The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-22


meilts were commanded by captains and
companies by sergeants, some of the COM
Danies having been so depleted that they
had been merged into other companies.
in FRONT OF THE CRATER FORT.
al, OUR AfT1LLEY o lens.
After we had crawlcd up In front OF
the fort, and about two hundred yards
I'VE lay down fiat on. the
ground, and our batteries In rear opened
ilrc on the encny's artillery IN order to
draw their fire. This was done TINT we
might charge without being subjected to
their artillery fire, In addition to that
OF the fort and the main line, which was
only eighty yards beyond the fort.
but the enemy appeared to understand
our object, and declined to reply.
FoRWARD! CHARGE!
Our guns soon ceased firing. and we at
once arose and moved forward, as d.
rcctcd, in quick time, at a trail arms,
with bnyonets fixed.
II, a short distance VIC came In View oil
the enemy-botli infantry and artillery
ana then was presented one of the most
nwfully grand and cruel spectacles OF
that terrible war;. One brigade OF 62S men i
was charging u fort III an open field, filled
with the enemy to the number OF over
5000, and supported by q park OF rtilcry
said to number fifty pieces. The line OF
advance was In full view Of the two. ar
mics. and in range Of the guns OF fuliy
twenty thousand men, including both
sides. When we came within range we
saw the flash Of The sunlight on the one:
my's guns, MS they were lcveled above the
walls OF tho wrecked fort. Then came
Il stream Of fire and tho awful roar OF
battle. This volley seemed to awaken
the demons OF hell, and appeared to DC
the signal for everybody within 1nnge o.
the fort to commence firing. We raised
yell and made q dash In order to get
under the walls Of the fort before their
artillery could open upon us. but In this
wo we're unsuccessful. The air seemed
literally filled with missiles.
The Virgininns. Georgians and South
Carolinians commenced firing from the
tanks OF the fort and Mt the enemy's
main line, as did our artillery, and the
encmv's Infantry and artillery from all
sides opened upon us
INTO THE MOUTH OF HE'LL
CHARGED THE SIX HUNDRED"
On we went, as 1t seemed to us. literally
into tho mouth, Of hell" When we got
to the walls OF the fort we dropped
down on the ground to get the men IN
order and let them get their breath. While
waiting we could hear the Yankee officers
In the fort trying to encourage their
men, telling them among other things to
remember Fort Pillow Gin that fort
Forests men had found negroes and
whites together. History tells what they
did for them.) Then commenced a novel
method GEof fighting. There were quito
q number Of abandoned muskets, with
bayonets on them lying on the ground
around the fort. Our men began pitching
them over the e,nbankment, bayonets
foremost, trying to harpoon the men in
side, and both sides threw over cannon
balls and fragments OF shells and cartn
which BY. the impact Of the explosion had
been pressed as hard as brick. Every
body seemed to be shooting at the fort
md doubtless many We're killed by their
frien DIS. ISL know some aof the Yankees
were so killed. IS, ii l,;
In almost less time than I can tell 1t
we We're In condition to go In. Colonel
j. H. King ordered tho men near him to
put their hats on their bayoncta and
quickly raise them above the fort. which
was done, and, as he anticipated, they
were riddled with bullets. Then he or
dered us over the embankment t, and over
We went, Il and were soon engaged In
hand hand struggle of life and dcath
The enemy shrank back, and the death
grapplc continued until most OF the Yank-
ees found lin there were killed. This
slaughter would not have been SO great
had not our men found negro soldiers In
the fort with tho whites, This was the
first time VIC had met negro troops, and
the men were cnraged at them for being
there and at the whites for having them
there.
COMPARTMENTS OF THE PIT MADE
AT THE CRATER.
The explosion had divided the pit into
two compartments. AS soon as we had
possession OF the larger one the Yankees
In the smaller one cried out that they
would surrender. We told them to come
over the mbankment. Two OF them
started over with their guns & in their
hands, and We're shot and fell back. We
heard those remaining cry: IT hey are
US no quareritot us sell our lives
rs dearly as possible.' We thon told
them to come oyeraswithout their guns,
which they did. and all the remainder.
about thirty in number, surrendered and
were ordered to tho rear. In the confu-
sion and their eagerness to- get beyond
that point, they went across the open
field, along the same route over which
we had charged them. Thor artillery.
seeing them going to tho rear, as VIE were
told, under the 4t nag OF truce, thought
that it was our men repulsed and re-
and they a t once opened flre
on them, killing and Wounding quite Y
NUMBER OF Lnclr OWL lHeI. SS4Ac PoOt w. AI
low had his arm shot OF just as he start
ed to tho rear and returning, said: \
could bear 1t better II my own men had
not done ill., "a @
This practically ended the fight inside
the fort but the two armies outside con-
tnued firing at this common centre and
II seemed to4us that the shot, shell and
musket balls came from every point ct
the compass and the mortar shells rain n
ed down from above. They had pre-
.viously attacked from below, SO this
unfortunate fort was ono Of the few
points OF the universe which had been
assailed from literally every quarter
THE AFTERMATH AND t1NCIDENTS.
< GEN. IARTLl1Tr's CORK LEG.
The slaughter was fearful. The dead
were piled on each other. In ono part
OF the fort counted eight bodies deep:
There were but few wounded compared
with the killed. 4 3 t3G
There was an incident which occurred
In the captured fort Tint made quite a., IN
Impression on mo. Among the wounded
wns the Yankee general Bartlett. He
vas Val lying down and could not rise As