Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 03.djvu/37

 About ten o'clock the enemy commenced charging with four or five lines. We did not fire until they were within forty yards, and then we gave them one volley; they wavered, and the first line gave way; the second came forward, and came within thirty yards of the fort. We yelled and fired—they stood a few seconds and then broke. The third retreated also, but the fourth and fifth came to the ditch around the fort. While this fighting was in the front, one line came in the rear and almost got inside the fort through the door. About twenty men charged them, and drove them back. About eleven o'clock they scaled the walls of the fort, and for several minutes we had a hand to hand fight. We used the bayonet, and killed almost all of them that came on the top.

About half-past eleven they attempted to scale the walls again. We met them with the bayonet, and for several minutes it was the most desperate struggle I ever witnessed; but it did not last long. Soon they were all killed or knocked back, and then a deafening shout arose from our boys. Near twelve, they tried to force their way through the door in rear of the fort, and succeeded in getting almost in, but we met them with the bayonet and drove them back. By this time the ammunition was almost out, and our men threw bats and rocks at them in the ditch. No ammunition could we get, and after a short struggle, they took the fort, and some few did fire on us after they got possession, but their officers tried to stop them.

I think there were twenty-five of Harris' Mississippi brigade, with a lieutenant-colonel: do not think there were any more. The lieutenant-colonel was wounded.

There were only two pieces of artillery, and I think they were six-pound rifle pieces, and they did not have more than twenty-five rounds of ammunition. Most of the men were wounded and killed while the enemy were charging. They fought bravely. I do not know whose battery it was.

There were about seventy-five or eighty men of our brigade, and five officers, namely: Lieutenants Snow, Craige and Howard, of the Thirty-third North Carolina regiment: Orman and myself, of the Thirty-seventh regiment. There were about twenty of Thomas' Georgia brigade, with Thomas' adjutant-general, or a captain acting as such, and two lieutenants.

I think there were in the fort, including all, about one hundred and fifty, or one hundred and seventy-five—men about seventy-five or eighty of our brigade, about twenty-five of Harris' and about