Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-08-01


Sixth Wisconsin and the Nineteenth
Indiana being not much larger than
normal companies, while the Seventh
Wisconsin had been detached to guard
the captured brigade The Eleventh
corps Joined rs shortly before noon
and took position on our right.
The Terrible Moment.
The afternoon had opened clear. and
with sultry heat. when about $50 the
enemy, augmented 10y large reinforce
ments. emerged from the woods in
splendid line of battle In new and
neat uniforms of light grey. and few
traces of the old time butternut. they
presented a handsome and most sol.
dierly appearance. The line was in
admirable order. and every movement
as correct as though on review. Very
slowly and with the utmost composure
1t advanced-siower even than Il
funeral march. The skirmish lines
having been withdrawn. not Il shot
was exchanged until the lines were
less than 200 yards apart-which was
about as great range as our old
Springtelds and the enemys old En-
fields were good for.
The resistance offered affected in nc
way the advance aud the lines grad
ually came closer together. We were
on the brow of the raviue, in excel
lent line and firing with excellent eff
feet, The slow movement OF the enc
my enabled them to do better work
than If the advance had been NOR,
rapid. Many of our men fell, ant
many of theirs.
As they came within 100 yards ouI
line retired gradually 10y backward
step into the grove. Meanwhile, tn,
eleventh corps, unable TO hold its NOR,
exposed position, had retired towar,
The town, and Richardson's division o.
the First corps fell back from it's 30
sition on the right to join Kowley il
support Of The First.
Men Tell Fast.
The large confederate line now over
tapped ours for several hundred yards
on each side. The increasing Difficult
ties inspired increased determination
Our men We're falling thickly as w,
voluntarily reformed our lines every
few rods. with the enemy distant al
times from us not more than 300 feet
Company lines soon became ,indistin
guishahle and the regiment becam,
more or less intermiugled,
The loss of officers was ~ great II.
TO leave but little direction Ever,
man. inspired by the same motive
acted as though the responsibility fo
resistance rested upon himself The,
were attracted toward each other il
groups of two or three. at the sam,
time seeking some semhiance to a gen
eral alignment.
The Battle Roar.
The reserves had meantime pile
some fence rails in a sort Of row
which. low as It was, suggested q
least more determined rallyng point
Here were two guns of United State
Battery Il. supported by the reserves
aud through every opening in on
lines they poured vollcys of grape
There was genuine music In their roar
and we realized the wondr0us clio
quence OF a shotted gun. We coult
see the flashes and feel the concus
sion. but all sounds had become 81
confused into one undistinguishahl,
roar that the ear refused to rcgiste
them. Speech al the top Of the vote,
between men almost at touching dis
lance would he unheard.
The Twcntyfourth had lost It's sil
color-bcarcrs one by one, ana othe
men had rrasped the standards an,
borne them until disabled or killed
Bach near the seminary, Col Morrow
mounted has grasped them aud
scalp wound streaked his pale fac,
with the hue of the sikcn stripes
But the coiorS were rescued
A Noble Stand.
Shadows were lengtbcliing greatly
that afternoon aS groups OF half .
dozen to score defended their wa,
Oh the open slope from the seminary
down 10 the little bridge crossing int,
town. From the brow of the slop,
they could he seen rallyiuc at inter
walls 10 contest the now apparent,
reluctant continuance of the adyanc,
of the Still weil-formed line in gray
But the days fighting was really over
They were not pushed further Tn,
remaining hundred or two Of the bri
gade crossed uudisturbed and were
seen making their way sadly up the
main street Of the town 10 the hills
beyond where Reynolds had, with
keen foresight, selected future posi-
ton and placed some artillery. and
which was now occupied by Howard
with the Eleventh corps, ana from
which was stcmmcd the highest It'd,
reached by the confedcracy AT Gem
ctcry Ridge.
The day was one Of fearful loss Il
the Twenty-fourth. OF the entire rcgi
meut but uinoty-siX answered thai
evening 10 roll call. and that stricken
remnant buttoned their tents together