The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-05-15

u "~c- fe---S-l aae s11 s-AAo11 ~Ao'
ordered body Of men and animals, per
mittsd to pass down through the othel
Ieorps Of the army, our destruction wal
sure. Bot In the midst Of that widest
alarm there was Q cool head. That
Threatened calamity was aVerted BY the
determined self.poSssssion Of Major Gen
eral Daniel e. Sickles. Spurring hil
horse forward he forced bis way through
the tangled mass and entered this mar
row neck. Across this neck there runs
. strong brick wall, behind which the
forces Of Generals Williams and Berry
had already thrown themselves prepara-
tory to nesting the enemy. On one flank
Of the wall was the deeply sunken bed Of
the creek, impassabls for any species Of
vehicle, aud scarcely safe for men. At
the upper end of the wall was q narrow
gateway, the only opening to be found.
To this point General Sickles picked
his way, and there, drawing bis sword,
blocked the passage with himself and
horse. On came the panic stricken
crowd, terrified artillery riders squirting
and lashing their horses to their utmost;
riderless horses dashing along regard.
less ofall obstacles; ambulances upset
ting and being dashed to pieces against
trees and stumps; men flying and cry.
ing with alarm-a perfect torrent ofpas.
sion, apparently uncomfortable. But
against It ell the brave General threw
himself, and by bis determined bravery
brought the first heavy mass-a cannon
drawn by six horses, well mounted-to
q halt, and blockaGed the passage. 9th
era dashed up behind and crowded upon
the frst, their drivers cursing and swear
ling and calling to the foremost to 70 on.
The loose horses jumped the stoue wall,
and the flying men scrambled over it,
utterly oblivious to the fact that the op.
posite side was crowded with men whose
lives were thus doubly endangered. -
But by the blockade Of the main pas.
sage 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.
PlcnsantOn Checks the Rebels.
In the meantime, Pleasantou, 10 obe.
dience to the orders received from Gen.
eral Sickles, had mustered two or three
Of the batteries and was busily employ.
ed pouring grape and canister into the
woods that were filed with the rebels. -
Every movement his effective force Of
pieces was increased by cannoniers re.
covering from their fright and returning
to duty, so that by the time the stampede
was finally checked be had at least tween
ty.6ve pieces bearing directly upon the
enemy in oil directions about the field,
and at so close a range that every dis.
charge took effect, not upon one or 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 fo, ce
was in the attack upon that little 6eld.
which must have filed the woods. Such
an incessant fire from so mauy pieces
and into so dense mass, could not have
produced any ordinary limit Of slaughter.
But 1t being now quite dark, and as we
never regained entire possession Of tht
woods, where the enemy we're. the thick
est, we have no means Of knowing how
great the slaughter was. 1t was sulfi
cient to know that the enemy was held
in. check, and Sickles' gallant corps hst
an opportunity to rally from the disas
trous effects Of the shameful stampede o
the Eleventh corps.
End OF The Panic.
Let me here finish with the Eleventh
corps They did notaIl fly across SickleS
line. They dispersed and ran in all di
rections, regardless OF the order of ihci
going. They all seemed possessed will
an instructive idea OF the shortest au(
most direct line from the point whenc
they started to the United States ford
and the majority Of them did not stoI
until they had reached the ford. Man
of them, on reaching the river, dashed
in and swan to the north side, and ar
supposed to be running yet. As sool
; as General Hooker heard Of the panic h
established line of guards across th
roads and stopped all who were to b
; seen upon the highways; but BY far tn
greater portion never thought of tn
; roads, but dashed on through the wood
: until they reached the river. 1t was NJ
worse with priVates than with officers
The stampede was I'm versal; the dis
, grace general. The ingi,ives we're pick
! ed up the next day. wherever found, On
) The corps was reformed, but has not sine
been taken into action.
The Grand Fight.
At daylight on Sunday morning tn
= effort was making to withdraw bot
I Whipple and Birney from this field an
s put them in position on the left Of ou
new line, half Q mile back, Whipple t
have the extreme left, Birney the centre
o with his right on Berry's left flank. Thi
new line had been provided for durin
i. the night by the construction Of breast
Il works and rife pits along its entire from
o aud throwing up field works for the nj
q tilfery in the rear.
i The Attack.
:. A little before sunrise. while GeuerI
Sickles was removing his two division
g from the little farm that I have so ofte
!, had occasion 10 refer to, the enemy fe
d upon him in great force, the attack con
# ing from the woods on the northwest {