hero tales from american history-第18部分

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y　record；　feats　of　daring　performed　by　color…bearers　are　honorably　common。　The　Civil　War　was　full　of　such　incidents。　Out　of　very　many　two　or　three　may　be　mentioned　as　noteworthy。

One　occurred　at　Fredericksburg　on　the　day　when　half　the　brigades　of　Meagher　and　Caldwell　lay　on　the　bloody　slope　leading　up　to　the　Confederate　entrenchments。　Among　the　assaulting　regiments　was　the　5th　New　Hampshire；　and　it　lost　one　hundred　and　eighty…six　out　of　three　hundred　men　who　made　the　charge。　The　survivors　fell　sullenly　back　behind　a　fence；　within　easy　range　of　the　Confederate　rifle…pits。　Just　before　reaching　it　the　last　of　the　color　guard　was　shot；　and　the　flag　fell　in　the　open。　A　Captain　Perry　instantly　ran　out　to　rescue　it；　and　as　he　reached　it　was　shot　through　the　heart；　another；　Captain　Murray；　made　the　same　attempt　and　was　also　killed；　and　so　was　a　third；　Moore。　Several　private　soldiers　met　a　like　fate。　They　were　all　killed　close　to　the　flag；　and　their　dead　bodies　fell　across　one　another。　Taking　advantage　of　this　breastwork；　Lieutenant　Nettleton　crawled　from　behind　the　fence　to　the　colors；　seized　them；　and　bore　back　the　bloodwon　trophy。

Another　took　place　at　Gaines'　Mill；　where　Gregg's　1st　South　Carolina　formed　part　of　the　attacking　force。　The　resistance　was　desperate；　and　the　fury　of　the　assault　unsurpassed。　At　one　point　it　fell　to　the　lot　of　this　regiment　to　bear　the　brunt　of　carrying　a　certain　strong　position。　Moving　forward　at　a　run；　the　South　Carolinians　were　swept　by　a　fierce　and　searching　fire。　Young　James　Taylor；　a　lad　of　sixteen；　was　carrying　the　flag；　and　was　killed　after　being　shot　down　three　times；　twice　rising　and　struggling　onward　with　the　colors。　The　third　time　he　fell　the　flag　was　seized　by　George　Cotchet；　and　when　he；　in　turn；　fell；　by　Shubrick　Hayne。　Hayne　was　also　struck　down　almost　immediately；　and　the　fourth　lad；　for　none　of　them　were　over　twenty　years　old；　grasped　the　colors；　and　fell　mortally　wounded　across　the　body　of　his　friend。　The　fifth；　Gadsden　Holmes；　was　pierced　with　no　less　than　seven　balls。　The　sixth　man；　Dominick　Spellman；　more　fortunate；　but　not　less　brave；　bore　the　flag　throughout　the　rest　of　the　battle。

Yet　another　occurred　at　Antietam。　The　7th　Maine；　then　under　the　command　of　Major　T。　W。　Hyde；　was　one　of　the　hundreds　of　regiments　that　on　many　hard…fought　fields　established　a　reputation　for　dash　and　unyielding　endurance。　Toward　the　early　part　of　the　day　at　Antietam　it　merely　took　its　share　in　the　charging　and　long…range　firing；　together　with　the　New　York　and　Vermont　regiments　which　were　its　immediate　neighbors　in　the　line。　The　fighting　was　very　heavy。　In　one　of　the　charges；　the　Maine　men　passed　over　what　had　been　a　Confederate　regiment。　The　gray…clad　soldiers　were　lying；　both　ranks；　privates　and　officers；　as　they　fell；　for　so　many　had　been　killed　or　disabled　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　whole　regiment　was　prone　in　death。

