The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-16

would meet with but little resistance
While the fort had been battered be
yond recognition almost and the heavy
guns disabled, the garrison wss still II
good shape and in good spirits. Tee
Federal column was 5000 strong un'
der command OF GeneraI Seymour
It consisted OF three brigades from the
Tenth and Thirteenth army corps
The column moved forward IL regi
mental front led by the F'ifty-fCurth
Massachusetts, 9 negro regiment ccm
manded By Col, Robert G. Shaw,
The federalS we're ordered to use the
! oayonet only. Not a shot was fred
FROM either side as the column cd,
vanced. There was an oppressive sil
ence and the rays OF the setting sun
danced and shimnered along the lines
of bayonets. The federals were IN g
short distance of the fort when they
gave a cheer and rushed upon i. la.
mediately desdly fire crashed forth.
The fort was lit with f sme from has
ton 10 bastioa. The !. 500 rides ard
the artillery poured n deadly fire
at short range. ",he federal troops
csme gsllantIy on, b ating against the
fort likes tie wsves Of the ses. There
was harvest Of death and men fell
like ripe grain before the sickle. The
enemy pushed gallantly on. Hundreds
crossed the ditch at the bsse OF the
for: and many leaped the Parapst to
be trans6xed By bayonets or hurled
below by tee defenders. O1ing to
the failure OF the federal commander
to allow for tie proximity Of tie
creek near the fort. This resulted il
confusion and the crowded mass ctfer-
ed splendid opportunity to the men IN
the fort, thus greatly augmenting the
loss. The Fifty fourth Massachusetts,
broke and fed, breaking the columns
OF the regiment behind it snd the en-
tire brigade rushed to the rear con-
pletely routed.
Gen. Seymour then ordered Col.
Putnam to advance to the attack with
his brigade, but he refused to Go sc,
saying that he hsd been ordered 10 re
main where he was by Gen. Gilmore.
Afterwards, however, he galIantly led
forward his brigade without orders.
They were received With terrible fire.
out crossed the ditch, entered the fort
by the southeast bastion and poured
into the pafapet. Another brigade
was ordered to advance, but Gen.
Seymour was shot down after giving
The order. He repeated the order as
he was being borne from the f:lo,
but it was not obeyed q lumber o.
Humans men had found refuge IN
der the parapet, followed by his off
GERS, ard called upon his men 70 hold
their position to the last. He vas shot
down. He was as brave and gallant
man, said the speaker as ever marched
beneath the Stars and stripes. His
brigade was repuIsed and terrible fire
poured into it as it retreated. The
men intrenched in the b2s!ion refused
10 surrender, however, and poured a
destructive fire upon the defenders OF
the fort. Volunteers were called upon
to disIodge them and several gallant
officers lost their lives in leading the
attack. Erigadier General Johnson
Hagood fortunately arrived rom Char
lesion with his regiment at this time
and the men in the bastion, seel1g
they were cverpoWered, surrendered.
TIE loss in the battle, Judge
Twi,gs said, was unprecedented in the
history OF the war for the number
engaged. The whole area in front OF
the fort was s.rewn with dead and dy-
ing. Gen. Beauregard estimated the
federal loss at 5000. There were 500
buried in front OF the fort next morn
ing. The Confederate Loss IN killed
and wounded was It's.
Battery Wagner, Judge Twiggs
said, was never captured, bat was
abandoned By the Confedesates sew
eral months later. on account OF the
near approach OF GiImore's engineer.
ing operations.
s'As one of the survivors OF that
conflict" he said. u still believe the
cause to be just. And yet the people
of the North call US rebels do not
exactly understand what they mean
by the wcrJ rebel Was Robert E.
Lee = rebel2 # so George Washing.
ton was most illustrious rebel. In
successful revolution, it seems, is
termed rebellion. Successful revolu'
ton is termed patriotism. There is
no sting left IN the soldier heart OF the
South towards the men who fought
fcr the North. The God OF battles
directed the movements Of the war
and made this union of states indis-
soluble. We have freely forgiven the
boys who wore blue. the moro SO as
time has them like ourselves nov
wearers of the gray"