Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-08-08

bered about 20 men when IL TOOK us pldco
in the line. The assault was hopeless one,
but the men dashed forward CALAMITY, to
be cut down by pitiless fire as they strug-
gled on over stumps and fallen trees,
through gullies choked with brush and
cane, and up their steep banks, climbing
hand over hand. The Second brigade
reached crest within fifty PAGES of bas-
toned work in front and lay there until
dark. The colors Of the Fifty-fifth were
riddled by Confederate bullets, but they
foated deiiantly within pistol shot of the
Confederates until the command was or
dered back to its own works.
Another assault was made on the POD OF
Nav. The column was preceded by volun-
teer storming parties, who planted flags
upon the enemy's embankments. But the
main army could not face the whitening
fire poured upon it by the well shell
tered men in gray The Fifty-ffth again
dressed forward close TO the enemy's
breastworks and held its position until re-
called to its own works on the morning
following In these two assaults the regi-
ment lost II killed outright, 3 mortally
wounded and 30 wounded and recovered.
After Vicksburg the Fifty-ffth was en-
gagged, with loss, mt Jackson and at Black
River. Miss, and at Mission Ridge, Tenn.
Its next desperate fight was Mt Little kene-
saw. Ga. June q, 1864. The regiment
had meanwhile reenlisted and on the 10Th
of June Joined its old division and was as
signed to the First brigade, under Gen.
Giles A. Smith It was 215 men strong.
On the morning Of the eth the brigade
was detailed to lead an assault upon the
Confederate works on Little Kenesaw. The
men were ordered to unsling all baggage
and parade in light marching order. The
place Of assault was in view OF their
biyouac, and every man realized the desper-
ate work before him. Messages were
hastily written, and keepsakes and valua-
bles were handed over to noncombatants
TO send north in case OF disaster. The
reRimental commander, Capt. j. M.
Augustine, coniided to n brother officer
that he felt "A presentiment OF death,
handed him memento and message,
and then in tones ~ clear as bell and as
calm and hopeful as the prayer Of saint,
called out Forward"
The field to be charged over was exposed
to the Confederate batteries, and was SO
difficult to traverse, owing TO swamp and
thick underbrush, as to exhaust the mer
before they reached the base Of the precipi
tous, rock strewn hill, where the Confeder
ate infantry lay behind stone shelter. I'M
line was soon broken up into mob o.
struggling ma, clambering over eowlder'
and fallen trees and wrestling with abatii
of sharpened branches planted to imped'
their progress Capt. Augustine pressed
forward, and with handful OF his follow
ers was almost under the enemys parape
when the brigade bugler sounded the re
call. The gallant leader mistook the mean
ing and again said, Forward, menp' A
he stood erect, animated with the spirit o
the scene, n bullet in the left breast sen
a him to earth like "A bolt.
r The survivors dropped back down tn
o mountain side, and when the losses wer
. reckoned up the killed and mortal
: wounded were 10, the wounded 3.
A Throughout the Atlanta campaign tn
q regiment took part in the heaviest fight
\ ing, and its total losses reached 30 kille
q and 50 wounded, fully one-half OF its igh
q ing strength. In all its campaigns Il
4 losses amounted to 44S killedand wounded
n of which l57 were deaths. It's first frigf
= was its last, and after that episode it dare
= everything that came in its way, aud ths
was good deal GEORGE l.. kILMEk.