Much　of　the　time　the　Maine　men　lay　on　the　battle…field；　hugging　the　ground；　under　a　heavy　artillery　fire；　but　beyond　the　reach　of　ordinary　musketry。　One　of　the　privates；　named　Knox；　was　a　wonderful　shot；　and　had　received　permission　to　use　his　own　special　rifle；　a　weapon　accurately　sighted　for　very　long　range。　While　the　regiment　thus　lay　under　the　storm　of　shot　and　shell；　he　asked　leave　to　go　to　the　front；　and　for　an　hour　afterward　his　companions　heard　his　rifle　crack　every　few　minutes。　Major　Hyde　finally；　from　curiosity；　crept　forward　to　see　what　he　was　doing；　and　found　that　he　had　driven　every　man　away　from　one　section　of　a　Confederate　battery；　tumbling　over　gunner　after　gunner　as　they　came　forward　to　fire。　One　of　his　victims　was　a　general　officer；　whose　horse　he　killed。　At　the　end　of　an　hour　or　so；　a　piece　of　shell　took　off　the　breech　of　his　pet　rifle；　and　he　returned　disconsolate；　but　after　a　few　minutes　he　gathered　three　rifles　that　were　left　by　wounded　men；　and　went　back　again　to　his　work。

At　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　regiment　was　suddenly　called　upon　to　undertake　a　hopeless　charge；　owing　to　the　blunder　of　the　brigade　commander；　who　was　a　gallant　veteran　of　the　Mexican　war；　but　who　was　also　given　to　drink。　Opposite　the　Union　lines　at　this　point　were　some　haystacks；　near　a　group　of　farm　buildings。　They　were　right　in　the　center　of　the　Confederate　position；　and　sharpshooters　stationed　among　them　were　picking　off　the　Union　gunners。　The　brigadier；　thinking　that　they　were　held　by　but　a　few　skirmishers；　rode　to　where　the　7th　Maine　was　lying　on　the　ground；　and　said：　〃Major　Hyde；　take　your　regiment　and　drive　the　enemy　from　those　trees　and　buildings。〃　Hyde　saluted；　and　said　that　he　had　seen　a　large　force　of　rebels　go　in　among　the　buildings；　probably　two　brigades　in　all。　The　brigadier　answered；　〃Are　you　afraid　to　go；　sir？〃　and　repeated　the　order　emphatically。　〃Give　the　order；　so　the　regiment　can　hear　it；　and　we　are　ready；　sir；〃　said　Hyde。　This　was　done；　and　〃Attention〃　brought　every　man　to　his　feet。　With　the　regiment　were　two　young　boys　who　carried　the　marking　guidons；　and　Hyde　ordered　these　to　the　rear。　They　pretended　to　go；　but　as　soon　as　the　regiment　charged　came　along　with　it。　One　of　them　lost　his　arm；　and　the　other　was　killed　on　the　field。　The　colors　were　carried　by　the　color　corporal；　Harry　Campbell。

Hyde　gave　the　orders　to　left　face　and　forward　and　the　Maine　men　marched　out　in　front　of　a　Vermont　regiment　which　lay　beside　them；　then；　facing　to　the　front；　they　crossed　a　sunken　road；　which　was　so　filled　with　dead　and　wounded　Confederates　that　Hyde's　horse　had　to　step　on　them　to　get　over。

Once　across；　they　stopped　for　a　moment　in　the　trampled　corn　to　straighten　the　line；　and　then　charged　toward　the　right　of　the　barns。　On　they　went　at　the　double…quick；　fifteen　skirmishers　ahead　under　Lieutenant　Butler；　Major　Hyde　on　the　right　on　his　Virginia　thoroughbred；　and　Adjutant　Haskell　to　the　left　on　a　big　white　horse。　The　latter　was　shot　down　at　once；　as　was　his　horse；　and　Hyde　rode　round　in　front　of　the　regiment　just　in　time　to　see　a　long　line　of　men　in　gray　rise　from　behind　the　stone　wall　of　the　Hagerstown　pike；　which　was　to　their　right；　and　pour　in　a　volley；　but　it　mostly　went　too　high。　He　then　ordered　his　men　to　left　oblique。

Just　as　they　were　abreast　a　hill　to　the　right　of　the　barns；　Hyde；　being　some　twenty　feet　ahead；　looked　over　its　top　and　saw　several　regiments　of　Confederates；　jammed　close　together　and　waiting　at　the　ready；　so　he　gave　the　order　left　flank；　and；　still　at　the　double　quick；　took　his　column　past　the　barns　and　buildings　toward　an　orchard　on　the　hither　side；　hoping　that　he　could　get　them　back　before　they　were　cut　off；　for　they　were　faced　by　ten　times　their　number。　By　going　through　the　orchard　he　expected　to　be　able　to　take　advantage　of　a　hollow；　and　partially　escape　the　destructive　flank　fire　on　his　return。

