The National tribune., 1899-06-15
CHARGING AT JACKSON, MISS.
Gallant Action Of Pughs Brigade Agsinst Terrible Odds,
as Told by an Eyewitness.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of April q read a communication from
Comrade j. r. Palmer Normal, ILL.,, relative to
the charge of Pugh's Brigade, Of Humans
Division, at jackson, Miss, on July II, 1868.
/ corroborate all that Comfade Palmer
writes concerning that terrible charge. Twas
an eyewitness OF the whole bloody affair, and
took part in the preliminaries and the after
piece. No braver charge was ever made by
men, considering the difficulties and the lay OF
the ground and the formidable forts and in
trenchments occupied by the Confederatcs in
their 'front.' The timber had all been cut
down by the Johnnies, with the tops toward
our lines, the limbs trimmed and sharpened,
and in the intervals sharpened stakes were set
in the ground with the points towards our
lines. This obstruction was few yards in
| front of the Johnnies' strong works.
The gallant brigade charged up to this
formidable obstruction under a terrific artil-
lery and musketry fire, against superior num-
bers, ha,iling their own artillery by men, as
they found it impracticable to take horses into
the charge. Some of the men may have got
beyond the Instructions into the works, for it
was impossible for me to see, owing to the
dense smoke of the battle
belonged to Co. II, 47th Ind, and at that
time Gen. Alvin p. Hovey's Third Division Of
the Thirteenth Corps. was on the skirmish
line just to the left OF the troops that made this
charge. We had very interesting engage
ment from early morning up to the time OF the
charge. Afterwards it was still more inter
eSting, as the Confederates were wild with
enthusiasm after the repulse of the charge.
They came outside OF their works in force. We
did not give way any, but rather advanced
our lines.
We had lain on our arms all the previous
night, having driven the Confederates into
their works that evening. There had been
furious picket firing all night. At daylight
it commenced in earnest, we advancing 10 a
strip of timber. The rebels had set fire to all
) the suburban residences to obstruct our ad-
vance.
Near the strip of timber mentioned we came
, on to rail fence. The Confederates opened
fire from artillery from their works. The rails
from that fence flew, making it safer for us to
advance through the timber near some burn
ing buildings, where we were in view of their
of the burning buildings and the musketry
and artillery fire from the Confederate works
made it exceedingly warm for us.
Here, near these hot fires, sought protection
behind shade tree, but found that was too
far in advance, as the Confederate sharp
shooters got cross-fire on me. l retreated
nearer the burning buildings to q large,
square hewn gate post. l made myself as
small as possible, so that the post would
cover my body. | could hear the bullets
plainly striking the opposite side of the post
There was a similar post just few steps
from me. / saw one of my comrades on the
safe side of it, also making himself as small
as possible.
But it was the charge of Pugh's gallant
brigade that relieved us and caused the firing
to cease in our front, for the time being. We
heard their cheers and saw their terrible rush
towards the Confederate works. We could
plainly see the Confederate reinforcements
marching to intercept this gallant but doomed
brigade. What slaughter and terrible destruc-
ton of human life took place just thenl
| About this time our Division Commander
Gen. A. p. Hovey rode along the sliirmish
line, warning us to remain where we were, and
not to go into the charge as there were nc
orders to charge. 1t seems Gen. Lauman
ordered. this charge without orders from Gen
Sherman, but this does not reflect any dis
icredit on the gallant boys who made the
rush.
In my war experience never saw or was in
but one charge where the casualties were so
large in so short time as in this and that
was the charge of the Third Division, Thir-
teenth Corps, Gen. A. p. Hovey's gallant
boys at the battle of Champion Hills, May 16,
1868, where the division lost in killed and
wounded 1,600 men in less than 40 minutes,
resulting in, according to Gen. Grants Me
moirs, the first decisive victory OF the war,
later resulting in the surrender of Vicksburg
saw the charge on the Spanish works
aro nd Santiago, bit they were skirmishes
compared with the aforementioned charges.
i-WLLIAM W. AsPINWALL, Co. II, H,h
Ind, Washington, ID. C.
My Mamma Wants to Tell Yon Something
Is the title of book that should be read by al