The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-01
RECITALS AND "REMINISCENCES.
Stories Emneny Worth Telling of Experiences and Adventures
in the Great National Struggle

ported by nobody But on and on the
boys went, while the rebel cannon and
rifles belched forth shell, grape and
canister by the million. until the adj
vance arrived within few yards of the
breastworks, some even leaping into
the ditch. The color-bearer of the 2Sth
Ill. fell, MORALLY wounded, our flag
falling. to the ground, which was then
and there grabbed up by Private John
Hollingsworth, of Co. H, and by him
borne aloft and carried forward clear
over the breastwOrks where he was
surrounded, taken prisoner, and our flag
lost But it is glory enough for me to
say that the flag of the 2Sth ILL., was
carried clear over the earthworks in
defiance of $4,000 men. But, unsup-
though braced with nerves of steel,
could go no farther. The remnant of
! the assaulting column, powerless to &C
complish more, withdrew from the aw
full field of carnage as best they could;
but bear in mind forever that we left
behind us upon that death-strewn field
of slaughter more than 81 per cent of
all who entered the charge.
Search we'll the annals of war
throughout all time, and few parallels
of the horrors of this charge can be
found. In the percentage of loss the
mighty charge of Pickett at Gettysburg
was nowhere
But why was Lauman unsupported?
Why this fearful blunder? These are
the points which all survivors of that
fearful struggle wish to know all about.
I'm as brief a way as possible l will
endeavor to tell you of the motive which
brought about this great disaster.
Soon after that slaughter was over
and the survivors had fallen back and
reformed in perfect order, Gen. Lau-
man was relieved from command of his
division, with which he had served most
Ill. I'll,
very hour, and sent back to Vicksburg
in disgrace by order Of Gen. E. o. c.
Ord, then commanding the Thirteenth
Corps. In his report to Gen. Sherman
relative to this, Gen. Ord says:
"Gen. Lauman had received special
instructions to take position with his
division On the extreme right, with his
line about 1900 yards from the enemy's
works, his skirmishers as near as they
could get, and under cover, his supports
| to skirmish about 800 yards in the rear
of them. The next morning,
without orders. and directly in violation
of the instructions as to the position he
was to take, he advanced upon the enc
my's works with Pugh's Brigade and
one regiment, about 1000 men in all,
battery and one small regiment fol-
lowing. The point of attack was not
selected by any reconnaissance or pre-
vious examination. / knew
nothing of this attack and disaster un-
til it was reported to me about one hour
afterward. Capt. Mccoy stated that
Gen. Lauman told him to say to Gen.
Ord, Il am cut all to pieces" / visited
his division Immediately. He reported
his total loss about 100. I found the
men scattered, except that part which
had not been with him, and when /
called on Gen. Lauman to take imme-
date steps to put the remnant of his
command under temporary cover. to
call the rolls and gather the stragglers,
found he did not know how TO do it;
and for fear that the enemy might fol-
low up their advantage. and the right
flank being too important to trust in
such hands. l relieved him and placed
his division under the command of
Brig. Gen. A. p. Hovey.'
CAS- an absolute matter Of fact the
above quoted report OF Gen Ord is I'M
true in nearly every respect, and did
the greatest injustice possible to Gen.
Lauman. Just what Gen. Ord means
by the phrase, his Gauman's) supports
to skirmish about 800 yards in the rear
of Them Is quite beyond the compre-
hension of any sober man.
"Then, Gen. Ord says: The next
morning. without orders, and directly
in violation of the instructions as to the
position he was to take, he advanced