To　hope　to　keep　the　barns　from　which　they　had　driven　the　sharpshooters　was　vain；　for　the　single　Maine　regiment　found　itself　opposed　to　portions　of　no　less　than　four　Confederate　brigades；　at　least　a　dozen　regiments　all　told。　When　the　men　got　to　the　orchard　fence；　Sergeant　Benson　wrenched　apart　the　tall　pickets　to　let　through　Hyde's　horse。　While　he　was　doing　this；　a　shot　struck　his　haversack；　and　the　men　all　laughed　at　the　sight　of　the　flying　hardtack。

Going　into　the　orchard　there　was　a　rise　of　ground；　and　the　Confederates　fired　several　volleys　at　the　Maine　men；　and　then　charged　them。　Hyde's　horse　was　twice　wounded；　but　was　still　able　to　go　on。

No　sooner　were　the　men　in　blue　beyond　the　fence　than　they　got　into　line　and　met　the　Confederates；　as　they　came　crowding　behind；　with　a　slaughtering　fire；　and　then　charged；　driving　them　back。　The　color　corporal　was　still　carrying　the　colors；　though　one　of　his　arms　had　been　broken；　but　when　half　way　through　the　orchard；　Hyde　heard　him　call　out　as　he　fell；　and　turned　back　to　save　the　colors；　if　possible。

The　apple…trees　were　short　and　thick；　and　he　could　not　see　much；　and　the　Confederates　speedily　got　between　him　and　his　men。　Immediately；　with　the　cry　of　〃Rally；　boys；　to　save　the　Major；〃　back　surged　the　regiment；　and　a　volley　at　arm's　length　again　destroyed　all　the　foremost　of　their　pursuers；　so　they　rescued　both　their　commander　and　the　flag；　which　was　carried　off　by　Corporal　Ring。

Hyde　then　formed　the　regiment　on　the　colors；　sixty…eight　men　all　told；　out　of　two　hundred　and　forty　who　had　begun　the　charge；　and　they　slowly　marched　back　toward　their　place　in　the　Union　line；　while　the　New　Yorkers　and　Vermonters　rose　from　the　ground　cheering　and　waving　their　hats。　Next　day；　when　the　Confederates　had　retired　a　little　from　the　field；　the　color　corporal；　Campbell；　was　found　in　the　orchard；　dead；　propped　up　against　a　tree；　with　his　half…smoked　pipe　beside　him。



THE　DEATH　OF　STONEWALL　JACKSON

Like　a　servant　of　the　Lord；　with　his　bible　and　his　sword；　　　Our　general　rode　along　us；　to　form　us　for　the　fight。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Macaulay。


THE　DEATH　OF　STONEWALL　JACKSON

The　Civil　War　has　left；　as　all　wars　of　brother　against　brother　must　leave；　terrible　and　heartrending　memories；　but　there　remains　as　an　offset　the　glory　which　has　accrued　to　the　nation　by　the　countless　deeds　of　heroism　performed　by　both　sides　in　the　struggle。　The　captains　and　the　armies　that；　after　long　years　of　dreary　campaigning　and　bloody；　stubborn　fighting；　brought　the　war　to　a　close；　have　left　us　more　than　a　reunited　realm。　North　and　South；　all　Americans；　now　have　a　common　fund　of　glorious　memories。　We　are　the　richer　for　each　grim　campaign；　for　each　hard…fought　battle。　We　are　the　richer　for　valor　displayed　alike　by　those　who　fought　so　valiantly　for　the　right；　and　by　those　who；　no　less　valiantly；　fought　for　what　they　deemed　the　right。　We　have　in　us　nobler　capacities　for　what　is　great　and　good　because　of　the　infinite　woe　and　suffering；　and　because　of　the　splendid　ultimate　triumph。　We　hold　that　it　was　vital　to　the　welfare；　not　only　of　our　people　on　this　continent；　but　of　the　whole　human　race；　that　the　Union　should　be　preserved　and　slavery　abolished；　that　one　flag　should　fly　from　the　Great　Lakes　to　the　Rio　Grande；　that　we　should　all　be　free　in　fact　as　well　as　in　name；　and　that　the　United　States　should　stand　as　one　nationthe　greatest　nation　on　the　earth。　But　we　recognize　gladly　that；　South　as　well　as　North；　when　the　fight　was　once　on；