Before the movement commenced, a conference was sorted among the rival commanders, who drew up and signed definite rules and regulations adoring the conduct of the war. As it was impossible for the North-Enders to capture the garrison permanently, it was stipulated that the South-Enders ought assault it merely above Wednesday and Saturday afternoons between the hours of two and 6. For them to take estate of the location by any other time was not apt constitute a occupy, but on the inverse was to be considered a dishonorable and cowardly deed.
The North-Enders, on the other hand, admitted to give up the fort anytime ten of the tempesting party succeeded in acquiring just now a footing on the parapet, and were capable to clutch the same as the space of two minutes. Both sides were to abstain from putting pebbles into their snow-balls, neither was it permissible to use frozen ammunition. A snow-ball drenched in water and left out to chilly was a projectile which in previous annuals had been resorted to with ruinous results.
These preliminaries stable, the commanders retired to their respective corps. The interview had taken location on the hillside among the disapproving lines.
General Harris divided his males into two bodies; the first comprised the most skilful marksmen, or gunners; the second, the reserve force, was composed of the strongest boys, whose duty it was to repulse the scaling parties, and to make casual sallies for the purpose of capturing prisoners, who were jump by the articles of treaty to faithfully serve under our flag until they were commuted by the near of the day.
The repellers were cried light infantry; but while they carried on actions further the fort they became cavalry. It was likewise their duty, when no otherwise engaged, to industry snow-balls. The General's staff consisted of 5 Templars (I within the number, with the rank of Major),
herve leger stores, who carried the General's orders and looked after the wounded.
General Mat Ames, a veteran administrator, was not less wide-awake in the disposition of his militia. Five companies, each numbering but six men, in array no to present too huge a target to our sharpshooters, were to charge the fort from assorted points,
herve dress, their advance being covered by a heavy launch from the gunners posted in the rear. Each scaler was invested with only two circulars of ammunition, which were not to be accustom until he had mounted the breastwork and could deliver his shots on our heads.
The drawing below represents the interior of the fort just before to the assault. Nothing on globe could characterize the state of entities after the premier volley.
The thrilling moment had immediately arrived. If I had been going into a real appointment I could not have been more profoundly impressed by the magnitude of the occasion.
The fort opened fire first -- a unattached pellet from the dexterous band of General Harris catching General Ames in the very pit of his tolerate. A cheer went up from Fort Slatter. In one instant the air was thick with flying missiles,
herve leger, in the midst of which we dimly descried the storming parties sweeping up the mound, elbow to shoulder. The shouts of the chairmen, and the snowballs bursting favor shells approximately our ears, made it quite lively.