Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-10-29

sudden attack and was furiOuHy assalled
by one of Longst reefs veteran divisions
The Seventy-third went with its brigade
to succor Geary, and on the march to the
front was suddenly fired upon 10y some
Confederates on a hilltop far in Geary's
rear and between him and his supports
The regiment was then not quite 200
strong, and with the Thirty-third Massa-
chusetts was ordered to change front and
go up that hill and drive ont the enemy
The two regiments numbered about 500 in
all, and stretching their line so as to cover
one slope the men pushed their way up a
steep ascent OF about $50 yards The hill.
side was covered with heavy timber and
underbrush, and in many places the men
had to pull themselves up hand over hand
by selling onto the roots and bushes above
them. Fortunately at this stage the enc.
my's fire passed over the heads of the dar-
Ing aSsailants, but as soon as they reached
the summit the clear moonlight revealed
them to the Confederates at short RANCE
The latter were sheltered by breastworks
and opened murderOus fire upon the adj
vancing line. The Seventy was alone
for a time, and forged lbs way over tree.
tops, rocks and logs UP TO the Confederate
works
In a few minutes the Massachusettsm men
JDlueu Jne OnlOdHS, anu Il grand rush OF tho
gallant band forced the enemy to flee down
the hillside. This cleared the road for sup.
ports to reach Geary, and Longstreet aban-
doned his attack. Gen. Grant pronounced
this action, which determined the result of
the battle of Wauhatchie, as Geary's fight
is called, zone Of the most daring feats Of
arms In the war" The 5eventy-third lost
% killed and wounded, resulting in II
deaths all told. Thus 1t cost the regiment
less in noble blood to win immortal fame in
an incidental fight at Wauhatche than to
wage long and stubborn battles in an OBJ
scure corner of the field at Manassas and
| Gettysburg for the deliverance of the capi.
| tai of the nation.
| After the relief of Chattanooga and Of
Knoxville, which soon followed, the Seven
| ty-third was reOrSanized as a veteran regi-
| lueut by a re-eDlistmeut of 225 of the $50
| riginal members still able to do duty. With
the addition Of some recruits the regiment
started on Sherlnan's Atlanta campaign
about $50 strong. 1t served In the Ncutieth
corps, formed by consolidation of the Elev
enth and Twelfth. On the way down to At
lanta 1t was engaged in many brilliant &C
tons Mt Resaca. New Hope Church, Pine
Mountain kenesaw, Culp's Farm and
Peach Tree Creek; its deaths in battle in
the campaign running up to IS. with about
$50 wounded in addition. Then it started
on the great march to the sea.
On the way up through the Carolinas t.
join forces with Grant, Sherman had bit
one serious encounter, and that with only
a portion Of his troops, the left wing, un-
der Gen. Slocum, which Gen. Joe John
ston attempted to overwhelm at BENTON
| vile March 10. 1t was a sharp game Of
| Johnstou's to crush SOcum alone and then
turn on Shermans other wing and serve
! that the same turn. In defending its
| ground against rroc9ted assaults the Sew
enty-third faced the most terrific !nusketry
! fire it ever endured and fired the last Of its
sixty rounds OF cartridges in return. For
tunately, Il covering Of underbrush gave
the men a partial protection. Yet it lost
80 killed aud wounded, II being the final
mortality list. This closed It's fighting ca
| reer, swelling the total deaths in battle 10
! III and the wounded and recovered to 30
| or Isl in all out of 1851 members in the
| regiment. only five ONO regiments in the
| "FightinG BOO exceeded the Scveuty-third
! in the number Ei I'd in battle and only one
in percentage Of killed to the membership
GEORGE l.. kILMER