And in three minutes after the sixth shot had been fired, they were upon the works, engaged in a stern hand to hand conflict with the enemy.
After a short, sharp struggle of less than half an hour they took the battery, captured two guns, and fifty rounds of ammunition, and thirty prisoners.
The way into the town from this quarter was now clear. And Wing marched in at the head of his company. And soon over the rebel works the Union flag waved in triumph. About twenty minutes later Major Kerr, at the head of the other three companies, marched into the town. His men had suffered much under the galling fire of musketry that had opposed their entrance previous to Wing’s taking possession of the town.
One captain, two lieutenants and about twenty privates were killed. And two lieutenants and about forty privates were severely wounded.
Major Kerr came up just in time to relieve Captain Wing of a certain responsibility that he always detested—namely the burning of the town.
Wing’s taste was more for fighting than for destruction, and naturally he had taken the town, but hesitated to burn it.
Major Kerr’s taste was more for destruction than for fighting, therefore he had let Wing capture the town, and had followed him in to destroy it.
Wing pleaded hard for the salvation of private dwelling houses, but, in fact, it was impossible to effectually destroy the saltpetre works without sacrificing the whole town.
The women and children were sent out to a place of safety. The prisoners were dispatched to the rear; and then the work of destruction commenced.
And that night witnessed an awful conflagration, that lighted up a vast amphitheatre of country, and carried consternation as far as its flames were seen.