The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored RaceBrown, William Wells
History
The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored Race
Brown, William Wells
African Americans -- Biography; African Americans -- History; Black race; Slavery -- United States
The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, heroes of all the hard fights that
occurred in the department, were too much scattered in this battle to
do full justice to themselves. Only two companies went into the fight
at first, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hooper. They were posted on the
left. Subsequently they were joined by four more companies, who were
left on duty in the rear.
Many scenes transpired in this battle which would furnish rich material
for the artist. In the midst of the engagement, a shell exploded
amongst the color-guard, severely wounding the color-sergeant, Ring,
who was afterwards killed by a bullet. Private Fitzgerald, of Company
D., Massachusetts Fifty-fifth, was badly wounded in the side and leg,
but remained at his post. Major Nutt, seeing his condition, ordered
him to the rear. The man obeyed; but soon the major saw that he had
returned, when he spoke sharply, “Go to the rear, and have your wounds
dressed.” The man again obeyed the order; but in a few minutes more
was seen by the major, with a handkerchief bound around the leg, and
loading and firing. The major said to our informant, “I thought I would
let him stay.”
Like the Fifty-fourth at Olustee, the Fifty-fifth was the last regiment
to leave the field, and cover the retreat at Honey Hill.
It is only simple justice to the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Regiment,
to say that at Honey Hill it occupied the most perilous position
throughout nearly the entire battle.
Three times did these heroic men march up the hill nearly to the
batteries, and as many times were swept back by the fearful storm of
grape-shot and shell; more than one hundred being cut down in less than
half an hour. Great was its loss; and yet it remained in the gap, while
our outnumbered army was struggling with the foe on his own soil, and
in the stronghold chosen by himself.
What the valiant Fifty-fourth Massachusetts had been at the battle of
Olustee, the Fifty-fifth was at Honey Hill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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