The National tribune., 1903-05-21

pVuuueT dTTOtt guns. WHICH were OCcap
sionally firing at the fort.
The negroes on the plantation had seen
rockets at night thrown up by the fleet.
and had also seen a vessel steam up the
sound in sight from the rice mill, but out
OF range of the guns of tho fort. Gen.
Howard was hoping to be able to see and
answer these signals.
At o'clock in the afternoon the parties
at the rice mill noticed the firing of can
non inland from the fort, and some mus
ket firing in the woods. From these
facts they knew that Hazen's men were
in front of the fort and stirring up COM
motion. Soon the signal officer at the mill
discovered a signal flag some distance
above the fort. and was informed that it
was at Gen. Hazen's headquarters, and
that he was preparing to assault the fort,
and wanted to know if Gen. Sherman was
present. Gen. Sherman replied that he
was. and that he expected the fort to be
carried before night. Time sped and the
sun was falling low in the west; night
was rapidly approaching. and still the as
sault had not been made.
THE FLEET sIGTHEp.
Now another thing of interest occurred.
Someone looking out over the Sound dis
covered a cloud of smoke; all glasses were
turned upon it. and it was soon settled
that vessel had just arisen above the
horizon. This object grew more and more
distinct until soon a steamer was re-
vealed. and then the American flag float
ing from the masthead was plainly seen.
Every arrangement was made for the
assault at 4:45 p. H., and Gen. HaZen
slSnaled that he was ready, and Gen.
Sherman replied to go ahead. and in
formed Hazen that a United States
steamer was coming up the river. The
officers aboard of the steamer now gath
cred and signaled: "Who are you?" The
reply was: Gen. Sherman"
They then signaled: SIS Fort McAllis-
ter taken?" Gen. Sherman replied: "Not
yet: but it will be in minute"
Every officer and man knew what was
expected of him. They had been under a
great strain all the afternoon. Col. Jones,
seriously wounded, and Col. James S.
Martin had assumed command, turning
his regiment over to Maj. w. NJ. Mabry.
All were ready and anxious for the as
sault to be made.
The bugle sounded the forward The
nine regiments, deployed in one thin line,
instantly responded. rushing over, under
and through the fallen timber. The gar
rison saw the line advancing, and opened
With all their guns: the earth fairly shook
with the fury of their fire. But the line
rushed on, not with regularity. for each
man met and overcame impediments for
himself. The leading men reach and leap
ihto thC uittHtS, are Ipl-
lowed by hundreds of others; torpedoes
explode ari blow few to atoms; the pal
isades are seized and pulled asunder; the
parapets are scaled, the fort is entered; a
hand-tO-hand fight ensues. The garrison
fought desperately and resisted to the
last; but numbers tell: the garrison was
simply oyerpowered and forced to yield.
SURRENDER OF FORT MALLIsTER
Col. James s. Martin. commanding the
Second Brigade, was the first brigade
commander to enter the fort. He accepted
the surrender from Maj. George W. An
derson, the officer in command.
Gen. Sherman and Gen. Howard heard
the roar of the enemy's cannon, saw the
advancing line, and the cloud of smoke
gathering over the Union forces. They
waited the result with breathless sus-
pense: Presently the firing of cannon
ceased; the smoke partially cleared away;
the blue uniforms of our men were seen
in the fort. and the National Ensign was
hoisted. They knew that Fort McAllis-
ter was ours. The bugle sounded the ad-
vance at 4:45; at 5 o'clock precisely the
garrison surrendered. Gen. Sherman at
once signaled the Navy gunboat announc-
ing the capture of the fort
The Union loss was "a officers and en-
listed men killed and no wounded.
The captures were: The garrison, in
cluding the killed and wounded, go Of
ticers and men; "a pieces of artillery; 40
tons of ammunition; months supply Of
rations for the garrison; the small arms Of
the command; horses and equipments of
a light battery, besides the officers horses
and large quantity of private stores
placed in the fort for safety. But the i'm
portant matter was not So much the cap
ture of few men and guns: it was the
capture of the position, which at once
opened communication between the army
and navy. Too much cannot be said in
praise of the officers and men who per-
formed this gallant deed Each regiment
performed its duty well. Maj. Mabry, of
the 111th ILL.,, and Col. Parry. of the 47th
Ohio, both of Col Martins Brigade,
claim the honor for their regiments of
first planting the Stars and Stripes on the
parapet of the doomed fort.
Col. Martin. referring to this subject,
says: ''The Second Brigade has a right
to claim the honor of planting the first
flag upon the fort. the 47th Ohio and the
111th Ill. each in good faith claiming the
honor"
Gen. Hazen says: ''The regiments most
conspicuous in their galIantry were the
10th, 41th and 30th Ohio; all the rest per-
formed their duty equally we'll"
Attention is specially invited to the
fact that the assaulting forces did not use
artillery: they relied absolutely upon their
muskets and their indomitable courage.
Ito be continued)