Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-07


Ire enemy, already badly worsted by Jackson,
were compelled to fall back with great slaughter
before the impetuOus charges of the fresh regi,
ments until the parties occupied their original
positions in the morning. The fighting, how
ever, was continued until night, with occasional
intervals, though without any particular ad-
Tantsge to either side.
Tne conflict along the center was severe, but
owing to the nature of the ground was confined
chiefly to artillery. Indeed the artillery took an
unusually prominent part in the battle IN every
part Of the field The small arms were not
warmly engaged for sometime, early in the day
after a few Volleys, except on the left. The
Washington Artillery behaved splendidly; and
/ SO did Cuts battalion. The former is attached
| to Longstreets corps, the latter to ID II. HllIs.
The other batteries, and the heavy reserves under
General Pendleton, performed their parts hand
somely also.
Tne most formidable assault on the right was
made about Q o'clock, and continued until after
| two. The object Of the enemy was TO gain pos
session of sJone bridge Justin front of TOombs'
division; which occupied the eKt.eme right in
Longstreets corps. The Second and Twentieth
| Georgia, Lieutenant Colonel Holmes and Colo
mel Cumming commanding, belonging to
! Toombs' old brigade, ard now commanded by
| Colonel Benning, were entrusted with the duty
! of defending the bridge. The regiments were
very much reduced, but they discharged their
/ duty most heroicaliy. Regiment after regiment,
and even brigades, were brought up against
| them; and vet they held their ground, and the
| bridge too, until they had fred their last car
! fridge The men were clamOrous for fresh am
nutrition for it had now become q point of
1 honor with them to maintain their ground, even
! If It cost the life Of the last one Of them. But
owing to the furious onslaught against the entire
right wing, It was found Impossible to supply
them in time; and consequently they Iad TO re-
tire, with the loss even Of MclntOSh's battery.
This was fifteen minutes after two O'clock when
q strange silence, broken only by random
shot, ensued for the space of two hours along
the front Of the whole army The accomplished
and ehiTalTic Holmes Of the second fell pierced
through the body a few minutes before the firing
ceased, and died instantly. An effort was made
to remove his body, but the persons who at
tempted il were wounded and compelled to
lesve it on the field. Major Harris assumed
the command, and with Colonel Cumming of
the Twentieth, displayed great GOODNESS and
vslor. The enemy lsy in heaps in front of the
bridge, as they did on the lett in front of jack
son. An officer who examined the ground over
which McLaws aud Jackson drove them, says
the enemy's dead lay so thick at one place, over
an area of three acree, that he could walk over
every yard Of it on the bodies of the slain
The silence which followed a a quarter past
EWO o CLOCK, Was all INC lOIo pEOlDuuu ana
pressive from the stunning fire that had ragged
so furiously since early dawn. Was the enemy
content with the possession Of the bridge and
the ground IN front of il Had both combat
ants had enough Of the bloody work Or did
they stop by mutual consent in order to allow
the exhausted fighters time to recover their
breath For hours the ConfedeIates had been
turning their eyes wistfully toward the Potomac,
in hopes of seeing the head of A P. Hilrs ad-
- -. ~.
day come up in time
At length about o'clock, Hill made his sp-
pesrance, and his brigsdes were quietly dstribu-
ted along the lines where they were most needed.
The enemy were hardly aware of bis arrival;
for his forces were advanced behind hills and
thickets to their proper positions Everything
being ready, the Confederates rene wed the con
dict at four o'clock, and from that hour until
night il ragged without interruption. The 18th
and l7.h Georgia, commanded by Colonel Mill
gan and Captain McGregor, and q portion Of
the l1sh Georgia, which had just been brought
up from the rear, where they had been on de-
tached duty, united in the charge Colonel Mil
ligan addressing hls men, told them to follow
sheir officers, aud If they fell to march forward
over their 5odies-an Injunction that liter
ally fulfilled, for the brave colonel was killed,
and his command dashed on over him IS if moth
ing had happened. Toombs had dismounted
and placed himself at the head of his small
forces, aud led them like captain to the en-
counter. He and they soon placed themselves
in front of the rem ainder of the line, aud dash
ing forward in the most impetUous manner, soon
recaptUred MclntOsh's battery and drove the en-
envy pe-mel across the bridge. The ground
was strewn with the Federal dead, but our own
loss IN this charge was not very heavy, owing to
the furious rate at which the men moved. The
conflict OF infantry on the right at this point, as
on the left early IN the day, was unusually Sc
vere-probably as severe as any that has Oc
Cured since the war. Pinder's and Fields
brigades OF A. p. Hills division, and other
forces, co-operated gsllsntly in the charge.
1t was now near night. The cOmbatants,
with slight exceptions in our favor, occupied
the positions they did in the morning and when
it had become quite dark, the firing ceased on
both sides. II is probable that the enemy
would not have renewed the contest at four
o'clock, had the COnfederates remained quiet.
Many OF the houses IN S1arpsburg were riddled
by the enemy's balls, which, passing over the
heads of our men, entered the buildings on the
rising ground behind. Many Of the women and
children had sought refuge in the cellars and
behind the stonewals of the houses and inclos-
ures others had fed to the country on horse
back behind husbands and parents whilst
others had boldly stood it out, saying their Fed
eTal friends were not ignorant of their senti-
ments, and would spare them as far as possible
Some of the houses, and many hay ricks and
stacks Of wheat straw, were set on tire, and
added no little to the sublimity and fsarfulness
Of the scene. During the combat three pigeons
wheeled wildly over the battle field, aud, rising
higher and higher, disappeared in the clouds
and ascending smoke. Alas how many brave
spirits did they accompany in their upward
flight from tnat bloody field OF death
The results are easily summed up. II was
McClellan's battle. He made the attack, and
was Iepulsed with very heavy slaughter. His
losses are vsriously estimated at from fifteen
to twenty Thousand killed, wounded aud miss
ing; ours at from five to ten thousand. These
figures may be wrOngi I am disposed to think
they are too hsttering to our own side, and offer
them as rough estimates of others. We took
bu. few prisoners-not more than SIX or seven
hundred The enemy captured as many, as you
will see hereafter. Indeed, it was nearly
drawn battle-the enemy having the advantage
IN position and numbers we the superiority in
fighting, and in repulsing his assault. The only
prisoner OF distinction we took was Colonel
Palfrey, of Massachusetts,, who was wounded
and fell into our hands.
But I must close for the present. l write at
hospital, in the midst of the wounded and
dying, smputated arms and legs, feet, fingers,
and hands cut of, puddles of human gore, and
ghastiy, gaping wounds. There is q smell Of
death in the air, and the labOring surgeons are
literally covered from head to FOOT with the
blood Of the sufferers. The wounded are lay
ing in the house, on the piazza, under the trees,
in the sun. Some have died; others are begging
for water, though but few complain of their suf-
! ferings.
! turned aside yesterday in the midst of the
battle to see how a true soldier can die. He was
/ Of twenty-five summers-of clssr skin and mild
] blue evas-Inhn g Hudsor of FlhoYt cnuntv
Georgia. His thigh had been torn off by shell
and hung only by thin skin. he was calm
and resigned, though his struggles were severe
and prouscted. Finally, as the dread hour Of
dissolution approached, he gathered up all his
remaining strength, and turning to his brother,
who hung over him in dumb agony, he said,
Tell mother die rejoicing, and die soldiers