The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-04-11

statehouse at Springfield, Ills, where it
can be seen, staine3 with tire blood of
the brave boys who went down under
meath its folds that day at Jackson. The
color bearer Of the Fifty-third Illinois
was Sergeant George Poundstone Of OF
tawa, Ills He had carried his flag al
most to the rebel works, and stopping
by small tree the gunner Of one of the
pieces of the New Orleans artillery lev
eled his gun at him and his flag. When
he saw that he was about to be taken,
he said, They can't get my flag unless
they get me-. And reaching up he tore
1t from the staff and was in the act of
putting it in his bosom when the artil-
leryman fired, and the shell struck brave
Poundstone, almost severing his head
from his body. His flag was taken
from him by the rebels and sent to
Richmond with the others. 1t was also
returned, and should you ever visit Me-
mortal hall you will see this old flag,
saturated with the blood of George
Poundstone, along with the other colors
Of the Fifty third Illinois.
"The recall was sounded, and what
was left of that gallant brigade rallied
around the remaining colors at the tim
Der whence they had only recently
emerged. There were gathered around
the old stars and stripes Of the Forty
first Illinois regiment AZ men, many of
whom had been slightly wounded. Ser
geant Fl. M. Streever, now living at
Argenta, Ills, carried this flag, and
with his Flagstaff shot in two and the
flag torn and riddled with bullets and
shells he brought it off the field in tri-
umph. This was a sight that we shall
never forget. Over two-thirds of the
men who had gone into the charge had
been killed and wounded or taken pris-
oners. 1t was fearful mistake on the
part Of some one, and the men have al
ways blamed General E. o. c. Ord for
the blunder. General J. G. Lauman
was placed under arrest and the COM
mand given to General A. p. Hovey,
late governor of Indiana. General Lau-
man returned to his home in Iowa and
demanded an investigation. He died
without any investigation being made.
His mind became deranged brooding
over this fearful charge. He always said
that he was not to blame for this great
loss of men.
son the 10Th of July General John
ston and his army evacuated Jackson,
and after our wounded had been cared
for the army returned to Vicksburg.
There was no charge during the war
that was more disastrous to the number
engaged than the charge at jackson,
Miss, July IL, 1863"
Colonel Pugh's brigade numbered
that day, according to his official re-
port, $50 officers and men. 1t was conn
posed as follows: Forty-frst Illinois,
Lieutenant Colonel John H. Male,
strength 1888; Fifty third Illinois, Colo
mel S. @. Earl, strength 219; Third
Iowa. Colonel Aaron Brown, strength
al; Twenty-eighth Illinois, Major
Rhoades, strength unknown. The last
named regiment was attached to the
brigade temporarily. The strength here
set down to each regiment means
strength on paper. Out of 338 on the
rolls of the Forty-frst, 81 were killed
outright, 135 wounded and 40 missing;
total, 202, or 60 per cent casualties.
The killed and mortally wounded num-
bered A, ID per cent of the men en-
gagged. In the Fifty-third 219 were re-
ported present. There were II killed
outright, So wounded and 80 missing;
total, 1862, or 70 per cent. There were
33 killed and mortally wounded-that
is, 10 per cent.
The Third Iowa reported 241 present
and lost II killed outright, 81 wounded
and 80 missing; total, 113, Or AZ per
cent. The killed and mortally wounded
numbered SO, or Is per cent.
The Twenty eighth Illinois lost
killed, 43 wounded and 10 missing.
Many of those set down as missing
were killed or wounded and captured.