Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-02-16

glorious war" about him, as my lime r
sketch establishes. He had the airther 4
lof q spectator than an actor-ands csaln- a
ly no one would have taken him the o
fidoliZed leader of : veteran armr, Zen
engaged III the battle to decide theHe Of (
the Confederate Capital. His d:sposons t
had been msde-his corps had clos in :
like an iron arm around the ensm,-nd 5
thaving led them into action, marctih n
, their head, on foot, like "a simple Ca i'm,
fhe now appearcd'to await the result I'll.
centre caImness, almost with an ali Of
difference, trusting to a higher Powrr-o
that Lord Of hosts who had given biuns
sorv SO often.
Such would nave been the impres.ionf
a casual observer. But a closer CLAN
easily penetrated this apparent tranquil
and carelessness. The trust in God, III
utter reliance on His will was surely thu
but no apathetic calmness. The blL
of the eve beneath the yellow cap was III
mistakable-there plainly WAS \ soul 81
lire with deep feeling, and the ardoroI
battle. A slambering volcano clearly
burned beneath that face SO calm and cot.
lected-the fire of Ney or Murat held IN
leash and waiting. I
spoke with him but once-his reply
was prompt, brief, in the well-known curt,
peculiar tone Of the spcaker-short and to
he point-which is bes: described by say
ing that the words seemed curtailed of
their full sound-clipped of-and elected
rs it were from the lips. 1t was in a like
tone that he said-whe.. t c afternoon Of
June declined, and the battle WAS still
roaring with great fury-to "A messenger
from one of his generals
"Tell him-if the enemy stand at sun
set-to press thcm--with the bayonet!"
His Chief of Staff, Major Pendleton,
volunteered to accompany the courier, and
ensure the safe delivery Of the message
and all know the result. The enemy were
pressed with the bayonet, near the deer
ditch and abattis, of which the Genera
next day said, "The men who carried this
we're soldiers eedv"-pressed By the
old Stonewall Brigade and s.heir brave
comrades. They could not stand before the
onslaught Of this terrible legion, trained
f.nd made veterans III the campaigns of thu
Valley and the red-legged Zouaves
whom | saw next day, lying thick as leave:
an the field where the charge was made
exhibited the consequence of the General
order. |
During this " wild charge" the famous
leader Was near by bit busy At the batteric
which were fighting the heavy guns of tn
enemy, a half a mile away on a hill abov
The road toward Grapevine Bridge. He i
laid to have a passion for artillery, and t,
,uperintend its handling whenever he ha
IN opportunity ; certainly he exhibited thi
weakness, on the occasion In question
lie kept close to the batteries, in spite of
tremendous fire IRON The enemy, and seem
I'd to seek the localities where the boil
'ell thickest. The opposing batteries wer
ought with the energy of despair ; an
hurled upon our lines and guns, an unceaE
ing storm of shot and shell but as tn
ire grew hotter and hotter, as the enemy
f~osition became more desperate, it SCENE
o interest the General msre and more
lie rode to the right or lett,-betwcen tn
s~uns,--to the front .ithin their line
ire--but always with his air of utter calm
less. As cslm IS a May morning. scarce
= conveys the idea. He advanced ami
ne screaming projectiIes making the a
/. lideous with their discordant voices. arni
: .lunging around shot and bursting Shells
|, sith the supreme indifference of one wi
: cit that he bore charmed life, and cou'
, lot be harmed aud no less that orr eau
\ aust triumph. The bravest men becou
f iroused, and excited at such moments );
Mt | saw no trace of any such emotion
? he Generals bearing. His couRtenanc
IS revealed, in the darkness, by the gla
: { the cannon hash,-as afterwards whe
e he enemy having retired, we advanc
o his fire, kindled along the road-w
;mmoveable as before. The slulnberi
IT ~,olcsno was there, doubtlesS-but from t
n noment when [ saw him first, when
'orps had just gone in, and he sat upor
OF, by the old Cold Harbor house, writ
e ,dispatch-to the end Of the battle, VIII
e he burning brushwood showed his face
h. a nothing but indomitable resolution Q
% ,almness.-I doubt not he was lean
pon . stronger arm than man's, and |
" 1T the event to the God of Battles.
In I describe the great General as s
IN i'm. | have never seen him stron
nd aoved-though often in action. TIL
Ter 8, hswever, no room to doubt the fury
w, he volcano within him, when it o
,lv freaks forth. Those who have been v
ch lin upon such occasions, declare that
its .ecomes the genius of battle incarnate
K lIel sue mOul6uG Ol' cAtreme perll co