The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-31

charge was renewed, always with the same
general result-that Prentiss' men held
the ground, though his ranks were fast
thinning out, while the Confederates made
their enormous losses good and more by
sending in supports. Their columns con-
verged at that point from three directions,
and after some hours fighting Prentiss
had his TANKS bent back so that the fires
crossed at certain points. Yet he held on,
and, though he lost nearly everything but
honor, he doubtless saved the day on that
field.
His men were as daring as himself.
When the horses had been shot down on
the advance batteries, willing hands drew
the cannon back and placed them where
they could fire through gaps in the infantry
ranks. Finally, Prentiss was lost by the
Welding of isolated detachments, and with
about 1000 men he fell into the enemy's
hands. This was late in the day; some
chronicles say O'Clock. The fight began
in earnest about in the morning.
After Prentiss was missed and his line of
defense broken the Sixteenth was led out
of action by its adiutant, Col. Allen and
three captains having been wounded in de-
Tending the Hornets Nest" The bril-
gade in which the Sixteenth fought at Shi-
lob lost 113 killed and 372 wounded. The
Sixteenth lost 40 killed outright, 1873
wounded and 20 missing. but the mortally
wounded and the missing found to be
among the dead swelled the number killed
to 70, the highest mortality of any regi-
ment in the division. The small number
missing shows how bravely the regiment
disputed the ground, for it fought on every
line of battle taken up by Prentiss during
the day. Its heaviest loss was in the de-
Tense of it's camps early in the fight.
The Sixteenth has few battles to its
credit, only three worthy the name-Shiloh,
Corinth and Atlanta-but it has record in
losses that places it among the Three Hun
dred Fighting Regiments. 1t first met the
enemy at Shiloh. Corinth was its next en-
gagement, and there, for fifteen minutes,
under CALLING, enfilading fire, it stood to
the rack without supports. This cost z
killed, 2S wounded and 10 missing, and of
the wounded and missing were ultimate
ly reported dead. Fifteen minutes was not
a long time, but where bullets few so
thick that the regimental flag was cut into
strips by them, no doubt the Wisconsin
boys thought it would do.
After that affair the ten companies of
the regiment were consolidated into five,
and with clipped wings the Sixteenth went
through the marching campaigns of 1868
down to Atlanta, June and July, 1864.
Here follows a fair sequel to their record
at Shiloh. The regiment was in Forces
brigade, Leggett's division, Seventeenth
corps. Sherman was drawing his lines so
close about Atlanta that bloody battles
were fought within one week on the north.
west and east, not over a mile from the
outskirts,
On July 81 Forces brigade was put to
the assault of an elevation, high and bald,
which formed the southern extremity of
the Confederate line of defense. 1t was a
key position, well intrenched and manned
by the division of the celebrated fighter,
Patrick ]. Cleburne. The Sixteenth had
the place of honor on the right of the line.
The first few rods led through a cornield