The National tribune., 1891-02-19
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
FORT GREGG AGAIN.

Voice from Illinois Regarding IFS Capture.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: Ia your issue
of Jan. & notice an article from the pen OF
VIM. H. Chick. of the S5th Pa, describing The
charging of Fort Gregg. His statement as "a
Che regiments that first charged the fort IN
front are as correct as though copied from OH
cal records as are also his references 10 Grant s
Memoirs D heartily agree with him M both
statements Col Thomas o. Osborn oil the 39th
I'LL, was in command of the First Brigade OF
the First Division, Twenty fourth Corps, com
posed OF the following regiments; ls9th "a,
3gth H. 62d and 9th Ohio and detachment
OF the S5th Pa. Sergt George w. Burton was
color. bearer of Co. j, seth ILL.,, which was az
that time color company lie carried the stars
and Stripes, and as we approached the ditch IN
front Of the fort, ran ahead of the line OF bat
lie, and had no more than reached the edge OF
the ditch when he fell. completely rddled with
bullets from the Confederate infantry inside OF
the fort
No sooner had our Gag fallen than an officer
of the Ig9th Pa who happened 20 be near az
hand, seized the colors, aud jumping the ditch
climbed up and planted them on the outer
slope OF the fort. As If enraged at such bold
ness, the enemy exerted themselves 10 a heroic
attempt 10 capture the flag; but as fast as they
showed themselves on top OF the parapet we
shot them down. They became so excited that
one OF them took his bayOnet and threw ltWith
81 his might at the flag, but fortunately MISS
ing the standard and tearing large hole m the
center OF the flag. Col Osborn helped us to
climb up on the side OF the fort out OF the
ditch as fast rs he could, 10y taking hold OF one
leg and boosting us up al the same time oE-
claiming, Men, we must take this fort before
tic enemy receives reinforcement" In this
manner he boosted the writer mp on the para
pet near the left end of the ditch, and some 10
or IL feet from the corner Of the fort. As i
raised 10 shoot at q reb TO my right I'VE were
only the length of our muskct barrels apart
another jumped up in front OF me and hastily
fired al my head. The charge raked the side OF
my neck, knocking me senselcss and when
came to my senses q dead man was laying across
my back / rolled him OF, picked up my gun,
and was again ready for business, somewhat
dishgured but still in the ring, as the sporting
gentry would term 1t. heard great rush 10
the left and someone called out, " 33th, where
are your" and our boys answered, Here we
arc " and 10 and behold 1t was the 23d H.
some 81 whom were armed with l6-shooteTs
aud doing great execution with them; one
fellow ] remember especially, who was on his
knees about eight or 10 feet distant from me,
working the lever and sending the balls with
such rRpidity as TO cause great havoc and COM
motion among the Johnnies. Had all our boys
been provided with those deathdeaers, the
fort would have been taken In much less time
than il was.
Col. Osborn seeing an officer among the 3d.
pointed his sword at him and said: order
you, sir, 10 lead yOur men into the fort ut
once Whereupon the officer drew his sword,
and swinging il over his head gave the COM
mand, " Forward, menu They made grand
rush, and breaking through the corner Of the
fort, where there was no ditch were soon en-
gagged in desperate hand -to-hand conflict with
the enemy, The enemys attention being
turned 10 that point. our boys Immediately
jumped the walls and joined the conflict.
Ut was not my fortune to witness, much less
participate in, more desperate hand-to- hand
conflict during the war The men used the
butte OF their guns aud bayOnets, while our
officers were equally MS busy with their swords.
Inch by inch the Johnnies were forced 10
yield their ground, but il was not until more
than half the fort was IN our possession before
they would surrender.
word or two as TO that bronze eagle which
that officer of the Tooth n Y has been trying
30 claim. That eagle rests upon the staff Of
the State flag that was presented TO rs by Gov.
Richard Yates in the foTepart OF the year 1863,
and the following inscription copied from his
tory viii explain itself:
Presented TO
The seth Iil. veteran volunteers,
by MHj-Geu. John Gibb0n,
Commanding Tweuty. fourth Corps
For ghlsbtry ga the assault 0n Fort Gregg,
Petersburg, NR.i April 2. 1868.
The presentation as per above inscription
occurred in the early days Of MAY, 1865 at a
grand review held at Richmond, Va aud was
presented in person by Gen. Gibhon.-CHARLEs