The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-26


proud of the Job, but thought somebody had
10 90, 50 iook my chances.
Ican't give the names of the other regi-
ments 81 the division, except few that
belonged 20 our brigade Giles A. Smiths
1t was composed of the 116th and 55th ILL.,,
Sth Ne. an,l think the Oh Mo. This was
the FRS Brigade. Second Division, Fifteenth
Corps. IL am not mistaken.
This j, the first time | have spoken
about what the storlning party did that day,
for no one eould believe, except the boys who
took an aytive part in ii, what they went
through a suffered that day-the bravery,
The dari'g courage. the coolness they dis
played under the enemy's fire. SO close
were some Of the boys ID the enemys guns
that they could reach their bayonets, but
could moi ,ee the man who held the gun, Ter
he held his head low. This happened when
the boys were On the rebel fort. tPembeT-
ton. 1 tbiEly. was the name of the fort.) Hard
to believe. isn't it? but such were the facts.
The bows know all about ii.
We marched to Gen. Blair's headquarters.
] can't ,aY how many there were all told;
maybe ii ere were 160 more or less. The
General tod the boys what he expected
them TO Go. That was, every man was TO
take a scaling-ladder; never stop for shot or
shell. Crane or canister, but keep on, capture
TIE fort, and keep right on to Vicksburg
Very easily said, but not quite so easily done.
Then he says: Boys, don't you eat up and
drink all the good things you find" The
drinks the officers mentioned especially,
because-well, they knew the boys of the 8th
Mo. were c5reIess about saving any of the
whisky, especially for the commissioned
officers; III that the main army would sup
port us in 10 minutes Well, they didn't;
for they could not surmount all the obstacles
that impeded their progress, and there were
o great many.
GETTING READY FOR THE START.
The officers of the storining party con-
sisted OF one Captain and three or four Lieu
tenants do not remember what regiment
they belonged to- The road we had travel
was a hard one, indeed, cut through the
bluffs ia a zg-zag fashion in places just wide
the greater part of the way to the fort.
Prof Hobbs says:
The storming party had to take poles
and boards 10 bridge the diiches we had to
go through"
This is a mistake. The road was too level
at that particular time for comfort. Weseon
found that out All the poles and boards
we took were the sealing ladders, which We're
seven feet long, and made OF poles and
boards o. whatever material we could get
to make them.
"Nb0 viii carry the stoTn1ing fag?"
was the next question, and it was soon an
swered by Howell c. Trcgden, of Co. B, 6th
NO.. stopping TO the front. Gen. Blair
handed bin the flag and he unfurled it to
The breeze. How well he did his duty the
readers OF THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE will
soon kno;7.
Before re started, AMI while we were
waiting FOR the word, the Commissary-Ser-
geant came around and gave the boys who
wanted il some comIpissary Ito cheer their
dropping spirits He said TO me: John
ny, do yon want some whisky" ] said
"No,' Tor he first time while | was in the
army. IL was surprised, for / had never
refused erisi, an offer before. But I took the
blue ribboa for that day, AID tod him if l
ever cane back, to remember me, and /
Eould aecommodate him. Well, came back,
reported q him, and made up for lost time.
rHz START FOR THE CHARGE.
We started q Ie minutes before 10 a. m, with
gun. czririi-e-boz, and the famous 30 rounds,
witb - mere in our pockets, and the good
old eamteen That we drank ont of together
Some bad hayc.sacks, others thought they
didn't need them, were going to YicBs-
bIrg snd could get plenty 10 eat there. The
ccaiiGs- adder was tho heaviest Tor US 10 carry,
except fiat some Of rs had heavy hearts that
couldnl lee shaken off, try what way we would.
The distance we had 10 20 before reaching the
fort was about 600 yards, rs near as recollect
it. Hal! Of that distance we would be under
cover. rs the road wound around the bluffs:
the other haif WAS almost level to the fort and
or either side OF il we had to run the gantlet
as the r.i.i5 could take Us from right, left, and
center. We started in column OF fours the
officers in their places. ! cannot remember
who had ihe post Of hoHor. the flag with the
Sth MO- was IN the center OF column. We got
TO the c4edTl4g; recOlIect that cur batteries at
the same time were raining shell into the rebel
50Tt. We we're safe enough until we got close
70 the iOri, when our boys had TO cease firing
Then 4 sas that the rebels let loose Oh US with
grape gn8 canister, shot and she'll and the
Hhistling oi the minie-bail, from their breast
works
Here. comrades. LET pause while for
can't describe this awful carnage of death
without dropping q tear for the brave men
who willingly gave up their lives that the
granaesi, ;lse greatest the best country and Gov
eminent under the canopy OF heaven might be
saved. @. brave souls! how can forget you
Comrades Of 10 Day, can we forget them? 1
think ] can hear you answer, NO, never,n
Bot, as wears roll on, we viii march on to the
biwouac u the dead, aud
Plant FLOWERS UPON THEIR GRAVES.
and mo:s.en them with our tears that they
may keep fresh and green in cur memory until
time will he no more.
The hravest, the most daring could not helm
but quail aud stagger under that whitening
fire, winch We conld not return. The head of
The cOius1n melted away before that rain of
death. and heSitated q moment; but TO wait
was death. 10 retreat was out Of the question
As ] have already stated, the flag was in
center % column when we started Serg't
Thompson. Of Co B, Sth 30, took in the situa-
lion. He jumped from the column and gave
the command, Eighth Missouri to the front ="
be seeing that the honor OF tie regiment WAS
ct stake. they having charge of the flag. We
got 10 the front-not All of u.s. though-the
rest OF tire column following aud then one
mad rnsh 20 the fort
Now d didn't take long TO do All this .nd