The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-13

sEEGT. ROBERTS CAPTURING THE FLAG.
through this under fire from muskets and
cannon, the line swept on across n field of
stumps and brush up to the dry moat that
covered the entire length of the parapcts
Officers and men fell at every step, but the
survivors went ahead and scaled the works
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 it was simply Il melee
with every man for himself. One of the
captains, X. w. Furlong, of Calais lcnped
over the works, and after cmptyny his re-
volver fought with dubbed musket until
he fell dead. Around his body lay many
Confederate dead, who had been Drained
with the musket stock. A sergeant 20. II.
Roberts, of Company II, from Corinth),
who found himself alone after leaping the
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: mol take it backr'
With five comrades he rushed upon the
color guard of the Eighth Louisiana, seized
the flag, and in desperate struggle bore
Off the trophy and n batch of prisoners
along with it, Deeds of vaor without
number marked the field. Thc officers fell
rapidly, and sergeants and prvates as
VI.
The bitter struggle couldn't last long
with odds of 10 to /. The Maine skirmish-
ers who entered the rcdoubt on the ri.ht
were driven out, but they did not retreat
Some of those confronting the rifle pits be-
tween the redoubts had also been rcpulsed
and these bands uniting bore to the left
ana joined their comrades in the other re-
doubt and helped to hold the fort The
Fifth Wisconsin meanwhile marched to
the aid Of the skrmishers and other rcpi-
ments followed but the enemy barely
waited for II second clnch with men SO de-
tcrmined as the Maine boys had proved TO
be. Everything went by the board, and the
victorious skirmishcrs received the lions
share of glory and trophies. Their can
lures included $50 prisoners, 1 cannon and
battleflag. But again thqy had paid
for the post of honor. Out of 81 off
GERS engaged were killed and Is wound
I'd, and of 300 men IS were killed and 20
wounded.
The Sixth dropped into one more forlorn
charge. its third and last, when it Joined
Gen. Upton's column at Spottsylvania.
May 10, 1864. The loss there was l25. the
killed counting 81. The major command.
Ing and three captains were wounded. At
the close of the fight there were 20 men
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 ana
promptly volunteered to defend the city
The regiment carried but eco men on
its rolls in all, and 80 OF them were killed
or wounded. The Killed reached 1913 Tie
first colonel OF the regiment and lr:ulcr Of
the line of battle ut Marye's .ici.,hts.
Hiram Burnhan, accompanied the vcict
ans home. He had been promoted to gen.
ernl, and after u brief furlu..h returned
20 tlic front. The day after M iractc,..no
field he was killed in lcadin;, "A most DIS
pcrate assault ut Fort IUii,ol. up.-
Richmond. Fatcd somehow O., bS .tt,ssl-
work stormers were these bod so.> -.
Maine GIoRcL l.. EIIM:E