The National tribune., 1894-11-01
FACE TO FACE AGAIN.
A Meeting at New Orleans which Recalled
Stirring Scenes.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: During my
recent visit to New Orleans / met many men
whom had faced on the battlefield. Among
them were Col. j. A. Chaloron and others, of
the Washington Artillery. Chaloron and
lave had much correspondence since the war.
1t was at Jackson, Miss, July II, 1868,
that we were directly opposed to each other.
At Jackson, after the capture of Vicksburg,
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston held the city, with
strong breastworks reaching from Pearl
River on the north to Pearl River on the
south. Gen. w. T. Sherman, with some
$4,000 men, was sent by Gen. Grant to drive
Gen. Johnston's forces from Jackson. They
closed in around the city until the line was
completed from the river on the north to
the Mississippi Central Railroad on the
south (now the Illinois CentraD.
Col. Pugh's Brigade, of Gen. ]. G. Lau-
mans Fourth Division, was selected to close
up the lines between the railroad and Pearl
River. The troops chosen were the remnants
of four old regiments-the Sd Iowa, the 28th,
41st and SD H., numbering in all about 900
men.
Gen. E. o. c. Ord, commanding the Thir-
teenth Corps, ordered that these troops close
up on Gen. Hovey's right. This would throw
them out in an open field, in front of heavy
breastworks and facing the Washington
Artillery, Gen. Breckinridge's Division,
Medane's and Cobb's batteries.
When this point had been reached the
troops were exposed to the fire of Austin's
sharpshooteTs and the fire of the artillery.
They supposed that no General would order
them into such place unless it was to storm
the works, and terrific shout went up
and the charge began. Having over half
% II L. nd Of nhc Of
to face, the blue line moved forward to their
certain destruction, for the Washington Ar
tillery had now opened on them with double
charges of grape and canister, and they were
being moved down like wheat before the
scythe.
See the colors of these old regiments go
down and rise again, until one after another
of the brave color-beareTs fall TO rise no
more. The blue-field flag of the 4fst III.
goes down six times and six Of the Color
bearers are killed and wounded-four killed
and two wounded The Sergeant who car
ries the National colors has his flag shot into
and the stars torn, the stripes riddled, two
fingers are cut off, yet he bravely holds on
10 his flag and brings it back.
Not so with the others. Their flag is taken
with them. With it gallant George Pound
stone, Color-Sergeant of the SD ILL.,, seeing
other flags were being captured, says:
They cannot get my flag unless they get
me-" and he reaches and tears the flag from
the staff Just as he does this one of the
gunners of the Washington Artillery levels
his gun at him and his flag, and the shot
almost sewers POundstone's head from his
body, and when he is found he has death
like grip on the flag, which is saturated with
his blood.
This flag can he seen in the Memorial Hall
al Springfield, III. Other color-bearers and
flags met like fate, and in 30 minutes all
was over, and the blue line had melted away
and 645 Of the 900 were killed or wounded.
A few returned to their starting-point, but
they were but few. Col. Seth Earl, of the
SD H., and host of officers were killed
outright. Maj. Frank NJ. Long, of the 41st
ILL.,, and many others were mortally wounded
and died after the battle. Gen. Lauman was
Immediately placed under arrest and the
remainder of the command turned over to
Gen. Hovey.-E. T. LEE, 41st ILL.,, Month
cello, Ill.