The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-15


flying Germans came 'dashing over the
field in crowds, meeting the head of Whip
ple's column and stampeding through his
lines, running as only men do run when
convinced that sure destruction is awaiting
them. At the same moment large masses
of the rebel infantry came dashing through
the. woods on the north and west close up
to the field, and opened tremendous fire
of musketry into the confused mass ofmen
and animals. To add to the confusion and
terror of the occasion, night was rapidly
approaching, and darkness was already
beginning to obscure all things. ...- ....-
+. THE PANIC.
must frankly confess that l have no
ability to do Justice to the scene that fol-
lowed. 1t was my lot to be in the centre
of that field when the panic burst upon us.
May never be witness to another such
scene. On one hand was solid column
of infantry retreating at double quick from
the face of the enemy, who were already
crowding their rear; on the other was a
dense mass of beings who had lost their
reasoning faculties and were flying from a
thousand fancied dangers as well as from
the real danger that crowded so close upon
them, aggravating the fearfulness Of their
situation by the very precipitancy with
which they were seeking to escape from it.
On the hill were ten thousand of the enc
my, pouring their murderOus volleys upon
us, yelling and hooting, to increase the
alarm and confusion; hundreds of cavalry
horses, left riderless at the first discharge
from the rebels, were dashing frantically
about in all directions; score of batteries
of artillery were thrown into disorder,
some properly manned, seeking to gain
positions for effective duty, and others fly
ing from the field battery wagons, ambu-
lances, horses, men, cannon, caissons, all
jumbled and tumbled together in an ap-
parently inextricable mass, and that muir
derous fire still pouringi in upon them. To
add to the terror of the occasion there was
but one means to escape from the field,
and that through a little narrow neck or
ravine washed out by SCOTS Greek. To.
wards this the confusion mass plunged
headlong. For moment it seemed as it
no power could avert the frightful calami-
ty that threatened the entire army. That
neck passed, and this panic stricken, dis
torted body Of men and animals, per-
mitted to pass down through the other
corps of the army, our destruction was
sure. But in the midst of that Wild
est alarm there was cool head. That
threatened calamity was averted by the
determined self-possession of Maj. Gen.
Daniel E. Sickles. Squirting his horse for
ward he forced his way through the tang
led mass and entered this narrow neck.
Across this neck there runs strong brick
wall, behind which the forces of Generals
Williams and Berry had already thrown
themselves preparatory to meeting the en-
envy. On one flank of the wall was the
deeply sunken bed of the creek, impassa-
BILE for any species of vehicle, and scarcely
safe for men. At the upper end of the
wall was narrow gateway, the only OPEN
ing to be found. To this point General
Sickles picked his way, and there, drawing
his sword, blocked the passage with him.
self and horse. On came the panic strick-
en- crowd, terrified artillery riders spur
ing and lashing their horses to their, ut
most; riderlesS horses dashing along re-
gardless of all obstacles; ambulances up
setting and being dashed to pieces against
trees and stumps; men flying and crying
with alarm-a perfect torrent of passion,
apparently uncomfortable. But against it
all the brave General threw himself, and
by his determined bravery brought the
first heavy mass-a cannon drawn by six
horses, we'll mounted-to halt, and block
AIDED the passage Others dashed up be-
hind and crowded upon the first, their
drivers cursing and swearing and calling to
the foremost to go on. The loose horses
jumped the stone wall, and the flying men
scrambled over it, utterly oblivious to the
fact that the opposite side was crowded
with men whose lives were thus dOubly
endangered. But by the blockade of the
main passage the stampede of the artillery
and cavalry had been principally checked.
Once halted, reason began to return to
those who had previously lost it, and much
of the artillery, properly manned, was
quickly brought back upon the field. --a
PLEAsANTON CHECKS THE REBELS.
In the meantime, Gen. Pleasanton, in
obedience to orders received from General
Sickles, had mustered Two or three bat
teries, and was busily employed pouring
grape and canister into the woods that
were filled with rebels. Every moment
his effective force of pieces was increased
by cannoniers recovering from their fright
and returning to duty, SO that by the time
the stampede was finally checked he had
at least twenty-five pieces bearing directly
upon the enemy in all directions about the
fieidpand also close a range that every
DISCHARGE took effect, no. upon. one OF
two, but upon dozens. The slaughter
here must have been beyond count. We
have reason to believe that nearly the
whole, if not the entire body, of Hills
force was in the attack upon that little
|. field, which must have filled the woods
Such an incessant fire from SO many pieces,
and into so dense mass, could not have
produced any ordinary limit of slauohter