The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-11-17
AT VICKSBURG.
a West Virginia Comrade Describes the
Great Charge.

Great Charge.
= HAVE noticed in your valuable paper
accounts of the siege of Eicksburg, which
were interesting TO me, as | was there
and have some faint recollection OF all
the charges that were made on the great
stronghold which was the key to the Mlsss-
sppi.
of the five that composed the First Brigade,
Second Division, Fifteenth Corps. 4 Will
not mention the march from Young's Point,
La, 10 Grand Gulf. which is at the mouth of
the Big Black River then around 10 the rear
of Vicksburg.
We arrived in sight of the city the morning
of the 10Th of May, 1865, where we could see
the rebel forts and the long lines of rife pits.
We were halted in ravine, and there began
to rest our weary bones from the long and pro-
tracted marches and hard fighting.
About IL O'Clock a. M, while we were rest
ing, our brave Colonel called US into line and
made short speech He told us that we
would be called upon to charge on the fort
pointing in the direction OF a monster tort
that we could see by going up small hluf }.
he also told US 10 get dinner and eat heartily,
and have our canteens filled with water, say
ing that at 2 o'clock p. m. there would be
siege-gun fired, which would be the signal for
the charge.
He told us that our regiment bore a good
name aud he wanted US TO maintain that
name; that he asked no man to go farther
than he did which was enough for us, for we'll
we knew that he would go as far as the bravest.
We prepared dinner, which was short job,
as it took but few minutes to prepare coffee
and bareback, and II seemed that the ColOneIs
speech and the sight OF that big fort took our
appetites The reader imagine the sus-
pense that We were IN during those long three
hours from IL a. N. until , p. m. Tor well did
we know that ere the sun went down many OF
rs would answer the last ro!l-call.
/ will here state that one answered the last
roll-call while sitting eating his dinner, and
where we thought every one Was ont OF dan
ger 1t must have been 30 feet from where we
were sitting to the top of the bluff that pro-
tected us from the view of the enemy, but
stray minie-ball came whisting through the
tree-tops far above US and struck limb, which
glanced it downward, and it struck a poor
comrade in the head, knocking the brains out
in his cap. He gasped and was gone. Well,
o'clock is here, the big gun Is fired, and the
sound goes echoing through the air. " Fall in !"
is tile command from Col. james II. Dayton,
and each one of US falls into his place; the line
is formed the command, Forward, march ~ is
given; onward we move until We come IN sight
of the Jobnnies; they begin to shoot. Then
comes the command to -quick-charge"
and away we 90 toward the fort. What sights
meet our eyes. God forbid that | may ever
behold such again. The air was full of deadly
missiles, grape and canister. solid shot and
shell, rairoad-iron, mimic balls, buckshCt, and
j know not what else.
portion of the ground that we charged
over was Distracted with fallen trees, tops
toward u.s. beside canehrakes, so the reader
can imagine what progress we made. But on
we went. / could look il 10 direction without
seeing comrades falling. some turning somer-
saults with gun clutched tight in their hand
holding on with the last death grip.
The fort that were charging stood on a
high bluff some 80 or 60 yards from the edge of
the bluff, with rihe-pits on the right and left
of it. To this bluff we went. and up it and
! onto the outside of the fort. There we found
! a deep ditch with caue-staiks placed IN the
| ground, sharpened and pointing outward. The
! points would take us about the bowels. There
! we were compelled TO STOP The reader can
| just imagine how any of US escaped, while close
| enough to the rebel works TO see each other s
! eyes.
As soon rs the officers in command learned
| that We could 60 farther We were ordered
to fall back under cover of this bluff 20 n point
80 or 60 yards from the fort. We fell back,
| but left great number OF the boys i'll blue
/ living on this 30 or 60 yards OF ground.
] think that ! am safe in saying that could
! have walked Oh dead bod es from LII edge of this
! bluff to the ditch outside of the fort. Our
| brave Mai. Goodspeed lost his life, as did both
! of our Color Sergeants. The flags Went down
| were picked up; again they went down: again
! they went up, until all of the Color Bearers
were killed aud all but one OF tic Color Guards,
! but those dear old flags came out of that
slaughter pen in safety, but covered with blood,
aud are now al Charleston, the Capital of this
| State. Although tattered and torn, they are
ear to those who followed them through those
| trying times. / have a small piece Of one OF
| them now in my humble home which is all
stained with the blood split at the above place
We were ordered 10 hold our ground at all
| hazards after falling back under cover of the
| bluff for expected the Johnnies TO come out
| Of those works and charge on Us. Our officers
ordered us to reserve our fire until the Johnnies
got TO the point of our bayouets, then Ere. We
| waited in suspense, watching for them tI
emerge from their holes. but they did not come
Our officers then picked out the best marksmen
and ordered them 10 keep up brisk fire when
ever they could see Johnny's head above the
breastworks. / exchanged many shots while
this duel was going on, which lasted until
| night spread her dark mantle over u.s. Then
| the order came 10 fall back, each one having
orders not to speak above whisper. / Car
never forget that silent march TO the rear, eacf
one stepping carefully, lest he step on the dead
body of his comrade, who had made his las
charge and answered his last roll-call. The
reason for this still march TO the rear was tn,
fear of the Johnnies opening upon Us by guess
which would doubtless have Killed many OF Us
as they were well acquainted with the ground
As il was there was not shot fired, and w
reached the spot where we started from at
| y. IN.
There the Colonel gave his company Order
lies orders to call the roll, and sad roll call
was.
That morning 400 answered to roll call
that night 200 answered TO their names-20
out of 400 had been killed or wounded. Tha
night, as we were falling back over that battle
ground, poor fellows would call for help wher
they had been lying, unable to get away, sine
Up. IN.
j Will here state that there WAS frame hous
standing just outside of the fort and the John
mics set fire to it, thinking that we were fallin
back; but they were mistaken, We had gon
back long before the building was fired. Fror
the light that the house made we could Sc
/ poor fellows lying outside the fort, cold i
D death.
During the night the rebels gathered on
dead and placed them side by side on th
l edge of the bluff near the fort, with their head
q toward Us. We could see the blue from wheI
' we had fallen back. i never could tell VIII
{ they put them there, unless to aggravate u
Q 1t was q sad sight Those who fell in tn
s charge lay from May l9 until the 2Sth betoI
= they were put under the earth. On that da
S flag OF truce went up, that the dead might
O buried. Was on the detail to do that WORT
and what task Those poor comrades wei
Z lying ia every conceivable shape, some wit
y their guns still grasped in their hands, wit