The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-03-03


mand Of Lieut.. Brown. About the
same distance in our rear, near the
canal, was placed Lieut.. Vim. A.
Harnes' battery Of New York Inde.
pendent artillery with, I think, six
guns.
! This battery had been with us since
1861, and at this time, it being short
| handed, several men of Company B
were detailed to serve in it, one Of
whom, S. S. Boyington, now resides in
Minneapolis, and with whom I talked
these days over at time of our late
meeting in St. Paul. Shortly after
daylight these two batteries opened
the meeting and we reverently pros.
trated ourselves on mother earth and
Rugged her affectionately.
The phrase s'hell broke LOOSE
describes as we'll as feeble language
can describe what followed. We5were
huddled into a gravel pit, but slightly
depressed below the line of fire Of the
two opposing batteries that were at
short range playing on each other.
Looking either way we seemed to be
looking into the muzzles of the cannons
aimed directly at us.
Col. Thomas S: Allen, Fifth Wis
consin, had been given charge of the
assaulting party. He ordered us to
leave all extra clothing, knapsacks,
etc. Our dress after this might not be
considered for churchgoing now and
here, but it seemed to US that we kept
all we needed for the day and occasion,
namely, shirt and pants, cap and shoes,
haversack, canteen, gun and equip
ments. Our knapsacks and dress suits
we piled and left, and unless they have
been disturbed by some evil minded
person they are there yet. -" ,4
Col. Allen then told US that a force
had been sent to the right to make a
feint to draw the enemy's attention,
and that when we heard musketry at a
certain point we we're to take the hill
in our front. He said: "Boys, do you
SEQ those heights? you have got to take
them. You think you can't do it, but
you can. You will do it. At the order
Forward you will start at double
quick, closing on colors in center. You
will not fire q gun. You will not stop
until you get the order to halt. You
will not get that ORDER" 49,"
Eight, nine, ten o'clock passed, and
still we waited, listened and Rugged
mother earth. The signal was not yet
heard. I ask you who have been in
like places to imagine our thoughts as
we lay those long hours in front of: the
very place where Gen. French in the
December battle had thrown in his
division and had it annihilateG, fol-
lowed by Hancock, who took in 5000
men and did not get within twenty-five
PAGES of the stone wall, but lost 2, OlS of
his men, after which Towards,
Sturges' and Getty's divisions, com
bined with remnants of French's and
Hancock's, tried it repeatedly but
could not advance, although rebel re-
ports claim there were then only l 200
men defending. ,.
doubt if there is any other spot on
the American soil which has received
the blood of as many brave men as that
over which we must charge for the
same point which they after such fear
full loss failed to carry. H..
At last the long waited for signal
was heard and we started. I can not
tell you much that happened whilst
making that run to the stone wall. I
have not been over the ground since:
The orders being to keep in line and
close on the .colors we of the guard
tried to set them a pace that would
allow no tagging. 49,
Not a man of US fred gun until we
were on the wall, then shot. Bayonets
and dubbed muskets were used, being
the first and only time [ saw men
killed with bayonet or butt of a
uuShot. All GQlS Was seen Gl0r6.
Consider breastwork by the side of
the road, the breastwork or wall fully
manned, each man having extra car
tridges laid to hand; another line of
breastworks on the hill above, with
openings for the cannon, equally we'll
manned, and we going over that wall
into their midst, every one of us with a
loaded rifle, bayonet fixed and there
for business.
For a short time business was lively,
but such business never continues
long. We with the colors did not stop
at the wall. but kept on for the lines
and cannon above, and soon they also
we're ours. I saw Corpl. Clay of our
regiment strike one of the gunners a
blow with his musket chat would have
killed an OK, and that cannon was cap.
tured loaded. z,-
Lieut.. Brown, commander of the
battery, in surrendering to Col Allen.
f<>x>l II L G