Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-08-28

uOrIu COCuuclu.
The field lay between the extensive for
est on the Sharpsburg pike and clump
of trees some hundreds of yards east of
it. The Confederates held throughout,
the woods on the pike and after losing
the clump Of trees on the east in Hook
er's overwhelming attack, they attempted
several times to recover it by charging
across the cornfield. At one crisis in the
fight gap occurred in the Federal line
through the withdrawal Of brigade Of
Pennsylvanians. Lawton's Confederate
division, 2, 400 strong, rushed for the
gap like sheep over q stone wall. But
there were three fresh Federal brigades
on both sides Of the opening and by fir
ing obliquely, while battery behind
the gap raked the ground with canister,
they caught the luckless Confederates
in trap from which retreat was as
deadly as the advance In less than an
hour /, 100 Of Lawton' 8 men were down.
Lawton was wounded, and Colonel
Douglass, commander Of Lawton's own
Brigade was killed. Five colonies of
regiments fell Also. In Hayes brigade
all the colonies were shot down and
over half tho rank and file. The old
Stonewall division charged headlong
across the field to rescue Lawton's line.
Its commander, General D. r. Jones,
fell almost instantly, and General w.
E. Starke directed the fighting Of the
division as it faced east and north. He
was soon shot dead and his body, pierced
by three bullets, lay all day among the
ranks Of dead men on the line between
the pike and the coveted east woods
Hoods division. headed by Wofford's
Texas brigade, marched to the aid Of
their comrades The Federal gunners,
having a clear sweep Of the field, held
their fire until the last moment and with
three divisions at their mercy the slaugh-
ter was sudden and terrible.
! BAND OF In the Antietam
BRAVE TEXANS mgr T;s OF T sept; III, IL
with the highest loss Of any regiment
in the war. The Texans entered the
north cornfield where the stalks were SO
high that the eye could penetrate but a
few feet. In this thicket the fighting
began and the colonel Of the regiment
stated that the moment the ball opened
he could not restrain his men. Every
man went forward where he could find
a foe and no serious check was given
their advance until the farther edge OF
the field had been reached. At that
point the Texans came under the range
Of the Federal batteries stationed on q
bare ridge few hundred yards from
the corn. As soon as the scattered Fed
erals, retiring before the Texans had
passed behind their pieces; the batteries
opened and the First Texas, being close
on the heels Of the Federal infantry,
was struck with CALLING shower Of
missiles The men halted at the fence
and began to shoot down the gunners
and horses The guns were silenced by
their unerring aim and compelled to
Timber up and move away. But fresh
column of Federal infantry, moving in
solid lines, swept through the corn on
the flank Of the Texans, and the doomed
regiment was caught far in the exposed
rear Of it's line.
In apology for the terrible loss in his
ranks the colonel stated that although
he had but q handful of men he hest
tated to order retreat and when at last
he did so the few remaining BY him
turned at regular intervals and fired on
the pursuing enemy. Four color bearers
were shot down under tho eye of the
colonel and he recognized them all.
Four volunteers from the ranks also fell
while carrying the colors. At last the
flag disappeared in the corn, the bearer
falling unseen. When the remnant
gathered around their commander in the
open field beyond the corn and the loss
of the banner was made known, it was
too late to attempt to rescue it. For the
failure to attempt it, with the enemy
swarming over the battle-ground, where
it was lost, the colonel made another
apology, as though the fact that fouz
out Of every five Of his men lay dead Or
bleeding was not excuse for giving up
the struggle. The regiment entered the
fight with 228 men. Its loss in killed and
wounded was 1876, or 1913 per cent.