The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-04-07

UNFURLED IT ABOvE THE PARAPET.
amounted to Is. and at the disastrous
charge on Kenesaw Heights, June "a, the
regiment led the assault ~ skirmishers,
dashed gallAntly forward TO the enemy's
works on the hillside and vainly looked
around for help TO hold what their valor
had won. Col. Silas Miller WIS shot down
with a mortal wound, and the death roll
was 70 In ALL Miller had risen from the
ranks To lead this crack regiment, and died
like hero at the age OF twenty-five. When
he was lying on the AmputatiOn table the
names Of his dead boys were brought in,
and he wePt pasSiOnately while under the
surgeons knife. II suppose those surgeons
thought me such baby that cried from
the pain" he said TO a comrade after Il
was over. "s3ut | didn't care for that: ]
was thinking Of the old Tbirtysixth.
thought Of her a. she was when we left
home-over thousand strong. thought
Of her now. with scarcely enough for full
company. Il was for that cried"
The handful went on and lost more by
death Rt Atlanta, and then turned north
TO help beat buck Hoods invading army in
Tennessee. On that famous march Of q
night and day. between Columbia and
Franklin, when Hood at times held both
sides Of the road In sight Of the Union col
umn and harassed the march at every step,
the Thirty-sixth was In Opdycke's brigade,
hrst in advance, cutting a rOad through,
and then rear guard. buffeting the impetu
Gus pursuit. Opdycke and his men GOV.
cred the retreat so well that the troops on
ahead reached Franklin and hastily ran
up log and earth breastworkB TO defend
the crossings Of Harpeth river. Late In
the day the rear guard fled In past the
lines Of battle and halted for rest and sup
per. Startled In \ twinkling by the omi-
nous yell" Of the enemy. they looked
backward to see his cleaning banners and
bAyonets moving up In 4 charge, and 70
their amusement the advance Union reSi-
ments were quickly crushed and scattered,
and the second line at the breaStworks
soon met the same fate. Leaving their
coffee untaSted, Opdycke's men seized their
muskets TO recover the lost rAmparta.
"Fall In, Thirty SIXTH Forward to the
trenchesi'' were the rapid orders Of Col.
Porter c. Olson. another man graduated
from the ranks TO be ruler over the Fox
River heroes.
Opdycke was speedily unhoraed and
fought on foot. Col. Olson forged ahead,
cheering his men up 70 the parapet, where
be fell shot through the heart. Two color
beaFen Of the regiment fell, and q third
carried the banner, minus It's STAFF, over
the bloody eouHse from the bivouac 10 the
ramparts, and 1t last unfurled It above
the parapet, with the enemy on the oppo
site side clutehing ut Its folds and demand
ing its surrender. Words cannot picture
the awful scene-the savage fury Of the 70
peated Confederate onslAughts and the
lionhearted tenAcity Of the heroes who TO
PEELED them Opdycke's men bore the
brunt Of the terrific struggle, and pluck
and daring finally won the day.
The loss Of the Thirty was about
30 killed and wounded; the deaths, IN all,
H. Two weeks later q loss Of 6 At Nash.
vile swelled the total Of killed 10 2Ol, out
Of l.SBs eprolled. The total killed and
wounded In three years was 40. about u
per cent. Of the roster.
Al the close Of hostllities the regiment
was ordered 70 join Sheridan In New Or.
leans, and Little PHIL selected IL for
heAllquarter guard. The result was the
nieknaming Of the Illlnoisans Phil sheri.
dams Pets" In n sense the term would
not have been n MISSIONER In the bloom Of
their fighting career.
GEORGE L. KILMER