The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-29


SCENE OF THE REBEL GEN. TRENC
undaunted, they came again and again.
Rowett, reinforced by the 93d Ill. and
aided by the gallant Redfield, encouraged
me to hope we were all safe here, when i
observed a brigade of tie enemy. under
command of Gen. Sears, moving from the
north, its left extending across the rail-
road
81 rushed to the two companies of the
ODD ILL.,, which were on the brink OF the
cIlt running north from the redoubt and
parallel with the railroad, they having
been reinforced by the retreating pickets,
ard urged them to hold on to the spur, but
it was of no avail. The enemy's line of
battle swept us back like SO much chaff
and struck the Both Iowa in flank, threat
ening to engulf our little band without
further ado.
HAED-TO-HAND STRUGGLE.
fortunately for us, Col Tourtellotte's
fire caught Sears in the flank and broke
him so badly as to enable me to get staff
officer over the cut, with orders to bring
the .0th Ill. over to reinforce ROwett, who
had lost very heavily. However, before
ard Young both rallied and made their
assaults in front and on the flank with so
much vigor and in such force as 70 break
Rowett's line. and had not the 18th iowa
fought with the desperation it did. never
would have been able to have brought
man back into the redoubt. AS * was,
Their hand-to-hand struggle ard stubborn
stand broke the enemy to that extent
he must stop to reform before undertake
ing the assault on the fort. Under cover
of the blow they gave the enemy. tie 9Th
AMI 9Sd Ill. and what remained OF the
S9th Iowa, fell back into the fort.
'',rhe fighting up to this time about ii
a. M was of a most extraordinary char
ac:er; attacked from the north, from the
west, and from the south, these three
regiments Goth Iowa, 9TH III. and 93d I'D
held Young's and portion OF Searss
and Cockrel's Brigades at bay for nearly
two hours and half. The gallant Col.
Redfield, of the 39th Iowa, fell slot in
four places, and the extraordinary valor
of the men and officers of this regi-
ment and Of the eth Ill. saved to us ALA
toona.
$50 completely disOrganized were the
enemy that no regular assault could be
made on the fort till l had the trenches
all filled and the parapets lined with men.
The 18th Ill. and 10th Iii. arriving from
the east hill, enabled us to occupy every
foot of trench, and keep up line OF fire
that, as long as our ammunition lasted,
would render our little fort impregnable.
The broken pieces of the enemy enabled
them to fill every hollow and take every
advantage of the rough ground surround
ing the fort. filling every hole and trench,
seeking shelter behind every stump and
log that lay within musket-range of the
fort we received fire from the north,
south and west face of the rcdoubt, COM
i'pletely enflading our bitches, and render
ing it almost impracticable for 4 man
to expose his person above the parapet.
'sAn effort was made to carry our works
by assault. but the battery 9th Wis.,
was so ably managed and so calamity
fought as to render it impossible for a
column to live within 100 yards of the
works.
Officers labored constantly to stimuli
late the men to eXertion, and most all that
were killed or wounded in the fort met
this fate while trying to get the men to
expose themselves above the parapet, and
nobly setting them the example. The en-
envy kept up n constant and intense fire,
gradually closing around us and rapidly
filling cur little fort with the dead and dy-
ing.
GEN. COESE WOUNDED.
"About 1 p. m. l was wounded by a
rife ball, which rendered me insensible
for some 80 or 40 minutes, but managed
tn rally on hearing some person or persons
cry SeiSe uTlIS, WHICH conveyed 10 HE
the impression that they We're trying TO
Surrender the fort. Again l urged my
staff the few officers left unhurt, and the
men around me to renewed eXertiOn, as
suing them that Sherman would soon
be there with achievements. The gal
laEt fellows struggled to keep their heads
above the ditch and parapet in the face
Of the murderOus fire of the enemy now
concentrated upon us.
"Thc artillery was silent for want of
ammunition, AMI brave fellow, whose
name l regret to have forgotten, vOlun-
tered 10 cross the cut, which was under
fire of the enemy, and go to the fort on
the east hill and procure ammunition.
Having executed his mission successfully,
he returned in a short time with an
arm-load of canister and caseslC
"AboIt $50 p. m. the enemy were OBJ
served massing n force behind small
house ard the ridge on which the house
was located. distant northwest from the
fort about $50 yards. The dead and wound
ed were moved aside, SO as to enable us to
move a piece of artillery to an embrasure
commanding the house and ridge. A few
shots from the gun threw the enemy's col
umn into great confusion, which being OBJ
served by our men, caused them to rush
to the parapet and open such q heavy and
continuous musketry fire that it was inn
possible for the enemy to rally. From this
time until near 4 p. m. we had the adj
vantage of the enemy. and maintained it
with such success that they were driven
from every position, and finally fed in