The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-08-10
tales, OR THE, WAR.
THE BRAvEST DEED OF THE WAR.

Inc lines of the Union army were closing
around Petersburg like shroud of iron when
General Lee resolved to break and drive them
back, if possible. To that end he ordered an
attack in force to be made on General Grants
4 line of decentralization on July 10, 1864.
/ The point selected for assault was in the vi
cinity of an old country inn called ''The Vel
low Tavern
The order was that the attack should be
made Just before the dawn of day the time
most favorable for surprise, ''when deep
sleep falleth on man." 1t was the experience
however. of many Confederate officers charg-
ed with the duty of attacking in the gray of
/ the morning, that it was difficult to bring
their troops into line at that early hour. Al
/ though they Were generally ''but in the grist!e'
and not vet hardened into the bone of man
hood" they werc in one sense, at least, not of
the rising generation.
Hence it was that General Johnston IIagood,
whose brigade OF South Carolinans was as
signed to the right of the attacking force,
found that daylight had broken before he
could align his command. General IIagood
was as true soldier as ever drew sword in
battle; to him the path of duty was the path
of honor: and although he saw that his bri-
gade was in plain view Of the Union troops.
who had already manned their intrenchments,
he ordered it to advance to the assault 1t
had to cross space of about $50 yards in
width which had an undulating surface. and
the broken nature of the ground afforded
some shelter until it debouehed upon level
highway, within 20 yards of the works.
1t then met with terrible fire of artillery
and rifles, but i was composed of seasoned
veterans, and ii never fatered. Where the
dead fell, the living sept and their levelled
bayonets soon sparkled within 90 feet of the
line of intrenchments. There the brigade
came to an involuntary halt, for before it lay
wide. deep ditch. half full of water, which
had no means of crossing. Unable to advance,
and yet unwilling to retreat without orders,
every soldier delivered his hopeless fire with
the energy of despair.
As merciful suggestion, no doubt prompt
ed by admiration for a body of brave men,
doomed otherwise to certain slaughter. the
Union soldiers called out to them to surrender: |
but the call was UNDECIDED. At that deadly |
juncture mounted officer was seen to emerge |
from the sally-port of an earthwork at a re-
entering angle of the line of intrenchments.
nearly opposite TO the centre of the brigade.
He galoped up to the color-bearer of the -
south Carolina regiment. and, holding out his
right nand. demanded the surrender of the col
ors. Although mounted. the uniform and
shoulder-straps of the daring Union officer in
dictated that he was captain of infantry. lie
was. apparently, about 30 years of age, with a
noble and handsome face. and tall, heroic
form.
The color->ergeant, seemingly dazed, or
perhaps paralyzed by the sublime efrontery
of the demand. surrendered the colors.
The flag was especially dear to the regiment,
for il bad been presented by the ladies of the
district in which the regiment was raised,
aud il had been borne aloft with honor in
many battlehelds. II was state flag. with
The arms OF south Carolina upon IL, and
of that which the famous Pal
metto regiment in the Mexican war had
planted on the walls of the capital of Mexico,
he first foreign flag to wave there since the
lime OF cortez. That it should have been de-
sered mp TO single foeman when there were
b thousand men-all veteran soldiers-to de-
Tend il, and the thrust Of bavonet or the pull
ing of trigger could have disposed Of him,
vas passed all understanding. have thought
hat, perhaps, being sorely perplexed with
heir comrades falling fast an around them.
hey may have thought at the moment that
he delivery OF the flag was intended Is a sig