The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-21
COMMUNICATIONS.
From Gen. Howard's Corps.

18th CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
May Is, 1868.
Tofhe Editor Of the Press:
A few items brought by an officer of this
corps. who was wounded and taken prisoner
in the battle of Saturday, May I'd. and returned
paroled yesterday, may be of interest.
He was carried to Gen. Lees headquarters,
and there overheard Gen. Lee conversing with
his stat. Gen. Lee was asked if he knew
Gen. Hooker. He replied that he did, men
toned the regiment in the Regular Army to
which he belonged and his services in Mexico,
and said, "He Is the ablest general we have
fought yet" This was Sunday afternoon.
Gen. jackson was twice wounded in the
arm; the second time the bullet passed through
his elbow joint. 1t is not true that he was
wounded by his own men. Itoccurred Satur-
day evening, near where Gen. Howard's head
quarters had been. He was shot by the firing
from Buchbeck's brigade, which held its posi-
tion so obstnately. He could not give up the
desire to lead his men again on Sunday; but
Gen. Lee, hearing of his condition, relieved
him and put Gen. Stewart in command Of his
troops.
The men are said to erecr1te Stewart,for the
reckless manner in which he led them against
our artillery. The rebels claim to have buried
in all 17.340 killed.
Gen. Lee did not learn OF our re-crossing
until the last man was over. rebel Colonel,
who was by him at the time, said Gen. Lee
"bit his lip with vexaton." He had been wait
ing for Longstreet's corps to come up, where
upod he intended to renew the attack, and
make strenuous effort to reach United States
Ford, by breaking through our lines either
upon the right or left.
THE FLIGHT OF THE ELEVENTH CORPS.
The falling back of the l1th corps has been
represented as causeless, as solely the result
Of an unaccountable panic. This certainly is
not the whole truth. The corps were posted
in three directions nearly at right angles. The
front that was attacked and which was the ex-
treme right of the army, was completely out
fianked, so that the fire came from both the
right and rear. The best troops must give
way under such circumstances. They ought,
however, to preserve their formation. and fire
as they retire. But in palliation of the con-
fusion and the breaking up of many regiments,
il must be remembered that jackson had ac-
cumulated mass Of troops double the force
of this corps under cover of dense and extern
sve woods - movement which could only
have been discovered by cavalry--and pressed
them upon one point in a sudden and furious
onset. The fire from the rear and the over
whelming numbers furnished some cause for
the breaking of the German brigade on the
rig {. Their coming back upon the next bri-
gade (which was purely American), and that
being taken entirely upon the flank and "rolled
up" also accounts in some measure for the
fact that they did almost no fighting.
Gen. Shnrz' division. which had orders to
change direction and move to the right at
once. in case an attack came from that quar-
ter, had to meet the fleeing masses and the ar
tilery Of Deven's division. as well as the ter
rife fire from rebel batteries and rebel mus
kerry. IL nor appears that two OF his regi-
ments, the SD Ohio, and 26th Wisconsin,
fought WELL Not an officer Of the latter but
has bullet marks upon his clothes or person.
have mentioned two divisions. Only one
brigade tBushbeck's1 Of the other was with
the corps, and that climbed over upon the out
side Of the rife pits, where they had little pro-
lection, and there held their ground until fired
upon from both lanks. Had the other brigade
not been detached = Gen. Howard's reserve,
an American brigade of great promise, under
an experienced officer 1t is believed the sec
ond position which was taken up, where was
the reserve artillery, might have been held for
some time and probably till the fighting had
ceased for the night.
The detaching Of this brigade to support
Gen. Sckles twhere it did no fighting and did
not lose a mani is some excuse for the corps
not being withdrawn as ,choie in good or
der. WEIR.