Page:Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteers, 1861-1865.djvu/53

 fire until they were almost upon us, the order was given, and with a yell the entire line poured its leaden hail into the gray clad columns of the chivalry, producing fearful slaughter, and following with a charge so impetuous that they were forced to retire from their secure position behind the fence, and here, for more than three hours and a half, our brave fellows, though outnumbered ten to one by the enemy and fighting against fate, kept them at bay and held the position. During this charge it is said that Allen Mason, of company C, Twenty-ninth regiment, captured the colors of the Seventh Louisiana Tigers, and Lieutenant Gregory and a part of company F made prisoners of twenty-five of the same regiment. At last the little handfull, who had so gallantly contended against such fearful odds, were forced to retire. The Twenty-ninth regiment moved to the rear, perhaps an eighth of a mile, and came to a halt, holding the rebel forces in check until the entire Union forces had passed to the rear. In the meantime the rebels had opened fire upon us with a battery at close range, which did fearful execution in our rapidly decimating ranks. When all our troops had passed, our regiment faced to the right and moved obliquely into the timber; the rebels in the meantime passed down the road and we were nearly surrounded, and now, for a distance of nearly two miles occurred a desperate struggle for freedom, The men fought with the desperation born of despair. Brave old Colonel Buckley (who before beginning the day's business addressed the regiment, saying: "Aim low, men, and at every shot let a traitor fall!") on foot, his own and one other horse having been disabled by a shot, rallied the men, and with sword in hand with them succeeded in cutting their way through the cordon of gray devils almost surrounding them, and escaped to