The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-16

and thousands of women waved theil
handkerchiefs towards the men in the
fort.
Judge Twiggs's remarks upon the
sentiment attaching to flag OF one {
country aroused great applause. "Had
the Confederate States,'' he said.
"adhered to the Stars and Stripes
thousands would have focked to their
cause who remained away, and other
thousands would have refused to fight
against it. The Stars and Stripes are
again the flag Of a united country.
Long may it wave over the land Of the
free and the home Of the brave. 1t is
the symbol Of union that will neve,
be surrendered. The people Of the
South are as loyal to that flag to-day
as are those who live to the north
ward"
There was further applause when
the speaker alluded to Fitzhugh Lee,
who fought SO well under the Stars
and Bars, now nobly upholding the
honor Of the Stars and Stripes at Ha-
vana. This was followed by az elo-
quent panegyric upon the Confederate
banner.
As the sun was sinking in the west
the bombardment ceased, to the great
relief of the garrison. The ominous
pause was we'll understood, however.
The supreme moment had arrived.
Having failed to reduce the fort by
bombardment the enemy's entire force
was to be hurled against it. The as
sault was about to take place. Gen.
Taliaferro had wiseley taken the pre-
caution early in the bombardment Of
removing the smaller guns out of the
way Of the enemy's shells. They
were promptly remounted, and the
ramparts manned, and the whole sea
and land face CT the fort was lined
with glittering steel.
TIE enemy evidently supposed the
fort to have been practically destroyed
by the bombardment, and they would
meet with but little resistance. While
the fort had been battered beyond re-
cognition almost and the heavy guns
disabled, the garrison was still in good
shape aud in good spirits. The Fed
eral column was 5000 strong, under
command Of Gen. Seymour. 1t con-
sisted Of three brigades from the 10th
and 18th army corps. The column
moved forward in regimental front,
led by the 54th Massachusetts,, negro
regiment, commanded by Col. Robert
G.. Shaw. The Federals were ordered
to use the bayonet only. Net shot
was fred from either side as the col
umn advanced. There was an oppres-
sive silence, and therays Of the setting
sun danced and shimmered along the
lines Of bayonets. The Federals were
in short distance of the fort when
they gave cheer and rushed upon it.
Immediately dead fire crashed forth.
The fort was lit with fame from bas-
tion to bastion. The 1 800 rifles and
the artillery poured in withering
fame at short range. The Federal
troops came gallantly on, beating
against the fort like the waves Of the
sea. There was a harvest Of death
and men fell like ripe grain before the
sickle. The enemy pushed gallantly
on. Hundreds crossed the ditch at
the base of the fort and many leaped
the parapet to be trans6xed with bayo-
nets or hurled below by the defenders.
Owing to the failure of the Federal
commander to allow for the proximity
Of the creek near the fort the attack
ing force was crowded together on a
narrow strip Of land between the creek
and the fort. This resulted in confu-
sion and the crowded masses offered
SPLENDID opportunity to the men in
the fort, thus greatly augmenting the
loss. 4he 54th Massachusetts, broke
and fed, breaking the columns of the
regiment behind it and the entire bri-
gade rushed to the rear completely
routed.
Gen Seymour then ordered Col.
Putnam to advance to the attack with
his brigade, but he refused to do So,
saying that he had been ordered to re-
main where he was by Gen. Gilmore.
Afterwards, however, he gallantly led
forward his brigade without orders.
They were received with terrible FIRE,
but crossed the ditch, entered the fort
by the southeast bastion and poured
into the parapet. Another brigade
was ordered to advance, but Gen. Sey-
mour was shot down after giving the
nrdnr He rnnaated the order rs he