The National tribune., 1907-04-25
UPTON'S CHARGE AT THE DEATH
ANGLE.
The Official Report of the Brilliant As
sauIt.

Editor National Tribune: Can YOU
tell me in the good old National Tribune
what regiments were in the charge on
May in the Wilderness. which Col.
Upton led? My regiment, the 12ist
n. Y, was one, but / never knew what
other regiments we're in the charge.
saw Col Upton go over the breastwarks
on his horse. 1 think he was the first
to go over.-Charles l. Haines. Ossining,
y. Y.
Col. Upton makes this report of the
formation of his column of attack:
THE lines vcre arranged from right
TO left as follows:
First line, 121st y. Y, 96th Pa,
5th Me.
Second line. 49th Pa. 9Th Me, 5th
Wis.
Third line. 4sd n. Y. nth y. Y,
18th Pa.
Fourth line, I'd VT. 18th Vt. 9Th VT.
NO commands We're given in getting
| into position. The pieces of the first
line were loaded and capped: bayonets
were fixed. The 12fst N y and 9eth
Pa. were instructed as soon as the
works were CARED 20 turn to the right
and charge the battery. The 5th Me.
was to change front to the left, and
open an eniilading fire upon the enemy
to the left. The second line was to halt
at the works and open fire to the front
If necessary. The third line was To lie
down behind the second and wait or
ders. The fourth line was to advance
| TO the edge of the wood, lie down and
await the issue of the charge. Col
Seaver. commanding it, was instructed
/ that he might have to form line oblidue-
| ~ to the left and open fire to cover the
left flank of the column. All the Off
GERS were instructed to repeat the COM
mand, Forward constantly from the
{ n m ~ 10 of hA
works We're carried. At 10 minutes be-
fore p. m. Capt Dalton brought me
the order to attack as soon as the col
umn was formed, and stated that the
artillery would cease firing at 6 .. m.
Twenty minutes elapsed before all the
preparations were completed, when. at
command, the lines rose. moved noise
lessly to the edge of the wood, and
| then, with wild cheer and faces avert
ed, rushed for the works Thru a ter
rible front and flank fire the column adj
vanced, quickly gaining the parapet
Here occurred a deadly hand-to- hand
conflict. The enemy sitting in their pits,
with pieces upright, loaded. and with
! bayonets fixed. ready to impale the first
| who should leap over, absolutely re-
fused to Yield the ground. The first of
! our men who tried to Surmount the
works fell pierced thru the head by
musket balls. Others. seeing the fate
OF their comrades, held their pieces at
arms length and fred downward, while
others, poising their pieces vertically
hurled them down upon their enemy,
| pinning them to the ground. Lieut..
Johnston. of the 121st y. Y, received
bayonet wound thru the thigh. Pri-
vate O'Donnell, seth Pa, was pinned to
the parapet, but was rescued b. his
comrades. a private of the 5th Me-,
having bayoneted a rebel. was fired at
by the Captain, who, missing his aim,
in turn shared the same fate. The
brave man fell by shot from the rebel
Lieutenant. The struggle lasted but a
few seconds. Numbers prevailed, and,
like resistless wave, the column pour
ed over the works, quickly putting hors
de combat those who resisted and send
ing to the rear those who surrendered
Pressing forward and expanding to the
right and left, the second line of in
trenchments. its line of battle, and the
battery fell into our hands. The col
umn of assault had accomplished its
task. The enemy's lines We're complete
~ broken. and an opening had been
made for the division which was to have
supported on our left, but it did not
arrive.'-Editor National Tribune.