The Washington herald., 1914-05-10

to the edge OF the wood, ana
then. with wild cheer and faces averted,
rushed for the works. Through q terri9le
front and hank fire the column advanced
and quickly gained 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. resolutely refused to yield the
ground.
"The first Of our men who tried to sur
mount the works fell. pierced through
the head by musket balls. Others, seeing
the fate Of their comrades, held their
pieces at arms length and fred down.
ward. while others. posing their pieces
vertically. hurled them down on the enc
my, pinning them to the ground.
Private O'Donnell, Ninety-sixth Pennsyl-
vania Volunteers, was pinned to the par
apet, but was rescued by his comrades.
The struggle lasted but q few sec
onds; numbers prevailed and. like q re-
sistless wave, the column poured over
the works, quickly putting hors de
combat those who resisted and sending
to the rear those who surrendered.
Pressing forward and expanding to
right and left. the second line of en-
trenchments, its line Of battle, and the
battery fell into our hands.
The column Of assault had accom-
plished its task. The enemy's line.
were completely broken and an open
ing had been made for the division
which was to have supported our left;
but 1t did not arrive"
SUPPORT Did Not Come.
There is little evidence in the Official
records of the cause of Gen. Motifs FAIL
ure. His division was formed. how
ever, in open country and in view OF
the enemy. Its regiments had no OPP
portunity Of springing from cover as
had those under Upton. and II appears
that they were unable to acquire the
initial momentum to carry them across
the plain to the works.
Gen. Mott made no report on the &C
ton. nor did any of his officers except
Col. Robert McAlllster. Eleventh New
Jersey. an officer of courage and ex-
nerience, who commanded a brigade.
This officer stated that his brigade was
in the front line and that after reach
! ing the open field it met an enniadlns
| fire from the enemy's battery, "nlch
caused the men TO fall back IN eonIus,on
The two brigadiers in the division then
held a consultation and concluded that
there was nothing left but to fall back,
which We did 49,,
Finding that his re-enforeements did
not come, Col. Upton attempted to hold
the works, and rode back over the neld
to bring up the Vermont brigade. he
writes that he found that they had
already mingled in the contest and were
| fighting with a heroism which has ever
characterized that elite brigade"
The Sixty-fifth New York also had
marched calamity to the support OF us
comrades and was fighting stuooorniy
on the left Night had arrived. our
position was three-quarters or mile III
| advance OF the army. and. without pros
pect of support, was untenable. Meeting
Gen Russell at the edge Of the wood, he
gave me the order TO withdraw. 1 wrote
the order and sent 1t along the line
in accordance with which. under
cover Of darkness, the works were evacu-
ated; the regiments returned TO their
former camps. Our loss In this assault
was about !, 900 killed. wounded. and miss
ing. We captured between 1000 and LID
prisoners and several stands OF colors
During the assault Gen. Grant was a
short distance to the rear OF warren
Corps. attempting to get his forces into
position for a general attac ok upon Lees
lines As he sat on a log writing orders
a shell burst over his head. Grant KEEP
on writing The Fifth Wisconsin Regi'
ment was marching past him at the time
and one of his men remarked audibly
Ulysses don't scare for d"
Before leaving Washington Grant had
been given authority to promote Officers
in the field. He conferred the rank Of
brigadier general upon Col. Upton or
the spot. this being the first time thai
such an honor had been conferred.
The days fighting was at its heaviest
while Upton was in the Confederate
works Gen. Hancock and Gen. WaErer
led their corps forward upon other and
mistaken parts of the Confederate line
and although their men fought desper
ately to advance their colors upon Lee
works, they were compelled to relinquisf
the attempt at nightfall.
Gen. Burnside also advanced and gained
an important point on the extreme Con
federate right. turning Lees right flank
He was not aware. however. of the ad
vantage he had gained. and II was no
pressed. In the night Grant recalled
Burnside to a position nearer the othel
forces
In the days operations the Fedora
losses had been probably 5000 men ant
two of their generals had been killed
These were Gen Thomas G. Stevenson
commanding a division of Massachusetts
troops in the Ninth Corps, and Brig Gen
James c. Rice, who commanded brigad
of New York troops in the Fifth Corps
After his leg had been amputated. Gen
Rice was asked by the surgeon which
way he desired to be turned. tnat m
might rest more easily. He replied:
Turn me with nv face TO the enemy.
These words were his last.
Grant was not dismayed by his failur
to crush or drive Lee. On the night o
NAV 10, the seventh day Of his overland
campaign and the sixth Of battle, hi
purpose as to his future course was a
clear and firm as II had ever been. 1t
expressed in a letter. now famous, whic
he dispatched next morning to the au
thorities in Washington:
I'VE have now ended the sixth day o
very hard lighting his message rar
THE result up to this time is much Il
our favor. But our losses have bee
heavy, as well as those of the enemy
We have lost to this time eleven genera
officers killed. wounded, and missing. IN
: probably 200o0 men. 1 think the loss
the enemy must be greater-we havin
taken over 1000 prisoners in battle. Will
he has taken from us but few except
few stragglers. 1 am now sending bac
to Belle Plain all my wagons for Tres
, supply of provisions and ammunition
and purpose to fight 1t out on this lin
, IL il takes all summer"