Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-07-06
THE LAST CHARGE.

shows it's face-as it lights up the Stat
ford hills on the other side Of the river.
Then, the fighting begins afar down
on the left. Franklin is attacking
jackson down there. They will Crap
pie on the plains-in the forast-on the
hillsides-and tonight they will count
their dead by the thousands.
Wait! Wait! Wait!
1t is nine ock-ten-eleven-it is
noon. The thunder of the battle be-
low has filled our ears all these long
hours. In our front the skirmishers
have kept up growing, but there has
tbeen no fighting We are sheltered
here. When we move out death will
hold high carnival. Hungry-cold-
npprehensive-we wait and wait. All!
Here comes the order at last! Watch,
nowl Five confederate regiments have
been posted behind that stone wall,
and the artillery on the hills has an
enfilading fire. 1t is the Second corps
here in the town. French's division
moves to the front-Kimbal's brigade
takes the van. Then men throw away
knapsacks, haversacks-evert their can
teens as they move into position.
Forward now-Kimball leading-the
other brigades behind-Hancock sup
porting. Up the hilly streets-clear of
the houses--and Kimball dashes at the
hill. Crash. Flame. Roar! With the
suddenness of n thunderclap hundred
cannon open fre-fve thousand mus
kets blaze Kimball is lost sight of in
the flame and smoke-brigade after
brigade is hidden from sight of the sup
faa
minutes, and wild mob falls back on
Hancock. Not one single company has
kept its organization amidst the hail
storm of death Hancock moves for
ward into the flame-advances step by
step-stors-falls back, and more than
two thousand men lie dead or desper
atcly wounded on front only quar-
ter of mile wide. Not a man behind
that stone wall has been grazed-not q
dozen on the hillside wounded.
- sits slaughter! It's butchery!
Shouted thousand men as they fel
back over tho stony road, many o
them leaving trails of blood as they
moved, while the men behind the stone
wall cheered and cheered again.
Now Howards division comes up
and the disorganized regiments are re
formed, for another attack. Disor
ganized but not panic-stricken-no
cowed. Men who limp with theil
wounds take their places in the rank
and move up to the second attack
The broad highway-the lanes-th
yards and gardens and village com
mons are encumbered with dead, an,
the wounded cry ont pitifully as tn
ranks sweep past on their way t
slaughter. With shout and cheer an
curse the blue ranks dash the gravele
highway as before, and again the hill
ere shaken with the thunder of tn
guns--again the sheets of flame lea
out from the crest of the stone wall t
scorch and wither and destroy. Die
stand in the roadway and lanes an
fields in a dogged and sullen way an
await death. Some remain after tn
bugles sound retreat"
How many dead and wounded now
Four thousand and more! Under cove
lof the smoke-cloud hanging abou
Mary's hill men in gray creep owe
the stone wall and hold their canteer
to the lips of the wounded and pit
them. Ask the men of Cobb's brigad
ind Of the Twenty-fourth North Care
lima and they will tell you that scor,
OF their canteens were thus emptied.
Now comes pause. There is fierc
fighting above and below us, but heI
there is an ominous silence. Wounde
linen come limping down the roadway
come crawling on hands and knees
come praying or cursinG, and the plair
above are blue with their burden {
death. Officers growl and mute