[241]
all around, flashing their fire almost in one's face and so close to the head as to make the ears ring—and so the battle rages.
A battery had followed the Nineteenth Massachusetts and Forty-Second New York, and, in an instant more, from rear, right and left, at pistol range, these guns poured in an iron shower.
Webb's brigade came charging down.
The remainder of Hall's brigade rushed down upon the left.
It cleared its front.
Downward to the wall they forced the rebels back and for another twenty minutes, with ball and steel and rifles clubbed hand to hand, they plied the awful work.
A rebel color bearer came out between the trees in front of Webb and placed his battle flag upon one of Cushing's guns,— and fell dead beside it. Another ran out to get it, but before reaching the gun he too fell dead.
Then several men rushed out together.
They all fell about the piece and the rebel flag still waved on the Union cannon.
Subsequently two more flags were placed upon the gun, all of which were captured, one of them by Corporal Joseph DeCastro, of the Nineteenth Massachusetts, who had become separated from his command and had joined the 72nd Pennsylvania regiment in the tumult.
He turned, broke through the line, and thrust the captured flag into hands of Col. Devereux. ‘He never said a word and darted back’ said Col. Devereux in his official report later.
Corporal DeCastro received a testimonial of his gallantry on the spot, as follows:
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Salem Press. Co., Salem, Ma., 1906.
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