The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-14
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY, APRIL IL 1856:

the forlorn hope. Mounted on his black pony,
the same which he rode at Winchestsr, 'Sheri.
dan galloped everywhere, his flushed face all
the redder, and his plethoric, but nervous figure
all the more ubiquitous. He galloped once
straight down the rebel front, with butts hand.
full of his staff. A dozen bullets whistled for
him together; one grazed his arm. at which q
faithful orderly rode; the black pony leaped
high, in fright, and Sheridan was untoched,
but the orderly lay dead in the field, and the
saddle dashed afar empty.
General Warren rode with Crawford most OF
the afternoon, mounted likewise, and making
two or three narrow escapes. he was dark,
dashing, and individual as ever, but for some
reason or other was relieved of his command
after the battle and Griffin was instated In his
place. General Sheridan ordered Warren to
the order by an aid. We shall probably have
an explanation of this fall from grace very
soon. Warren, on his own hook, did not
meet on Friday with his general success, and
on Saturday Sheridan was the master-spirit !;
but Warren is gentleman as well as Gener-
al, and is only overshadowed by greater ge-
nius-not obliterated. Ayres, accounted the
best soldier in the Fifth corps, but too quietly
modest for his own favor, fought like lion In
this pitch of battle, making ali the faint-heart.
ed around him ashamed to do i'll with such an
example contiguous. General Bartlett, keen
faced and active like fiery scimitar, leading
his division as If he were an immortal! He
was closest at hand in the most gallant cpl
sodes, and held at night bundle of captured
battle flags. But Griffin, tall land slight, was
the master genious of the fifth corps, to which
led the charge on the flank, and was the first
to mount the parapet with his horse, riding
over the gunners as May did at Cerro GOrdO,
and cutting them down. Bartlett's brigade,
behind him, finished the business, and the last
cannon was fired for the day against the con.
quering federals. General Crawford fulfilled
his full share of duties throughout the day,
as Baxter, Coulter and Kellogg, while Gwin
and Bowerman were at hand in the division of
General Ayers; not to omit the fallen Win
throp, who died to save friend and win new
laurel. What shall / say for Chamberlain,
who, beyond all question. is the first of our
brigade commanders, having been the hero of
both Quaker Road and Gravelly Run, and in
with the applauding huzzas of his soldiers,
who love him? His is one of the names that
will survive the cOmmOn wreck of shoulder
straps after the war. -
But l am individualizing; the fight as we
closed upon the rebels, was singularly tree
from great losses on our side, though deeper-
ate as any contest ever fought on the continent
One prolonged roar of rifle shook the after
noon; we carried no artillery; and the rebel
battery, until its capture, raked us like an ire
pressible demon, and at every foot of the in
trenchments q true man fought both in front
and behind. The birds of the forest fed afar !;
the smoke assembled to heaven; locked in so
mad frenzy, none saw the sequel of the clos
ing day. Now Richmond rocked in her high
to- 70 oh ho INN s,o,,a 1>,ts<
the day began to look gray, and pale moon
came TREMENDOUSLY out to watch the meeting
of the squadrons. Imagine along o line of o
full mile, 900 men struggling for life and
prestige; the woods gathering about them
but yesterday the home of hermit hawks and
chip.mOnks-nOw ablaze with bursting shells,
and showing in the dusk the curl of flames in
the pine trees the scaling, scorching tongues.
Seven hours this terrible spectacle had been
enacted, but the finale of it had almost come.
DEATH OF WINTHROP.
1t was by all accounts in this hour of victory
when the modest and brave Gen. Winthrop, of
the first brigade. Ayres' division, was MORALLY
wounded. He was riding along the line, and
in the act, as | am assured, of saving friend 3
life. was shot through the left lung. He fell at
once, aud his men who loved MIN, gathered
around and took him tenderly to the rear,
he lay, could be deposited at the meeting
house door. On the way from the field to the
hospital he wandered in mind at times, crying
out, capt Weaver. how is that line ?" HAS
the attack succeeded?" etc. When he had
been resuscitated for pause, be said: " Doc.
tor, am done for" His last words were /:
"Straighten that line!" And he died peace
fully. He was a cousin of Major Winthrop,
the author of Cecil Dreeme," and the broth
er-in-law of Mr.. August Belmont. He was
twenty-seven years OF age. l had talked with
him before going into action, as he sat by the
side of Gen. Ayres, and was permitted by the
guard of honor to uncover his face and look
upon it. He was pale and beautiful, marble
rather than corpse, and the uniform cut away
from his bosom showed how white and fresh
was the body so pulseless now.
Gen. Griffin said to me: This victory is not
worth Winthrop's life
Winthrop went into the service as a simple
color-bearer. He died brevet general
SURRENDER OF THE REBELS.
At seven o'clock the rebels came to the con.
clusion that they were outf1anked and whipped
They had been 80 busily engaged that they
were q long time finding out how desperate
were their circumstances; but now, wearied
with persistent assaults in front, thay fell back
to the left, only to see four lines of battle wait
ing to drive them across the field, decimated
at the right the horsemen charged them il
their vain attempt to fight out" and in thu
rear struggling foot and cavalry began to as
semble; slant fire, cross fire, and direct fire
by file and volley, rolled in perpetually, cut
ting down their bravest officers and strewins
the fields with bleeding men; groaus resoundet
in the intervals of exploding powder, and t
add to their terror and despair, their own artil
Ierv, captured from them, threw into their owl
ranks. from its old position, ungrateful crap
and canister, endladiRg their breastworks
whizzing and plunging by air line and rcochet
and at last bodies of cavalry fairly mounte'
their intrenchments, and charged down tn
parapet slashing and trampling them, an
producing inextricable confusion. They ha
no commanders, at least no orders, and locke
in vain for some guiding hand to lead them on
of foil into which they had fallen so bravel
and so blindly. A few more vol'eys, q new an
| irresistible charge, shrin and warning CON
mand to die or surrender, and, with sudde
impulse, five thousand muskets are flung o
| the ground, and five thousand hot, exhausted
and impotent men are Sheridan's prisoners {