Connecticut western news., 1912-01-18
FIGHTING AT FORT FISHER
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from both sides were whistling in every direction.
 You will remember that the Johnnies called out to ns.
 Now Tank, no April fooling." We were soon in position, waiting for a signal gun to be fired from Fort Fisher. i We were then to "go in" and we lay there under a galhng fire eagerly wait ing to be let loose for we knew that 1t could not be much worse. Col. Skin- ner had command of our right wing, Major Jones of the left and Col. Hub bard in command of the brigade. No better trio of officers ever led body of troops up to the enemy's works than they.
 When the signal was fired, up and in you go with yell. This over part of the same ground that we fought five days before. The guns were pretty we'll trained ou us. You will lemem Der that ball struck Lieutenant Colonel Skinner in the right side and followed rib sew eral inches and then out and on and for aught he knew some other oomrade may have fiuished up on it. You reached the outer abatis, which consisted of sharpened stakes set in tho ground, tight and leaning towards us at an angle of about 50 degrees. But It did not take you long to go through them, and then another obstruction of fallen tree tops, but through this you went and into the ditch of the rebel fort. Hand grenades were thrown among us, but to no pur. pose provision for scaling the parapets were made by comrades sticking the bayonets into the band and holding the other end and so on, each gun foot to the right or left, thus forming steps over which the boys clambered to the top and rebeldom "took to the woods" in great haste. Then it was that your spirits were raised "a mile" and the Johnnies spirits were correspondingly low. You piled over and into their works and as they practically vacated you began ''soldier like" to pillage their winter quarters.
 saw one comrade open a door intoja hut. when, bang lone occupant blazed away at the intruder, ball tracing gash around the comrades cheek, but the au dacious rebel never lived to tell the Uale. The rebels ill their haste had left hundreds of muskets behind, and you will remember the enthusiastic boy that started in to smash up those muskets that had been peddlipg lead into us, for sometime. lie grasped a musket by the muzz'e end and struck it on a rock and 1t retaliated by sending bullet through the boys leg and passed back and took off half of the chin of another. This quieted the boys ardor.
 The rebel line being broken, the main part of the division turned to the left and followed the fleeing Johnnies. while the rest of us remained holding the right. The rebels had left the line, guns and all.
 Our boys are watching the maneuvers of the enemy whom we plainly see are
 
 teries, they are loading their guns, Puff btng !" and here comes a shell into our midst. You cover as best you can. Puff bang !" another and another, we have no artillery to meet them with. You give them the best you have, bullets.
 You remember that General Grant and a score of lesser lights are close by us taking in the situation. You turn your eyes toward Fort Fisher, see that long trailing line of blue coming to our assistance. This draws the rebel artillery fire from us and at the 24th Corps which marched against the artillery fire. Oh, great day this All drunk with en- thusiasm. The 24th Corps marches in and as they pass us they face to the right and in regimental front march straight on to the rebel works 1t was a grand sight for you to see those regi- ments march so unbrolzen, and see the rebel batteries and musketry pour into the ranks of blue. You could see every move. you could see our boys as they were hit drop, ranks close up and steadily face the carnage right up to the very guns of the Johnnies.
 They run you see them going, going, You had to yell. Cheers can't half ex- press our feelings. Still, while this jub. ilation is going on, our boys are rapidly thinning and such must be the case all its all over. We all see the end ap. preaching but many will never see it. We have lost many since morning. Our wounded included Colonel Skinner and scores of others and before we sleep many more will go. but great events are com ing fast and thick. You are charged up to high key for what may come and in my next you will see that this has been
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