Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-17

coming on the command was halted and
companies r and NJ placed on picket.On
the morning of the 9Th the command
| moved forward with T and M In advance
deployed as skirmishers. After going
about one mile we encountered the enemy
In force on the Waterloo plantation, which
| I will describe to the best Of my recollec-
ton. The public road ran through the
plantation from north TO south, and the
fields were enclosed with banks OF dirt
thrown up from the bitches, and one or
the same kind ran through the field from
east to west + and NJ were halted in the
| field at the cross ditch, as we could hear
! the enemy at the north side Of the field
about 700 yards distant. We did not have
long to wait before we heard in the enc
mics lines, Forward, skirmishers." We
| were then ordered to, Rats to your
holes" and every man concealed himself
behind the bank Of dirt, which made splen-
| did breastworks We saw their skirmish
line as they entered the field and 1t did not
take the second look to discover that they
were our colored friends, as Private John
Smith said, Mayors, begasus! We were
ordered to lie low and hold our fire until
WE could see the whites of their eyes.
They advanced about 100 yards and halted
as they could hear our men In the road
talking and laughing. They listened
awhile and then dropped In the weeds
which were about breast high.
| We had TWO b pOuuO plSCSS pCiOhBAhB "
the Marion battery on the right OF the
road which opened on them and put them
"a flight. There was a large live oak
where their line halted and numbers OF
them made for that, and 1t was interesting
to see the shells burst beneath It's branch-
es. Some officer Of rank was either killed
| or seriously wounded under 1t as they
tried all day to carry him out but the
shells were too hot for them. On the
! morning of the 7th we had $50 men stretch-
ed over nearly one mile with -FOUR guns.
two on the left and two on the right OF
the road, with Major r. A. Wayne IN COM
mand Of the island. We learned aIter the
battle that the enemy numbered 45OO' two
white and three colored regiments. About
4 in the evening three colored regiments
advanced on our lines, one on the left, one
on the center and the other on our extreme
right, held by twenty of the Stone scouts.
Companies r and NJ were ordered by the
right flank double quick to aid the scouts,
and when within 200 yards OF them obli-
qued to the right. as the enemy were then
charging the works. We had not left our
| works more than 40 yards when a minnie
| clipped by my head, as I was leading the
| skirmish line. CHANGING to my left beyond
the works I saw a stout mulatto loading
| his rifle 1t was the work of an instant
to halt, bring my rife to my shoulder aim
! at his breast and press the trigger. At the
| flash of my rifle he jumped three feet
straight up and fell in the weeds. moved
| off still at the head of the company and
loaded my rifle on the run. l saw the ne
groes charge over the works, and some
thing else that made my blood run cold,
thew were bayoneting the wounded, IA out
of the 20 Stone scouts were killed and
wounded. 1t was the 26th n. Y. colored
regiment, seven companies crossed the
works In line Of battle and three by the
left flank, forming two sides OF square.
We faced them and the battle opened In
earnest, 46 Rebels deployed as skirmishers
against 1000 colored troops with white
officers. They gradually drove us back
| and II was heartrending TO listen TO the
appeals of our wounded to be carried to
, the rear, but we had to leave them to their
sad fate.
After we had been driven back about ESQ
yards two companies arrived from the
center company G, of the regulars ana a
company from the 32d Georgia. Company
G struck the thanking column and the sd
stopped at the right OF companyM Ihey
/ arrived on the double quick and the lieu
tenant in command ordered them 10
charge, but they came to dead halt. lie
threatened them with his sword, but all
TO no purpose. Then he dashed In front
| of them with his sword In one hand and
his hat in the other and said: Follow me,
boys" Then IT would have done your
heart good to hear he wild rebel yen
|
The whole line then 100 strong charged
at the same time and it did not take many
! minutes to drive them beyond the WORKS.
When we charged Corporal T. ]. Mus
| grove and myself flushed colored broth
err in the weeds. We tried to make him
surrender, but he would not and Musgrove
killed him. 1 saw our officers keeping our
men from bayonetting the wounded, be-
: cause they used the bayonets on ours.
While we were charging Major Wayne
: arrived from the left where he had de-
! feated the enemy and led us in the charge.
1 could hear him above the report of our
r rifles say: Give them hell, my regulars.
= Sergeant Watson, of company F, was
! struck by one with his rife and then
choked down, but was saved by Sergeant
/ Copeland shooting him through the body.
[ He bit one of Watson's fingers nearly of
before he was pulled off of him. .
= The artillery defeated the regiments on
4 the left and center. Captains Louis Ken
3 men andNFrank Hill were wounded and our
. ! adjutant, H. p Cook, had his horse killed
under him.
Night was made hideous by the cries
of the wounded calling to their comrades
for assistance which they never received
. | posted pickets until II o'clock at night
when / was relieved by Lieut.. Anderson
w. Reese, while Lieut.. James r. Du-
Bose commanded the company. don't
think another such battle was fought
during the war. $50 rifles and four pieces
of artillery against the attack of 5000
men.
All honor to Major Wayne and his gal
liant command.
{ A drawer heart never beat in the breast
of man than that OF Major R. A. Wayne
}, of the regulars.
) on the morning OF the sth the enemy
got their artillery In position on the right
of the road and shelled our position fol
several hours, wounding several men and
| horses. At night we were REINFORCED by
the 18th Georgia battalion, 32d and 47tl
Georgia regiments, about 1,500 men all told
with General Robertson in command. Be
fore day on the 9Th our troops were IN
line of battle, the regulars and 32d Geor-
gia on the right and the 18th and 47tf
Georgia on the left of the road. Skirmish.
es were advanced on the enemys works
and found cuffy at his old occupation, fas
asleep.
The music OF the rifles soon had hin
awake and marching for the rear. Oul
line of battle moved forward and wher
within 100 yards of the works were halt
ed. The s2d fired two or three volleys
killing some of our own men in the skirm
ish line as they were shot from the rear.
There was not a gun fired in the regu'
lars as they were never known to fire
without orders. Major Wayne sent his
| orderly ona of the Stone scouts to the