Wallace's Zouaves

LCopyrlght, 1893, by American Press Assoclation. ook rlghts reserved.] AME PARTINGTON told the u b i q u i tous boy Isaac, who yearned for a coat of arma or something like that, when PartiBgton pere got promoted to a corporalship in the militia, that hls ambition was just a littlo ahead of time. "Thereisnobody corporal but your father and I," said she, with becomina; hauteur. With but one corporal's warrant in the family, some one must necessarily consent to be "only a private." The regiments of an army cannot all figure in history as "crack" commands. There must be some room for distinction. A canonization of certain Union regiments In the civil war that has become noted is the work of Colonel William Fox, a statistical compiler who made it a labor of love to siit the state and natlonal records and get the figures of losses in battle. His task was well performed, but the result is not perfect and not official. A select 800 com mands which lost a certain aggregate or percentage in killed he crowns as "Three Hundred Fighting "Keglments," which is much like saying that the hardest hit must be the hardest bitters. It does not follow. In reviowing tho romance of our zonaves recently I chanced upon a couple of incidents in the career of General Lew Wallace's Indiana "zoo-zoos" that prove how flghtlng may be most desperate and the losses figure up very one sided. Old soldiers have not forgotten the zouave craze that struck the citizen military in the "fifties;" gay barbarie uniforms; exciting, savage drill. A zouave took the field supposing himself a knight charged with maintaining his country's weal in single handed cora bat. Colonel Ellsworth and his imitators were more magical recruiting asents than were I the most gifted spellbinders whose silvery tongues echoed through the land Lincoln's cali to arras. Indiana' flrst response was Wallace's zouaves that were equipped for the field within two weeks after Sumter feil. They were all stalwart young men from Indianapolis and the neighboring towns. Wallace had trained them in the tactics of Napoleon's Algerian blacks. They started for the seat of war on May 8, quickened in ardor by the smiles of the fair ones of Indianapolis and Terre Haute, who invaded their parade ground to present two stands of colore. Colonel Wallace told the boys how the state had been libeled by malicious reports, circulated through Jefferson Davis, to the effect that Indiana troops ran away at Buena Vista. He had been in Mexico and gave his word that the report was false, and the Indianians had no cause to blush for the conduct of their fellows. "And now," said he, "will you take 'Remember Buena Vista' as tout battlecry?" A hearty "Aye! ayel" was the answer. "Then down on your knees and swear that you will remeraber Buena Vista and never desert your colore." A thousand knees bent as one, a thousaud palins were uplifted, and a thousand pairs of lips, innocent of the rude breathings of war's bloody trade, murmured the terrible oath. And it was no idle flummery, as it turned out. The regiment was numbered tho Eleventh and was sent to western Virginia with the Indiana brigade. It was soon detached and stationed at Cumberland, Md., the outpostof the army in western Virginia. The Confedérate were on the Potomac below and in strong forcé at Ilarper's Ferry, but 60 miles distant; also at Romney, 44 miles south on the Virginia sido. Surprise was possible nt any moment, and in order to have a little more elbow room, Colonel Wallace marched 500 zouaves across the mountain to Romney. The town site is on the Potomac bluffs overlooking the bridge from the west. A battery commanded the road from the bridge, One company of zouaves led off as skirmishers and drew the Ure of riflemen posted in the houses. Another led by Colonel Wallace stole through a ravino and flanked the outposts, while the others deployed and swept the field at a run. The boys were only doing their fancy drill in earnest, and it was tho very thing for the purpose- a sudden, bold attack. Romney was abandoned nnd Harper's Ferry rendered untenable. The country southwest of Cumberland was still the enemy's territory, and the zouaves kept up a vigilant scout in the mountain's defiles. Rumor had It that the clans were gathering to attack Wallace at Cumberland, and that Frankfort, 20 miles south, was a rendezvous for the menacing forces. The scouts to the number of 13 were put on fleet horses and sent to flnd out what was going on at Frankfort. Their deeds deserve a naming. Corporal D. B. Hayes was the leader, and the others, E. Baker, E. Burkett, J. Hallenbeck, T. Grover, J. Hollowell, T. Brazier, G. Mulbarger, L. Farley, F. Harrison, H. Dunlap, R. M. Dunlap and E. P. Thomas. They rode towithin aquarterof a mile of the place and saw the streets fllled with cavalry and infantry. Like good soldiers they knew their duty was done, and llke sensible mea saw the folly of running ainuck against an army. They turned toward home by a new roal so as to cover the territory thoioughly. At a wayslde cabin they learned that 41 mcmnted Coniederates had just passed along toward CumlK-rland. Corporal Hayes put the questton to vote whether to light or look tot another road. Every man said "Fight!" Thcy.trotted cautiously on uiitil they came to n bend and heaid theenemy's armor rattling just beyond. Then they put spurs aud flew into the rerfr of the startled column, firiug as they galloped on. It chanced to bc on the crest of a gulle?, and WÊÊÊÊÊÊèk ' ' U4ÖKfc:.4 norse and man were bom down In the' 3hock, zouave and Texan trooper grappling is they rolled. Corporal Hayes killed two men, but was shot three time3 and slashed with a saber in the melee. Farley closed n-ith one of Hayes' assailants and was borne to the ground, when Harrlson shot the Texan. The Confedérate flnallv beat ft retreat across country, leaving 8 dead comrades and 17 horses behind them. Hayes