The National tribune., 1907-10-24
Stories Emnenty Worth Telling Of Experiences and Adventures
In the Great National Struggle.

rebel left. they He'd in great confusion,
leaving three pieces of artillery in the
hands of the Second Division. On this
day the Board of Trade Battery with
part of the Second Division. marched
i9 miles, at one time passing at Il gal
lop thru a strip of woods whore the
underbrush had been fired. Fortunately
| no accident occurred.
The Capture OF Selma.
April the Second Division arrived
/ before Selma at 3 p m. on the south
west side of the city. The Fourth Di-
vision arrived shortly after on the left
of the Second Division, and on the
main Selma road. While the commands
were forming The rebels kept up Il con-
slant rapid firing of their artillery. and
altho accurate the damage was but
slight. Gen. Wilson gave orders that
as soon as Gen. Upton was in position
he was TO fire signal gun for both di
visions to charge the rebel works Dur
ing this time force of the rebels were
forming in the rear and on the right of
the Second Division. Gen. Long had
posted several companies of his com
mand to look after these rebel forces
and protect our rears but as he feared
these rebel forces might disturb the
division and as the time was getting
late, now 5 p. M. Gen. Long decided
not to wait for Upton's Division, and
IoitSiSu the oeCt!iu IIlNfSlbU ~ tfidf &c
the rebel works. and in less than -
minutes after the order to charge was
given the works were taken
That you may understand the aif-
Guilty and realize the splendid ACHE, ,e-
rent of the Second Division in taking
these works. will describe briefly what
was to be contended with. The rebel
works consisted of a heavy line of
earthworks. eight or II feet in hight,
Is feet in thickness at the base, with a
ditch in front partly filled by water.
four feet in width and five in depth. and
in front of this Stockade was a picket
of heavy posts planted firmly in the
ground, five feet high and sharpened at
the top. Four heavy forts with artil-
lery in position also covered the ground
over which the men advanced. The
ground was rough. ana Il deep ravine
had to be passed before the works could
be reached. But no man fiinched, and
all seemed confident of their ability to
overcome them. AS soon as our men
uncovered the Hill where they had
formed, about 500 yards from the
earthworlls, the enemy opened rapid
and destructive fire of musketry and
artillery on our line, which was replied
to by the Board of TTadcGEatterys four
guns as rapidly as they could be loaded
and fired. And l can assure you the
battery boys realized that ii was neces
sary for them 10 do their best and most
rapid firing to enable our cavalrymen
to take the works. Our cavalry moved
forward steadily until within short
range, when a rapid fire was opened
with their Spencers, and with cheer
the men started for the works on run.
sweeping forward in a solid line over
fences and ravines, scaling the stock
ade and on to the works with resistiess
force, the enemy stubbornly fighting,
ma of al, tf,I hair hut
forced to retreat in the greatest disor-
der. Our men continued the pursuit
into the city. AS soon as the outer works
were taken the Board of Trade Battery
advanced on a gallop TO move thru the
opening in the outer works and form
in line with the cavalry, and it very
materially assisted in driving the rebels
from their inner works and thru the
city. .,...t--
The carrying of these works and the
town resulted in the capture of over
1000 prisoners, but owing to lack of
numbers 10 guard the prisoners, and
as this division was anxious to capture
the commanding General, the Second
Division pushed forward thru the city
to the river, upon the heels of the reb
els who had not surrendered. Owing
to the darkness their commanding OFF,
Ger and large number of the command
escaped across the river. When the
Provost Marshals and their guards
came up darkness mad come on, and
large numbers of the prisoners escaped,
so that the Provost Marshars guards
gathered in about 900 in addition to
the 500 which this division was able to
hold.
According to Gen. Forests own
statement his command greatly out
numb bered the charging force, which
consisted of 1850 men and officers.
The division captured no less than 20
pieces of artillery in position. including
one 3G-pounder Parrot. During this
charge Gen. Long was injured, and the
command of the division devolved upon
Coz. Minty. The action of the Chicago
Board of Trade Battery moving into the
line of forts and charging the second
line of rebels with a line of dismountei
men is something not otherwise men
toned in the records of the civil war.
AS soon as Gen. Wilson learned that