The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-08-12

their artillery were feeble in the extrette.'
and for very good reason; for the hulk
OF their army had gone up to For, Darling
and crossed the James liver ct that point,
anticipating that we were going to make
flank attack. Along the whole lne,.
when they got up past the mine Il mean
those that charged), there was the great
est enthusiasm, and some of Gen. Griffin's
men, and also Cutters men, asked if they
could not go in.
When the Twelve hundred men were so
basely showed into the fort and deserted,
Griffin's and Cutters men actually begged
TO be allowed to 90 10 their assistance.
Coonels were begging, saying General,
there is, you know, only handful of rebels
lheie; let my regimen; GO forward Bot
no. AS much as those Generals wished
to do so themselves, they had no orders:
Griffin and Cutler each command di-
vision in the 5th Corps-Grifiin the 1>t
Division and Cutler the 4:h Division.
Ayers. commanding the q Division, saw
the whole thing as @ell as Griffin and
Cntler, and cried ont against the shame.
"Why," said they, "we were brough. tip
TO charge, and now that there is hardly
anything to oppose, why can't we 60 in -
Warren, who commands the 5th Corps.
and with whom was Ger. Ayers all day
telegraphed Immediately after the troops
started up on the charge to be allowed to
90 in; but lie received no answer. lie
did so again and again; but he was tod to-
wait for orders.
Cen. Ayers like an old war horse, was
frettins, and it is said he spoke to Warren
in the following style: by the Lord,
sir, if | commanded a corps, | would put
in every man, and swamp them. but I
would rescue those twelve hundred men,"
and Warren, who is too eager for fight.
could get no orders, until, finally, at
twelve o'clock (midday) we were all order
ed back TO our camp, tents put up and the
assault of Petersburg was over. OF those
twelve hundred men few got back, bot
tho greater part were murdered, and fraf~
ly about three hundred, all that were left
of them, were captured, after fighting
against terrible odds all day.
Gen. Meade ordered us back to camp,
and refused to let Warren 90 in at the
critical point and moment. The 18th
Corps never went in. burnside never sent
anything more. The negroes were tried
and found wanting. TO them was aaign
the honor, and three thousand FIVE fun-
dred, although assisted by twelve hundred
white men. turned tail at the sight Of
three hundred rebels and ran off without
fling a shot. Thus we were defeated,
after the best plan had been carried out
most successfully, so far as drawing off
the main rebel force from our front was
concerned.
After six o'clock in The afternoon every
thing was perfectly still. Alter twelve
O'Clock only an occasional gun or musket
was heard. There was still time to make
other charges along the .iines-some TO-
feints, and others 10 be charged de .tac,o.
But By twelve o'clock, by order, the
whole thing was given up.
The rebe columns commenced to hurry
back as soon As they got word of it, and
he first Of them did not arrive before
nightfail.
Hancock and the cavalry were ordered
over here, ard made long march Of
eighteen miles. They should have staid
where they were, for Of course the rebels
hearing Our great artillery firing. and
knowing the extremity 70 which Peters.
l,urg was reduced, would have hurried
back, and then was the time for them to-
dash at Richmond, cut the briJges b.
tween Petersburg and Richmond, across
the James River, and Richmond was ouIs.