The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-06-05
speech of Col. LEE
coHrfsuEp IRON rfRsr FACE.

ter the other, In view Of the enemy and
,unter marched so us 10 show that tic
whole force of his army was TO cross nt
that ono point. II had the effect TO deceive
the army on the other side and they pre-
pared to meet him. While this was go.
ing on, three corps were pissed up on
Tuesday to a point little below Kcllcy's
ford and before daylight the 9th I lth md
igth were upon the other side. We
ohcerlully made the crossing in The dark
ncss because we believed that il was a
very decided advantage for the army 10
gain.
Aftcr rest Of few hours, the whole
column moved tow rds Frodcrickshurg-
the 10Th corps leading. At the GcrmR.
mia Ford on the Rapdiu, 40 complete
was the surprise that the pickcts aud a
party of bridgc.buildcrs were captured
by tho advance guard. The lst brigade
iOrdcd the stream, aud having taken pos
session of the other side, covered tho
crossing Of the rest of the column. A
foot-bridgc was hastily constructed, and
at Daylight on Thursday morning 40 000
mon werc in battle array, expecting an
immediate attack. Tho 55th wus o 10y
I'd as administers, covering the front oi
the ist division, lth corps.
No enemy appearing, the march was
resumed, and nt about three O'Clock u.
NJ, the force was halted and put into
camp upon tho groun where the fighting
took place the following Saturday.
Tho disposition of tho army was some
thing like This. Tho llth corps on tho
extreme right separated by n considern-
BILE space from the corps on It's left. Next
tho 18th corps, then the Sd corps which
however was held as rcsoryc,ycry little II
any Of Il forming part of ths from,
line. Then the 9th corrs and the 2nd
lying in rcserv,. On Friday right the !st
corps was put in march from i,s camps
and on Saturday crossed nj the U $ Ford
and took position In the rear on our right
the South bank of the Rappuhannock.--
The 9th corps was left in front OF Fred
cticksburg Now that is the position on
Saturday morning. II was expected that
on Saturday the enemy would attack Us,
u vas not tho policy of Hooker 70 adj
vance irun the position hc had prepared
his btvust works within which 10 throw
hp troops in case he was attacked In
force IN front aud from them 90 fght as
advantage as possible. On SJtur-
diy mornnu irmcdatny after the sun
had cleared the hor Enn of mist we could
discover at the d sancc Of about two miles
ut a single poist troops pnssing which il
became evident TO Us wct5 the enemy
and conjcc,urcd that they might be go
ing out that way TO Spotsylvania Court
House on their way To Richmond.
This proved TO be a dclusion, but Gen.
Hooker did not so regard II, He sent
word to our corps OF the discovery, and
that the right flank shOuld 'bo well caroC
Tor. These troops oontinOcdiu our view,
During the day, rac pits were thrown W
In our front, Tor il was looking to thC
south. There was plank road runnins
east aud west, from Fredericksburg ou
toward Orange Court House. Part OF oul
corps was lying on that plank rond facing
southwark, aud the right half of ii eva
lying further west than the point whore
the plank road bore of dingonully to III,
south, from the old turnpike road.
Thus | have presented tho dMlWiN
movements Of Hooker iu briugng his
srmy into position.
As YOU discover il was n very formidable
movement for attack, aud also a very tx,
pcnsivc one it artillery had bccR proper
w arranged to meet it, 80 as 10 give il Al
cnfladng firc. Unfortunately ior u, ",
had but two small pieces OF cnnncn oI
our right, and the enemy by turn q
the road, wors enabled to run their nrti |
lcry up aud deliver n trCneadous firr up
ON those two pieces, aud also hcavl
fire OF Duskctryr and ia u few moment
our own canton wvc turned against ns
Much has bscn said oi the running a
the Eleventh Corps. ! um sorry tina
this 10 said. I am sorry 10 admit ,ha
,hire is some truth in il but | am yer,
sorry TO know that there has boon grcu
deal said with reference to II that is no
true. There is no Corps within the ur
my Of Mookor or Rosccrans or any othc
eoaanandcr in this country that coul
Withstand that attack, disposed as W
were. rheio never were troops uudc
Napoleon, that could withstand that nj
tack, disposed. rs our corps was. Thu
tho frat brigade Of the first division di
give way | must admit, but when | sn
10 ysu that of those regiments, but one
stood with their flank TO the enemy an
that the enemy came forward and at
tackled them on the flank aud thoy wer
unable to turn and deliver their fro, it /
not strange that they got out of the wa
Ma soon as they could. The sccon
brigade on the right of which the Dot
was, remained in position in the rifle plt
under an enhlading fire OF grape and can
mister nj short range, irVm the enemy
until we now count lao out Of 400, mis-,
ing--muny of them now sleep upon th
the enc my's soil, and others of them NJ
cruelty mangled with wounds. Whe
any one tells You wo behaved badly {
that the lith corps run, say TO hi
who utters il that he is a foul sland1ro
aud u coward, and dare not face me /
the statement. (GreNt appluusc) Nu
have not single man from Ohio VII
runs from any enemy TO stand face
face is all they ask, UAd you need not
ashamed OF them, tell you. | care not ,
what blood they may be, It Is not cowar,
ly blood, and they are ready TO die in III
iace OF the foe when necessary. An
10 him who takes up his pen with nimb!
fingers, OF who speaks with his tongu
and charges upon the soldiers OF the n,
corps that they run In that fight, and le
II in the hands Of the snemy, say for N
10 him that he is either fool or u lidt
do not care which. loud chcering)
10 an easy thing for a man who is 5c
miles away from an attack Of the kit
to eritieise with as much wisdom as a
owl would. (laugh,er) but it is Al