The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-12-07
OLIVE BRANCHES OF WAR.

ULkN DhANOh6S UE An,
The annals of the Union army are
silent as to the battle OF Picket's Mills.
There is no record Of it in the archives
at Washington, and Gen. Sherman,
who ordered the attack, ignored it IN
official report Of the Atlanta campaign
and makes no mention of il IN his
memories.
As it was the most desperate assault
made by his troops in that memorable
campaign and subjected them to fear
full slaughter, through a failure due
chiefly to tactical errors. it could hard
ly have been obliterated from his
memory by the after glory of his far
march from the blue mountains to the
blue sea-
1t was reported, however, by Gen.
Joseph E. Johnston, who commanded
the Confederate army opposed to that
of Gen. Sherman. To indicate the ex-
tent of the disaster I make the follow
ing extract from his report: "The
Federal dead lying near our line were
counted by many persons, officers and
soldiers According to those counts
there were 700 of them. They left
hundreds of corpses within twenty
PAGES of the Confederate line" As
am concerned with the personal Incl.
dent which Illustrates the heroism OF
the brave men who in the face of GER
tain death sprang forward from their
broken and retreating ranks in order
to save their colors, I shall not describe
the battle in detail. It is necessary,
however, for me to state the facts that
led up to the desperate situation which
invited and impelled to that sacrifice.
The battle was fought on May u,
1864, and was brought on by the
movement on the part of the Fourth
corps, commanded by Gen. 0. O. How
ard, to turn the right Of the Confeder
ates and take their position in reverse
The Confederate force consisted OF
Cleburne's infantry division and
Wheeler's dismounted cavalry divi
sion. They were intrenched along the
crest of low ridge about two miles
west of the town Of Dallas, Ga.
The attacking force comprised foul
brigades, each composed from sever
to nine full regiments, thus aggregat
the numerical strength OF three ordl
nary divisions. The attack, instead
of being made in column according tC
the skillfully devised plan of the corp:
commander, the brigades moving
within easy supporting distance, wa:
a series of detached assaults, the bri
gade that opened the battle being un
supported, and each advancing at lone
intervals after the other was driver
back.
The brigade of Gen. w. B. Hazen
an ideal soldier and true hero of thu
battles of Stone River and Mission
Ridge, advanced first to the assault
For nearly an hour it battled with 1
valor and fortitude worthy of its re
nown, under fire as terrible as an.
that soldiers ever faced. While re
treating under orders, firing resolute
ly as it fell back, the color sergeant O
the One Hundred and Twenty-fourtl
Ohio, the regiment on it's right, com
manded by that typical American offic
er, Col. Oliver H. Payne. stepped from
the ranks and planted the colors o
the regiment as rallying signal with
| in twenty yards of the Confederate
| line. As he did 50, and before h,
could remove his hand from the staff
! he was shot dead and the colors Eel
with him, their folds partially cover
ing his body. Another soldier Of tn
same regiment then advanced, and al
he stopped to lift the colors he, too
was instantly killed.
| A third rushed forth to save the
treasured ensign, and mingled hi
hearts blood with that Of his devoted
comrades.
| A fourth soldier from the line Of thu
| One Hundred and Twenty fourth Ohio
then advanced at double quick TOWARD
| the fatal spot. He was corporal
wearing his sword. but without hi,
rifle, and apparently about twent,
years of age. He had tall, 1.-THE
figure and his face was handsome de
spite the stains Of powder upon it
! As he reached the point where the
colors lay many of the Confederate
soldiers called out to him to surrender
He smiled at the summons. and taking
off his cap with his left hand waved
it toward them and then bent down t.
grasp the color staff with his right
Many deadly bead was drawn upor
him by the unerring marksmen. whose
rifles were cleaning in the sunlight
not sixty feet away, when Capt. vii
liam NOVEL;, Of the fourth Texas rifles
in front of whose company the fallen
flag lay, called out in clear, metallic
voice that rang along the line: "Don't
shoot! For Gods sake, men, let the
brave fellow take the colorsw
His appeal was needed, and, al
though the line continued its fire upon
the retiring Union troops, the daring