The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-02-11
UNFURLED 1T ABOVE THE PARAPET.

UNFURLED 1T ABOVE THE PARAPET.
amounted to Is, and at the disastrous
charge on Kenesaw Heights, June q, the
regiment led the assault as 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 was shot down
with a mortal wound, and the death roll
was Ii 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 it
was over. But l didn't care for that; 1
was thinking of the old Thrty-sixth. l
thought of her as she was when we left
home-over thousand strong. thought
OF her now, with scarcely enough for d full
company. 1t was for that cried'
The handful went on and lost more by
death at Atlanta, and then turned north
to help beat back Hoods invading army in
Tennessee On that famous march of a
night and a 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 COW
cred the retreat so we'll that the troops Gu
ahead reached Franklin and hastily ran
up log and earth breastworks to defend
the crossings of Harpeth river. Late in
fho Il h, Id -
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 charge, and to
their Amusement the advance Union regi-
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 ramparts.
"Fall in, Thirty sixth! Forward to the
trenches!' 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 endorsed and
fought on foot. Col. Olson forged ahead,
cheering his men up to the parapet, where
he fell shot through the heart. Two COLOR
bearers of the regiment fell, and third
carried the banner, minus it's staff, over
the bloody course from the bivouac to the
ramparts, and at last unfurled it above
the parapet, with the enemy on the oppo-
site side clutching at it's folds and demand
ing its surrender. Words cannot picture
the awful scepe-the savage fury of the re-
peated Confederate onslaughts and The
lionhearted tenacity of the heroes who re-
PEELED them. Opdyckes men bore the
brunt of the terrific struggle, and pluck
and daring finally won the day.
The loss of the Thirty-sixth was about
so killed and wounded; the deaths, in all,
H. Two weeks later a loss of 6 at Nash
vile swelled the total of killed to 204, out
of 1876 enrolled. The total killed and
wounded in three years was 739, about 81
per cent. of the roster.
At the close of hostilities the regiment :
was ordered to join Sheridan in New Or,
leans, and Little PHILIP selected it for
headquarter guard. The result was the
of the Illinoisans "Phil Sheri-
dams Pets" In sense the term would
not have been misnomer in the bloom Of
their fighting career
GEORGE l.. KILMER