The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-11-17

sERGT ROBERrs CAPTURING THE FLAG.
through this under FIRE from muskets and
cannon, the line swept on across field Of
stumps and brush up to the dry moat that
covered the entire length Of the parRpets
Officers and men fell at every step, but the
survivors went ahead and scaled the work.
redOubts and all, at one impetuous rush.
The lieutenant colonel was one Of the
first to fall and from that time on the bat.
tie was so close that 1t was simply melee
with every man for himself One of the
captains, Il. W. Furlong, of Calais. leaped
over the works, and after emptying his re
volver fought with a dubbed musket unti
he fell dead. Around his body lay many
Confederate dead, who had been Drained
with the musket stock. A sergeant 70. II
Roberts, Of Company H, from Corinth)
who found himself alone after leaping TIT
parapet, threw up his hands when sum
mOned to surrender, but seeing that he had
been followed over the works by several Of
his men called out: mo! take It backP
With Eve comrades he rushed upon the
color guard Of the Eighth Louisiana, seized
the flag and in desperate struggle borC
on the trophy and a batch Of prisoner
along with It. Deeds Of valOr without
number marked the field. The officers fell
rapidly, and sergeants and privates as
sumed direction In their stead.
The bitter struggle couldn't last long
with odds Of 10 to |. The Maine skirmish
ers who entered the rcdoubt on the right
were driven out, but they did not retreat
Some Of those confronting the rifle pits be
tween the redoubts had also been repulsed
and these bands uniting bore to the left
and Joined their comrades in the other re,
doubt and helped to hold the fort. The
Fifth Wisconsin meanwhile marched Il
the aid Of the skirmishers, and other regi
ments followed, but the enemy barely
waited for a second clinch with men so de.
terminel rs the Maine boys had proved 70
be- Everything went by the hoard, and the
victorious administers received the lions
share Of glory and trophies. Their cap,
lures included $50 prisoners, cannon and
l battlefag. But again they had paid
for the post Of honor. Out Of 81 OH
GERS engaged were killed and 10 wound
ed, and Of 800 men IS were killed and 4
wounded.
The Sixth dropped into one more torlorr
charge, its third and last, when 1t Joined
Gen. Upton's column at SpottsylVania
May 10, 1894 The loss there was 1875, the
killed counting 81. The major command
ing and three captains were wounded. Al
the close Of the fight there were 70 meu
left, and on the expiration Of their term In
July following the handful marched home
ward. They reached Washington during
the scare Of Early's Maryland raid and
| promptly volunteered to defend the city.
The regiment carried but / 200 men on
/ its rolls in all, and $40 Of them were killet
or wounded. The killed reached 1853 Thu
first colonel Of the regiment and leader O
the line Of battle at Marye's Heights
Hiram Burnham, accompanied the veter
ans home He had been promoted to gen
eral, and after brief furlough returned
to the front. The day after he reached tn
field he was killed in leading 4 most des
perate assault at Fort Harrison, nea
Richmond. Fated somehow to be breast
work stormers were these bold sons o
Maine. GEORGE L. KlNER.