngling together
and lowering over tho field OF carnage: | can
sec the faces OF dead comrades who died that
day that the Nation might live; but the
gloomy memories have some compensation in
tho success achieved in the gray of the
morning when 5000 prisoners aud 20 captured
cannon were placed 10 the credit Of tho Second
Corps
Can the country ever forget the sacrifices
made by those who followed tho flag through
those dark and dangerous years 2-WILLIAM
houGHroS, Major, l4th Ind, Loogooteo Ind.