The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-18

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cline of battle" with my left resting on
the road mentioned, no alternative re-
manned, but to file my command rapid
" to the right, and try to gain suff-
cient distance for my left forest on said
road Moving with this view, the two
| (2) right regiments had fled out ofthe|
road, and were moving by the right
flank, parallel with the lost works, when
the enemy, discovering the movement,
opened most terrific fire of musketry
and artillery, and finding that I could
move no farther to the right without
sacfifcing the larger portion of the
command, I at once ordered the two
right regiments to front, charge up to
the works, and drive the enemy from
them, which they did in the most gal
lant manner, capturing between two
and three hundred prisoners. In the
meanwhile the two left regiments form
ed in line, In obedience to orders, and
wheeling to the right, pressed up to the
works, and joined the left of the two
i (2) right regiments, portion of the
extreme leftregiment overlapping Ram
seur's right The whole command af-
terwards gained sufficient front by
moving to the right and driving the en-
envy from the works as they moved, but
my force was not sufficient to regain
the entire line, and small portion was
left in the occupancy of the enemy, from
which was poured a terrible enflade
4 fire, and this in connection with there
peated assaults In front, had it not been
for some traverses In the works, would
have rendered the position wholly un-
|; tenable, one third of my command be-
ing already killed or wounded. At Ii
A. M. McGowan's Brigade, of Wilcox's
Division, arrived on the field, for the
purpose of recovering the works on my
right, but being equally as unfortunate
as this command, in being directed
correctly as to the locality of the lines
gained no ground to the right, but hal,
ted in the rear of my left and Ram
seur's right Gen. MCGOWAN being
J badly wounded soon after arriving OF
t the field and unable to find his success
3 sor in command, / could make no ar
: rangement by which that Brigade coult
: be moved to my right, and press th'
enemy from the works. 9'i'ai a'9i. .'''i
In this state and position this com
! mand remained until a.9o A. M. on th
d 18th, ropuIsIng desperate and repeatet
!, efforts of the enemy to dislodgo th0na
: At 6P. M. I received dispatch from
6 Lieut. Gen. Ewell, informing me ''if m,
< position could be held until sun-down
all would be well" Thus from Z A. III
) of the 18th, to 3 A. NJ of the 18th, twen
f ty (20) hours, the men were expose,
r to constant and murderous muskctr,
: fire, both from front and flank, and dr
3 ring the hours of f,day,sto heavy artil
3 lery fire; in which mortars were uset
! by the enemy A cold, drenching rail-
I was falling during the greater part 0
: the day and night, and the trenche
d were filed withwater Great difficult
5 was experienced in procuring supple
of ammunition, man after man being
( shot down while bringing it in. AM
n here cannot refrain from mentionin,
Z the gallant conduct of courier a. W
q Hancock, and private F. Dolan, of th
! 4Sth Miss, who repeatedly brought Il
/ ammunition under this dreadful fire
e AS an instance Of the terrible nature Q
y the fire, tree twenty-five (22) niche
d in diameter, was hewn to splinters an,
: feIled by the musketry. At2 A. M. Q
!. the 18th, I received orders from Majo
If Gen. Rodes, to withdraw my comman'
l. and the brigade of MCGOWAN, as sool
IS as the troops On my right, and left ha'
,e evacuated their positions, and at 3:3
: A. NJ, learning that this movement ha
It ben accomplished, [ Withdrew wit
/ small loss, and moving to Spottsylyani
J. Court House, rejoined the Division. I
this action, the command suffered hea1
!, lip; losing many Of the most valuabl
D. officers; among them the gallant CO
X Is. E. Baker, Lieut. Col. A. nj. Feltu
a. Adit. D. B. Z. Lowe, and Ensign Nj
e. on, of the 18th Miss; Col. I, ]. Hal
din and Adjt. A. L. Peel of the l9t
e, Miss Capts. McAfee, Davis and Reir
as hardt Of the 48th Miss; Lieut.. Bew I
ID the 10Th Miss. besides many otht
1t heroic officers and men, who all fe
IS while nobly discharging their dutie
be I would mentionf for conspicuous ga
a. lantry on this field, Major (now Col
e. nell E. G. Council, Capt. Harry smit
e. and private Ed Perault, Of the 16t
st Miss. Reg,t.; Lieut. Col S, B. Thoma
r. 7QL9. zf.<ro nx1 <.<<,,x-sr,- Gtho ri