Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

THE LIFE OF OUR SISTER 285
garrison was deep and so long as to include nearly the whole
of the regiment. When it had advanced about 200 yards it
had come to the principal line of Confederate rifle-pits, still
to some extent unoccupied. The 83d here paused a few
moments for the right to get up out of the ravine; the Confederate
sharpshooters' guns were taken from those who
surrendered, and broken. The colors of the 83d moved on,
the line still advancing as fast as the nature of the ground
and the obstacles of brush and logs would admit. It soon began
to descend the ravine 200 yards from the main works, and
for two or three long minutes was lost sight of. It was passing
the ravine, through which ran a rivulet and m the bottom of
which was a jungle of slashings almost defying the passage of
persons even at a time of leisure and unencumbered with
weapons. Then it began to ascend the high ground in front
of the redoubt, where were some detached rifle-pits. A few
steps farther and it was up to another line of abatis, breast
high, apparently impassable, and fifty yards from the works.
Before this the foremost of the 83d stooped down to avoid the
destructive fire which was being poured upon them, to take
breath, and to wait till the wings could close up. Fifteen
yards inside the line of abatis just before them was another
line, not readily seen at a distance, consisting of stakes firmly
driven into the ground close together and sharpened at the end.
Then thirty-five yards from that were the ditch and the high
parapet of the redoubt. It was about twenty minutes from
the time the 83d began the charge till it was in possession of
the works; but some contest was kept up for a few minutes in
the rear of the redoubt after the first had entered. Two vol-
leys were fired inside the works, in the edge of the woods, five
minutes after the 83d was inside.'
"I will now tell of my own part in this fight. When we
were ordered forward to charge the fort we made a rush for it
with the greatest enthusiasm. The old soldier knows that the
sooner he closes with his enemy the better. We fought our
way through all the obstructions until we came to the last
abatis of sharpened sticks placed in the ground pointing toward
us at a sharp angle and about waist high. They had