The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-03-03

bered about $50 men when II took its place
in the line. The assault was hopeless one,
but the men dashed forward calamity, 10
be cut down by pitiless fire as they Strug-
gled on over stumps and fallen trees,
through Rullies choked with brush and
cane, and up their steep banks, climbing
hand over hand. The Second brigade
reached a 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 defiantly within pistol shot Of the
Confederates until the command was or
dered back to its own works.
Another assault was made on the 22d OF
May. 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
pressed 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, 8 mortAlly
wounded and IS wounded and recovered.
After Vicksburg the Fiity.fifth was en-
gagged, with loss, at jackson and at Black
River, Miss, and ut Mission Ridge, Tenn.
Its next desperate fight was at Little kene-
saw, Ca, June 81, 1854. The regiment
had meanwhile re-enlisted, and on the 10Th
of June Joined its old division and was as
signed to the First brigade, under Gen.
Giles A. Smith. II was 2I5 men strong.
On the morning Of the 9Th the brigade
was detailed to lead an assault upon the
Confederate works on Little KenesAw. The
men were ordered to unslinR 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 vRluA-
bles were handed over to noncombatants
TO send north in case Of disaster. The
regimental commander, Capt. J. NJ.
Augustine, confded TO a brother officer
that be felt q presentiment Of death,
handed him q memento and a message,
and then in tones a. clear a. q bell and a.
calm and hopeful a. the prayer Of saint,
called out Forward"
The field to be charged over was exposed
to the Confederate batteries, and was so
difficult 10 traverse, owing TO swamp and
thick underbrush, as to exhaust the men
before they reached the base Of the precipi-
tous, rock strewn bill, where the Confeder-
ate infantry lay behind stone shelter. The
line was soon broken up into . mob Of
struggling men, clambering over bowlders
and fallen trees and wrestling with abatiS
Of sharpened branches planted to impede
their progress Capt. Augustine pressed
forward, and with handful Of his follow
ers was almost under the enemy's parapet
when the brigade bugler sounded the re-
call. The gallant leader mistOok the mean
ing and again said, Forward, menP As
he stood erect, animated with the spirit Of
the scene, bullet in the left breast sent
him to earth like bolt.
The survivors dropped back down the
mountain side, and when the losses were
reckoned up the killed and mortally
wounded were 10, the wounded %.
Throughout the Atlanta campaign the
regiment took part In the heaviest fight
ing, and its total losses reached 90 killed
and 50 wounded, fully one-half Of Its fight
ing strength. In all its campaigns its
losses amounted to as killed AMI wounded,
Of which I57 were deathS It's first fright
was Its last, and after that episode Il dared
everything that came in its way, and that
was good deal. GEORGE l. KILMER