Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-07-17
ut knew that the safety Of the brigade. per.

but knew that the safety Of the brigade, per
haps OF the army, depended upon the stead.
fastness with which the point was held, and
80 fought on and on, with no hope Of assist.
ance but not a thought Of giving up. Already
nearly half our force lay PROSTATE, the dead
and wounded clogging the footsteps Of the liv.
ing. General Grant has said that there comes
time in every battle when. both sides being
nearly exhausted. the combatant who can
make the final effort or hold his own by sheer
force Of will, is to be winner: The moment
was rapidly approaching to these two wres-
tiers. The pressure Is growing harder and
harder. Every advance seems more difficult
to resist. How can flesh and blood endure itP
Ammunition is rapidly exhausted. Many men
have replenished their stock from the boxes
Of their fNl|en tomfdees, but that cannot last
long, and then what3 There Is but one ex.
pedient, the cold steel, truly forlorn hope
when the force Of the enemy is two to one.
The die Is cast, and the one word, "Bayo-
nets!'' rings from Chamberlain's lips like q
bugle note and down that worn and weary
line the word and action 60. In an instant,
less time than has been required to tell 1t,
Lieutenant Melcher has sprung to the head Of
the line, the colors are advancing, and the
regiment hurls itself down the ledge into the
midst Of the gray lines. Officers and men
strive for the lead. Some have greater oppor.
tunities for individual deeds than Others but
every man does his duty. Pistols are leveled.
swords flash and bayonets clash. A Confeder-
ate fires in Colonel Chamberlain face, and
then, seeing the line upon him, surrenders his
sword. Which wins the day. gray or blue2
Will our line be swallowed up in the gray
ranksP No! MOI They turn und fly! The
victory is ours!
The story Of Colonel Oates describing
the action of his Alabamians in that unique
and bloody struggle has been preserved in
the papers of che Southern Historical So
ciety. OF the first attack upon the Twen-
tieth Maine and its sequel the colonel says:
Just as the left of the Forty-seventh Ala.
balao was being driven back ordered my regi-
Inent to change direction to the left, swing
around and drive the Federals from the ledge
Of rocks, partly for the purpose of entilading
their limo and relieving the Forty-seventh.
My men obeyed and advanced about half way
TO the enemy's position. but the fire was so
destructive that my line wavered like q man
trying to walk against a strong wind, and
then. slowly, doggedly, gave back little:
then, with no one on the right or left Of me,
my regiment exposed, while. the enemy was
still under cover, to stand there and die was
sheer folly. Either to retreat or advance be.
came a necessity. Ny lieutenant colonel.
Feagin, had lost a leg, the heroic Captain Eli
son had fallen, while Captain Brainard, the
bravest and best officer in the regiment, In
leading his company forward fell and instant
~ eAplreo. Lheutenan1 John "A. Oates, my
brother, was pierced through by eight bullets
and fell mortally wounded. Lieutenants Cody,
Hill and Scroggin were killed and several 9th.
er officers seriously wounded, while the hem
orrhage Of the ranks was appalling. again
ordered the advance, and, knowing the officers
and men of that gallant regiment felt sure
that they would follow anywhere in the line
Of duty. passed through the column. waving
my sword, rushed forward to the ledge and
was promptly followed by my entire command
in splendid STYLE We drove the Federals from