was propped up on his horsé and piloted toward camp. One of the Dunlap9 went in Bearch of a wagon to carry the wounded comrade should he falnt on the way, and so 11 sound men were left for neiv adventures. Before they reached the Potomac a mounted band of abont 75 Texans rode on them from the teta. Foratlme the zonaves retired, Pighting Indian fushion, and though they dropped some of their enemies met with no loss themselves. Finding the odds too Kreat they abandoned thelr horses and waded to Kelley's island, at tlie mouth of a creek emptyin into the Potomac below Cumberland. There the 11 braced themeelves for a flght for life. They had no flag to desert, and Blirreoder woulil have been honorable, but their oatli - "Remember liuena Vista" - was too warm on their lips to be slighted even in that secluded dell, with, no eye to mark eithor their heroism or cowardice. Several Confedérate! were shot down as they waded out to the attack, but finally the boldest reached the shore. Then hand to hand, foot by foot and inch by inch, the struggle went on. Hallenbeck feil mortally wounded and died in the enemy's hands, the first Indiana soldier killed in battle Thomas was knocked down by a grazing shot, and instantly a Texan had him by the throat, with a bowie raised to strike, "I hate to kill you," said he, hesitating, "but I must." The words were cut short by a bullet from Grover's pistol. The Confederates on land were fairly wiped out. Farley killed six and Grover three. But there were more to wade out and take their places, and twilight settling down, the zouavee, bruised, cut and battered, waded to their own shores and nassed the ulght unmolested. The Confederates buried 23 dead at the creek, including three officers, and eight at the scène of the skirmish. Hallenbeok wn tho only zouave killed. It was the rashness of novices that led to that enormous risk, but as to the matter of flghting, not many times did 13 men on a lonely scout make a botter showing. The regimont as a body had no chance to "reme.ni: .f Buona Vista" until it was transferral to t he, west and Joined In the assault at Fort Donelson. Lew Wallace was then ageueral commanding theThlrd división. The zouaves were in General C. F. Smith's Secoiul división. Wallace volanteercd to recapture the Charlotte road, from which Pillow'a Coufederatea had driven General McClernand"s First división, in bopes of cuttlng their way out to Nuníi villa The loss of the Charlotte road imperiled the siege and must be retrloved at any cost. The hill to be Bi ormed wa held by the First and Third Mississippi, the First Texas, theElghth Kentiutky nul Porreat's Tennesseo cavalry. ItH ftlope was covered at intervals with forest underbmah and broken by ledges of rock. The distaneo fron base to crest was 300 paces. The enemy's linea were ?isiUe on the plateau ready for business. úenerul Wallace asked tno loan oí tn zouaves and also ihe Eighih Missouri, formerly under his cinnniaiul, to lead the assault, bccause their peculiar training as skirmisliers fitted them for the work. He explained thedeÉperate charaeter of theenterpriae to the men, and his words were drowned by their cheers and cries of "Forwardl forward!" His orders were to taks their own irait aad be coverned hs circuot stances. x uo egiinents ionnea nne or dihtle and advanced rapidly across an open plain under PUlow'a guns. As they beaaif to ascend the slopo Confedérate rlflemea flred on them from the forest cover, and at that skirmishera rapidly deployed and covered the whole battle front. A quarter of the way up the slope they saw a line of flre burst from the crest of the hill all around the curved outline. They dropped to the ground like lead, and the balls passed hannlessly over. Instantly they were on their feet for another rush, and at the next volley dropped as bef ore. Tne skirmishers were less fortúnate and had to defend their persons f rojn the skulking riflemen encountered. often antagonists took shelter behind the same tree. At every rush the zonaves oheered and anewered the enemy with shots delivered on the run. It took about an hour of such flghting to mount the slope to the crest and drive the ecaniy three-fourths of a mile across the plateau to their intrenchinents. In the midst of it General Wallace recelved an order to halt and retire his column, as General Grant had decided to def er the attack until next day. Believing that he had the wedge well in, Wallace ignored the order and pushed the louaves ahead to the Charlotte road, cuttlng off the Confedérate retreat. They bivouacked within 150 rods of the enemy's gun, lying on their arms, ready for a oounter assault next day. Instead carne word of the "unconditional surrender." The Elevonth lost 4 killed and 29 wounded out of about 400 engnged. Many a regiment bas been cut to pieces In 20 minutes of such fighting, but the zouaves were shooting to kill, not to be killed. In subsequent battle the souaves did not f are so well. At Shtloh, the second day, they refused to retreat when oidered to do so, although flanked and terribly exposed. The death list was 11, the wounded 51. At Champion's Hill, back of Vicksburg, chargIng breastworks and batteries, they were still more roughly handled In a four bours' terrific ftgUt, forward and back, in charge nd repulse. The death roll was 28, the wounded 139. From Vicksburg they went into the Teche country in Loulsiana, joined the Nineteenth corps and wound up in the Shenaudoah under Sherldan in 1864. They fought their last battles at Winchester aad Cedar Creek, just across themountain from the gcene of the scouting adventure three years before. The total loss of the regiment, killed on the battlefteld, was 115, and if every death was avenged like that of Hnllenbeck at Kelley'sislaI(1 surely the warflag bearing the legend "Remember Buena V ista" must have tieen a "shape" the Confedérate would rather not meet. ÓEOEGK L. KlLMKR. j