The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-07-28

stood in line of battle behind slight rise of
ground on the left of the telegraph road, and
as close up to the rebel works as they conid
find any cover The rank and file were in
formed by their officers that charge was to be
made as soon other troops could be placed to
charge also. They were to use the bsyonet,
reserve their FIRE, and stop for nothing until
they reached the top of the hill, and to get
there as soon after starting as God and their
legs would let them
1t was expected that the charge would be
made before SUNRISE and these troops could
not move much without drawing the fire from
the foe. They waited several hours, and final
ly two columns moved out on the roads leading
to the rebel works, and the one next to the
waiting line received rebel compliment be-
fore it was half way from the city to point
on line with 9Th Me- can only speak OF the
work done by our sister regiment, the 9th WIS,
aud the 9th Me-. and do not undertake to
relate what was done upon our right and left.
Exactly in front of us were four guns of the
Washington Artillery, and a strong force OF
troops on the hill and behind the stone wall at
its base.
1t was nearly II o'clock when our Col. Hiram
Burnham (at this time in command of the
Light Brigade) rode out in front and left of US
and gave the order for the skirmishers to adj
vance on the double. quick, and the whole line
moved out as one man.
We were all on our feet and in less than one
minute we got the order to "Charge' The
rebs had opened upon the line of skirmishers,
and as we moved forward they gave US per
feet hailstorm Of grape, canister and rife balls.
Our double-quick became a swift run as soon as
our men began to fall. We fired not shot, but
the rebs were making that place perfect hell.
When within 10 feet of the stone wall the man
on the right and the one on the left Of me were
shot, and they fell forward toward each other,
taking me to the ground with them. The line
swept on up and over the stone wall, over the
heads of the rebels behind the wall and charged
upon the rife-pits above. The rebs seemed to
think they had better skedaddle out Of that
trap ! sprang to my feet soon as was able.
When / had crossed the wall and was about
half way up the hill / took look to the left
and to the right On the right the charging
column Including the 7th Mass, Comrade
Hoehouses regiment) had just reached the line
of breastworks, and the Johnnies were giving
them fits, while on the left the boys in blue
were just crossing the rife-pits
1t was only a mOmentary glance, for the
firing was still going on at the top of the hill,
and put on and got in with the boys in time
to have few shots at the retreating caissons
of the guns on the right.
Our flag was surely the first on top of
the hill, and our regiment and the 5th Wis,
commingled, were the first to reach the top.
1t must have been nearly minute after
we passed the stone wall, before any other
troops reached the line of works on the right
or left of US.
There was no nd-to-hand conflict at the
stone wall at the base Of the hill, for we did
not stop to fight them there, but on the CREST
around the four cannon we had little of it,
but it was short work.
We suffered heavy loss our men were des-
perate but the hill which had withstood the
shock Of three distinct charges of the Second
Corps was captured by the first charge Of the
Sixth Corps.
We only took time to reform our lines before
continuing to advance, and the succeeding
days were very lively ones for Sedgwick's Corps
around Salem Church, until we were out of the
woods and across the river again
Reviewing the circumstances Of previous de.
feat and slaughter Of our troops at Fredericks-
burg, the regiments that were engaged in the
assault in May, 1863 may we'll be proud of
their victory, and none more so than the lum
bermen of Maine and Wisconsin.-H. L. MA
TJEWs San Francisco.