Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1905-03-31

d drUuy IOTuSlllS litu DIOuShl III
but scant supplies The first task was
to get in touch with Federal trans
ports on Ossabaw sound. A Federal
scouting officer passed Fort McAllister
by night in n canoe and succeeded In
reaching the friendly feet in the sound.
However. 1t would be Impossible to
make use of the Ogeechee to bring the
transports close to camp until Fort
McAllister was in Sherman's hands.
The Federal cavalry under General
Fitzpatrick attempted to reach the fleet
along the roads leading through the
swamps seward. but had failed. Kill
patrick also attempted to take the fort
by surprise. but this also failed, and
Sherman ordered General o. .. How
ard, whose command lay nearest the
work. to send Il force sufficient to car
ry the place by storm at the first dash.
This would involve the least loss OF
! life. Howard sent the division Of Cen
eral w. 3. Hazen to do the work. and
after circuitous march it reached the
front of the fort about noon on the
! 18th of December
In order prevent re-enforcements
from reaching the fort from the Con-
federate linz at Savannah proper Cen
eral Howar' planted two guns upon a
hill about two miles from the rear OF
the work. Near the battery was rice
mill which stood close to the river
! bank and commanded view or the
| fort. the rivo- and the sound. Howard
used the mi for a signal station. and
while Hazen was marching forward to
the attack he and Sherman looked OH
and communicated by signal
General Hazens advance guard cap
tured Il picket about a mile from the
fort and got from him the particulars
about the torpeIoes buried in the road
leading to the fort These were re-
moved. and IL brigade of troops moved
forward to within half Il mile Of the
work. The commander of the brigade
wished to dash ahead ut once, but Cen
eral HaZen decided to wait until por
tiOns of three brigades could be
brought into position. The reserves
and supports found difficulty in get
ting forward without drawing the enc
mys fire. and it was 5 o'clock before
the signal for attack could be given.
Luck favored Hazen's enterprise
from the very start. The discovery of
the torpedoes saved his line from
heavy casualties and possibly from
panic. for hidden foes are Il terror to
the bravest men. 1t happened also that
| L., off al, hn n,.,Sn hnI
added an abatis to the defenses on the
land side of the fort by telling large
trees and cutting the limbs, which
when sharpened formed Il hedge Of
wooden bayOnets in the pathway of
the aSsailants. But the attack came
before they had time to remove the
large trunks of the trees, and these
gave good cover to Hazens skirmish-
ers. enabling them to get close to the
fort and pick Off the Confederate gun
ners In this way the guns of the fort
were rendered useless.
While Sherman and Howard impa-
tiently watched the proceedings on Ha-
zen's line from their perch upon the
rice mill a tugboat from the fleet
sneaked along under shelter Of the
river bank to communicate with the
Federal commander. AS the sun was
going down Sherman signaled Hazen
to hurry the charge, and just then the
captain of the tug hailed Sherman to
ask If the fort had been taken. Sher-
man answered, Not yet, but it will be
In minute"
The gallant dash Of Hazen's men
quickly fulfilled Sherman's promise.
There was short, sharp struggle on
the parapet, and then detachments
from all sides poured into the fort. So
swiftly did the line move that no halt
was apparent either at the abatis. the
palisades or the ditch. The ground on
the outer edge of the ditch had been
planted with Confederate tOrpedoes.
and there the assalants lost heavily.
about 200 men killed and wounded.
This method Of defense, barbaric as 1t
seemed. is permissible by the usages OF
war. A further stroke Of luck favored
the attacking party at the right time.
The extreme TANKS Of the works ex-
tended to the water. and the palisade
had boan constructed with n view to