The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-20

To grasp them and make openings through
which the line could pass was the work of but
a few minutes, which under other circum-
stances would have taken hours, and on went
the column. We next met line of fence
rails. firmly set in the ground, the upper
ends sharpened and leaning outward from
the fort, high enough TO strike a man adj
vancing in the breast. Quickly these were
| grasped and torn out, and the column was
soon pushing onward to the fort.
Up TO this time the flame of fire from the
fort had not slackened, and it was intensi-
fed by the explosion OF many torpedoes,
which were planted in the ground over
which the men passed. They were clear
ing The way and advancing too rapidly 10
return the fire. But now a terrific crash of
arms from the line, with its flame of fire
and cloud of smoke mingled few minutes
with that from the tort, and then the cannon
ceased firing almost entirely. The cannon
GERS were killed or wounded and the guns
abandoned.
The garrison was armed with rifles, re-
volvers, and sabers, and with these il still
made stubborn resistance. In front of
the fort was deep ditch, at the bottom of
which was set a line of the sharpened fence
rails i have before described. To make a
way through these and climb tie sloping
sides of the fort to the top, and over the
parapet, took but short time, and with
The first was borne a regimental flag, but
what regiment carried it never learned.
The garrison sought shelter in the maya
zines and wherever opportunity offered, and
kept up their fire as the bows came at them
over the works When close pressed the
officers drew their sabers, and several fierce
cofn hats with TTniou officers tooL- ,laca in
side the fort, with these weapons, ere lis
surrender.
With us, while watching an assault and
defense like this, every man experienced an
intense anxiety to be at the front; and so
strong was this, that as soon as the men of
the battery saw the line of blue 90 over the
parapet, they could restrain themselves no
longer, and many were in the fort to witness
the saber cOmbats.
i followed as soon as all was quiet and
reached the fort while the rebels were being
marched away in squads TO find and take up
the torpedOes that had not exploded, which
they had placed around the fort; work
they were at on their knees until long into
the night
Corp1 Curtis, a recruit to the battery
from an Ohio regiment-I forget the number
was one Of the first to 20 inside the maya
zines, where he found a large 1ield-glass.
Going with him TO good position on the
fort with il, we saw the party on the rice
MILL and also the flags of the feet near the
mouth Of the river
1t may be asked, What was the battery
expected 10 dop 1t was there TO shell the
fort In case the storming party failed to
carry the works and was forced TO fall back
To be chosen for this reserve from another
corps, the Sixteenth, while Gen. Hazen be-
longed TO the Fifteenth, was certainly an
honor well worthy of mention in some of
the reports Of the engagement; but, 80 far
as have been able to learn, it was not done
IN any. Too much credit cannot be given
the men of Gen. Hazen's Division for the
bold dash and quick work which captured
Fort McAllister, and opened the cracker
line for Shermans army.
Corp'l Curtis had the field-glass, which he
captured, at his discharge at the close of the
war, and if he sees this / would like 10 hear
from him, or any member of Battery H
HENRY ii. Cook, Sergeant, Battery ii, LIST
Mo. l.. A, Ottawa, Kan.