Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-05-24
CONTINUED from last week.

This artillery engagement to
which Colonel Sweeney refers was
very expensive to the rebels. Dur
ing the night they had placed one
sbattery in close range of our heavier
guns and we knew it would be des-
troyed in the morning; so we lis
tened to them with great compla-
lcency as they were getting it ready
for action. Poor fellows, just as
soon as it was light enough to see
our battery Robinette opened on
\ them and at the first discharge their
4 guns were put out of commission
I and all of those who served them
were either killed or wounded with
possibly one or two exceptions. At
the first opportunity few of us
boys went over to the place where
the battery had stood. The sight
was a sickening one, the dead artill-
erymen were piled on each other in
a heap as though they had been
purposely thrown together. Their
bodies were swollen to much beyond
( their natural size and their faces
had turned black. 1t was one of the
most gruesome sights ever beheld.
The impression 1t made on me re-
mains, an uncanny remembrance, to
this day. The Colonel goes on to
say: Il cautioned my men who
were lying on the ground, to re-
serve their fire until the enemy got
within point-blank range, and then
fire low and keep perfectly cool. 1t
was a terribly beautiful sight to see
the enemy's columns advance, in
despite of a perfect storm of grape
and canister, shell and rifle ball;
still on they marched and fired,
though their ranks were perceptibly
thinned at every step. The brigade
loaded and fired with the GOODNESS
and precision of veterans, when all
of a sudden the troops on the right
of the redan Ga brigade of Hamil-
tons division) gave way and broke.
The First Missouri Artillery in the
redan and the two pieces on the left
of the Fifty-second, limbered up and
galloped off in wild confusion
through our reserves, killing several
of our men and scattering the rest.
My line remained still unbroken,
pouring deadly volleys into the
enemy's ranks, who, taking advan-
tage of the panic on the right, NOV
ed their columns obliquely in that
direction and charged up the redan.
Unfortunately the officer in charge
of the Fifty-second Illinois, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Wilcox, instead of meet
ing the enemy boldly, ordered the
regiment to fall back without au-
thority, and before l could halt ii
the regiment broke. The Union
brigade gave way simultaneously
with the Fifty-second, but portions
of the Second and Seventh Iowa still
held their ground and kept the
enemy in check until the rest of my
brigade was rallied, when / ordered
the colors of the Second and Seventh
Iowa to fall back and form their
regiments on the side hill, out OF
range of the enemy's fire, which they
did almost Immediately. | now ord
cred the line to charge on the enemy
who had by this time gained the
crest of the hill on our front. With
a shout that was heard through ouI
whole lines the men of the first bri'
gade rushed upon the enemy. Those
who had given way a snort time be-
fore, being evidently ashamed OF the
momentary panic that had seized
them, seemed determined to wipe
out the stain upon their courage by
their reckless daring. The foe, re
luctant to abandon the advantage hi
had gained, fought stubbornly fol
awhile, but was finally compelled t.
give way, retreating in great confu