The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-16

given General Hooker opportunity to per-
feet the formation of his main line of bat
tie on the line he had intended to take, and
with the exception of these two brigades,
who were too much exhausted to renew the
action Immediately, the line was formed
precisely as desired. The two brigades
that had thus far done the severe fighting, |
fell back to the rear, leaving the field open |
for the enemy TO advance up to our rifle |
pits. ts
By glance at the diagram which heads
the account of this days proceedings, it |
viii be seen that along the rear Of the line
OF infantry we had a large number of field
batteries planted: These were protected by
earthworks that had been thrown up dur
ing the previous evening and night. Our
front line of battle was formed in rifie-plts
and behind breastworks of timber and
brush, hastily thrown up, but affording
some shelter to the men,. The second, or
reserve line, lay upon the open field, and
was intended to advance to the breastwOrks
when the first line should become exhaust
ed. The line was formed upon either side
of the plank road leading to Orange Court
House, and close up to the woods. We had
a section of Dimmick's famous battery
planted directly in this road on a line with
our reserves, which swept the road to pre-
Nenb ohe enemy advancing GOWN IL. DuI
the enemy had also brought around guam
tity of field artillery, with they opened
upon Captain Dimmick with great earnest
ness. The duel fought between these bat
teries hard one. The brave Dimmick
fell during its progress, and many OF his
gunners were carried to the rear, no lon
ger useful as warriors.
But the enemy had advanced through
| the woods close up to our lines, and were
attacking us in great force, despite our ar
tillery. We filled the woods with shell,
crossing fires in all directions, but still the
masses of the enemy crowded on. It
seemed as if they were dense mob, those
| in the rear being ignorant of the carnage
going on in front, crowding their compan-
ions on to sure destruction. They appear
| ed IN front Of our lines for at least a mile,
along the front of the entire Third and
Second Corps, coming up in dense masses,
climbing over the heaps of the fallen, firing
heavy volleys, and going down among the
/ slain as the response broke from our ranks.
1t was frightful to contemplate the slaugh-
ter to which these men were forced
| Whole brigades would be swept away in
the determined effort to force our lines, and
still other brigades would spring up to take
their places. And so they fought us, and
so we continued to fight, until the cartridge
boxes of our men began to grow light. and
4 their powers of endurance began to flag
under the constant exertion.
4 In this frightful life and death struggle
the whole plain Of Charlottesville was
swept by the missiles of one or the other
party, and heart sick and weary Of witness.
ing such sacrifices Of human life, turned
my horses head away and moved dowr
the road towards the ford. And here Other
scenes equally affecting met my eye. Long
trains of ambulances were constantly com
ing down the road, depositing their loads o
suffering, mangled men at impromptu hos
!, pitfalls hastily fitted up beneath the sheltel
of the woods, where large gangs of sur
geons were occupied to the utmost limit 0
their ability in dressing their wounds. Th
road swarmed with those not sufficiently
y wounded to necessitate carriage in an am
;, bulance, yet for whose sufferins as the,
: went hobbling and groaning along tn
stoutest hearted must bleed.
And still the carnage went on. It wa
u nine O'Clock. Since five o'clock that deaf
r. ening, horrible roar of musketry ha
= known no cessation, and the loud boomin
d of a hundred cannon sent the sound only t
e a greater distance without adding to itsvol
n ulne. And yet our men held their pos
) ton. Could human endurance stand more
l. They, too, were sufferng-not slain so Law
e ishly as the enemy, because sheltered; bu
i but their ranks were sensbly thinning
II Half past nine O'Clock = our column
d growing weak ten o'clock-the work {
IS death still goes on. Ten thousand BRAY
II men have closed their eyes in death durin
IF the past five hours. Two thousand a
J. hour slain. Ten thousand more have bee
: mangled and crippled for life! The rat
1t of deaths to the simply wounded was ne,
n err eGualled in war. One to one. Wemov
l. ed the enemy down by by brigades; the
le wounded us by dozens and scores. Coul
lie we endure the exertion long enough? Eve
IS though they did so greatly outnumber I
of we should finally destroy them. But o,
l. | men were exhausted,
re Half-past ten O'Clock. Our ranks a.
ar broken. From sheer fatigue our men hay
lg given way. One entrance into those Ri
IN pits and the still dense masses OF the en-
to my make but short work of clearing theI
a But though repulsed we are not disordere
u Like veterans, every column falls back
OF order, and the line is re-established at Il
he old brick house, Chancellorsville.
The old house had been taken early
., the battle for a hospital, and was no
" crowded with wounded. Our lines we
Il reformed along in front Of to hold, II pc
no on the edge of the woods, as if to breath
IL and there was few moments Of silence.
IL That horrible roar has ceased. me quiet
u painful. But it lasts but a few seconds.
b. The enemy brings forward his guns al
al. commences to shell our new position.
ks And here the Commanding General m
as with very narrow escape. He was stan
,e- ing upon the porch of the old brick houE
tie leaning against one of the pillars, when
is shell struck the pillar, shattering tito spill
tiers. The General was thrown and SON
ng what stunned; but otherwise was unhu
i'll 1t was not his fate to be injured in this b'
ID tie. He had been on the field throughc
re, it's continuance, everywhere present whe
lis the fight was the hottest, encouraging
IN men to renewed efforts, and had escap
ess without scratch. His safety was mt
~, miraculous.
sfy The vigorous Smelling Of the enemy r
RI died that old mansion in all direction
ere and some of the wounded who had alrea
he had their wounds dressed, were killed.
as last an incendiary shell burst within
al building, and soon it was enveloped
es, flames. Some of the wounded were
.he moved. How many persisted have
err been able to ascertain. ,t
yer Between eleven and twelve O'Clock
M enemy mustered their forces and renew
nst the assault. They came down upon us
alf solid masses, against which it seemed |
zen folly for our Comparatively small fol
the wearied and exhausted as they were,