The National tribune., 1890-07-24
TRACY TREMMEL.
Continued from I'd page.)

rest and scrape the mud from US. "There'e
| solid ground sOmewhere in North Carolina
Well find it directly, an then we'll get these
| skunks on to 1t an wallop them till theil
blamed hides won't hold shucks Les look
over our cartridges boys. an see that they're
dry an ready for business. / feel that this
things comm to q head now purity SOON"
! We made the examination, and found that
the ammunition was all right.
Yes" added Web, land I've brung my bot
| tie o. Liver Invigorator through ali right, too.
! I'm awful glad, for / was nightly scared SOW
eral times that I'd broke the BOTTLE"
A few steps farther and we came to an open
ing. which led to solid ground. Before us was
q little stretch covered only with coarse grass.
| To our right came path, which apparently
led off TO the rebel fort on our left.
| Hooray, we've got some place at last !"
shouted Job.
! "Histl F." said Ian, cooking his gun, there
come some men,"
| We looked to the right and saw squad of
eight or ten rebels approaching, evidently on
| their way to join in the fighting At their
| head marched stawart man with the stripes
of Sergeant. Besides his gun he was armed
with revolver aud heavy bowie-knfe.
| Get ready for a rush, boys, when | start, "
| whispered Job, and l braced myself for what
| was to come.
Surrender, you hellions," shouted Job,
| springing out and leveling his gun on the sur
| prised rebel
:" No." said the latter. raising his musket /;
North Carolinians never sur"
Crack" went Jobs gun. and the leader fell
upon his lace, his gun going off in the air.
We all blazed away, excited y-all except
Quin, who had fixed his bayonet aud dashed
savagely ut the next man. The startled rebels
fired wildly at us, and then, as if overcome by
the sight of Quin, whIrled aud began running
for dear life over the open space.
WAS not prepared Tor this supposed that,
shooting once begun, we would stay there and
shoot until all weTo killed, and was loading
my gun with nervous haste, to get another
shot before they did.
1t was second before we collected our scat
tered senses enough to take after them. by
this time they had the start, aud being much
iresher ontstript us, and reached the woods
beyond. Quin alone gained on his man. but
just AS he shortened to make the fatal lunge
with his bayonet, the rebcl tript and foil. with
Qnin tumbling on top of'him. There was a
minutes struggle, when Quin rose to his feet,
with the rebels long hair III his vise.like grasp
Dyez surrinder, ye thaie av the wurruld"
painted Qutn, giving the hair twist that
threatened to wiring the fellows uerk. "If
yez don't OIL tear the whole thatch off av
yez,"
Ouch. lo' 90 o my head" pleaded the rebel
I've done gin up"
Our race bad brought us out on little hill.
ock' from which We could see into tho rebel
works. The wholo battle was in plain view.
As we looked the rebels nearest Us caught
sight oil the regiments on the right of our lne
which had now reached the edge of the clear
ing. The rebels opened Gre at once upon them.
Between the gallant Massachusetts, boys and
the bTeastworks WAS pond of unknown depth,
but tho Yankees rushed into this with a cheer.
though they SINK To their waists Tho rebel
bullets splashed the water like a haiist0rm, but
on they pushed.
Then Rreat cheer came up from away over
on the left Of the line, where the 2lst Mass. and
the 5lst n. \ had gained the edge of the clear
Ing and were wildly raeing for the honor of
placing their colors first the rebel strong.
hold. Tho cheer was taken up IN the center,
where HawkiDss Zouavea were. The woods
rang with "zOol" F." goo " 80 zoo tho cor.
duroy road became snFgiug river OF crimson
fezcs aud red breeches
The asiOnisbed rebels bsgnn 20 break and
run. la an instant tho flags of tho 2ist Mass
and 5lst Y. were dutteriug above the bank of
green, wave Of bristiiug steel was sweeping
over the works from left TO right. and all re-.
sstance was at an end II was Satan take the
blndmost among the men who had been fight
ing so stubborny for nearly four hours.
Ihsy left their dead and wounded their eau
non anspiked, and hundreds OF mnskets. re-
volycrs aud bowie knives which Uttered the
Amid this wreck and confusion lay. stone
dead. the rebel Officer Of tho Day. his office in
dictated by bis sash worn across his breast from
shoulder to shoulder.
What an exultant crowd we were, rs we
gathered in the rebel battery. We forget that
We We're wet muddy and tired. IL seemed TO
ine that was giant in strength and stature.
Was tickled to death. / had been through
the battle, had helped 10 win "a great victory
aud WAS totally unhurt! We yelled till the
woods rang, and danced aud sang as il crazy.
The officers were wild rs the rest of us.
They shook hands with each other and with tbs.
made speeches, and called for cheers for the
Union.
While We were so engaged, Gen. Reno, eager
for more lanrels, swept by us with his brigade.
IN pursuit OF the flying rebels.
Soon messenger from him came rushing
back, with his compliments To Gen. Foster and
u little black horse, which be- had captured and
the information that the rebels were trying To
escape from the island to Nag's Head lying to
the northeast. lie suggested that Gen. Foster
move forward aud try 10 entercept them.
We set out at once. and sweeping ahead as
fast as our legs would carry us, speedily came 10
where the 9th ". Y. had broug ht back one of the
boats IN which the rebels were trying to escape
by wading into the water aud opening IA sharp
FIRE upon IL. IL proved 10 contain about %
men and wounded rebel officer, who cursed
his captOrs, tue Yankees, ana the Adolf
tionists " generally, and regretted that he had
only one life TO lose for the Southern Confed-
eracy.
That is o. Jennings Wise, son Of Gov. Henry
A. Wise. Of Virginia. aud tho commandant of
our corps the Richmond Blues" said one of
the prisoners.
heard aiterward that Wise died during the
night aud with his latest breath cursed all
who were fighting for the Union.
Some Of the prisoners we had gathered up on
the way reported that the rebels were in force
ut the north end of the ialand, aud would give
us battle.
Gen. Foster closed mp his brigade and started
off 70 find them. We were so wrought up now
that we were anxious 10 meet any body who
WAS ia the humor for lghting
Job tried to work us ia at the head of the
column, but the Captain of the leading com
pany Of the gath Mass. was 80 jealous Of the
honor of being in the advance that he would
not permit IL. and we had to go to the rea: of
tho regiment. We covered about three miles
Ia very short time when voley burst out
OF the woods at the head, and was at once an
swered by one from our skrmshers. Thon q
cheer told us that tha rebels were running
The brigadeSlt once won't into line of battle and
began advancing slowly. The advance told ns
that they had met a company of rebels, who
ran after receiving one voley, which killed
three OF them. and We found their bodies lying
where they had stood.
rebel officer bearing white flag. and ac-
c0mpanied by two or three men, came out of
the woods. Tho line was halted TO know what
IL meant. He inquired for the officer in COM