Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-12-19

:
The Old First Corps of the Armybf North
ssrn Virginia had but little rest when there
| Was any hard fighting to be done. A fter the
second Maryland campaign, we had been sent
| out to the Army of Tennessee; our corps had
paintaned The high reputation of the Pfr-
9gata5 troops; at the bloody battle of Ghicka-
mauegas tte old Sharpsburss soubrtquet was set
ssIIde4 and Gen. 14opss street, mo longer called
the :. lgar Hor$c; was generally known u
mohg the fpeu as the g LlLd Bull IF The
lHo0tfs.' Then came the skirmishes of .Lc-
Noir,s" and ..Campbell'sp Stations, Tie siege
OF Knoxville, and the terrible winter of
1865, IN desolate East Tennessee. Our
men had borne. unmurmuringly, hardships
greater than any to which even they had BE-
fore been accustomed they had not cons
planned: although. with insufficient food. with
out blankets, with ragged clothing, aud too
often Without shues, they had tramped with
bleeding feet for many a weary mile. On
the march, and in bivouac, during the frees
Ing day aud stitif5ftless night, In hunger aid
IN thirst, they had been sustained by the re-
membrance of their dear Southern homes and
dearer Southern land. All things, however,
have an end, and IN the spring of 1864 We
joytully returned to Virgin a.
On the Sd of May, 1864, we left our camps
near Gordonsvilie, and onlthe night of the
9th our two diyisions-Field's and Kershaw's
went into bivOuac few miles from the
Wilderness. By daybreak in the morning
the troops were again in motion, and march
ing towards the field of battle! The Fed
eral troops had made a fierce attack Upon the
| right of Con. Lees line, and had been re-
pulsed. Again they came on and in in
creased force, until at last H6th's and Will
coxs DIVISIONS, in spite of their steady ala
determined fighting, were driven Back in con
fusion. With a cheer, the Fedora troops
pushed forward; our exhausted men could
do no more; there seelied no hope Of further
successful resistance but there was cloud,
of dust on the road, and Gen. Longstreet,
followed by his column. came rapidly on
kershaw's division was in advance; without
hating, the men filed into line, and charged
with furious yell Nothing could staud
before them-theY were inspired with ii1rious
unhesitating vuiur-the onset of the enemy
was checked, and the next moment they were
beinG: slowly driven back. Repeatedly did
the Federal officers bring up their shattered
regiments; feintotcements were p1t i'll only
t9. speedily broken aud the arrival OF Fields
division, aud the magnificent body of men
commanded by Gen. Robert Ahdersoh ena-
sbted Gen. Lee to re-cstablish his original line
We had LOST heavily ,silians of otir gtilliiit ie
had iallen; but the reverse Of the early morn
SO Tar complete.
1t iswelI kpowti tlihtthe SECTION Of country
Usually called the Wilderness" is covered
with II dense growth of pines, the under
growth of bushes aud briars being SO matted
and tangled that it is very difficult to force IL
way through it, while ut jistdiice of forty
or fifty yards the form of man could scarcely
be distinguished by any bit dIitk sighted
observer. The Federals were now resting
comparatively quiet, taking perhaps, u long
breath before frying it on -" again; but they
we've not to have it all their own way and we,
i'll turn, became the aggressVrs. Mahone's
Brigade, with, l think, Two otr ers, was Gr-
deled to move around and attack Grants
left; Gems. Lee and Lougstrcet. lying on the
ground near the plank road, quietly awaited
the result. The rapid firing QUICKLY told us
that the "dn!yS were at them; and, before
long. Il mounted officer rode up to announce
the successful completion of the movement.
Grants left had been routed and driven BACK
ON he centre, and the plan nOw was to ifake
u vigorous assault While the iton was hot, anu
so finisI, the work before US. The whole of
our corps wis i'll teadiuess to move, and Gen.
LotisStreSt and staff rGde down the plank
road, where portion of the corps was al
readS formed in column We liaa fiadeh bit
Il short distance, when Lieutenant Colonel
G. NJ. s., Assistant tA4aajjatant General Of
the First Army Corps, joiued u.s. He had
accompanied the tfankimg party, winning the
hearts OF Nlahone's Brigade by an exhibition
Of chivalrous gaIluntry, akin to that which
they have shown OH many bloody field;
aud he now brought ps the most encouraging
accounts Of the position Of affairs. General
Jenkins, noble son of South Carolina an
admirable officer and courteous gentleman,
was also with us, and his face was lit up with
h. i .Is
'ttCld Chief" 1t was now proposed to give
three cheers for General Longstrect; and
jenkins, fearing lest his men should appear
to be behind time, called out, Why don't
you cheer, men! Why don't you checr!"-
The air fairly rang with lusty shouts; again
and again the men cheered, till voices were
cracked and tears of exhaustion ran down
tSapy dusty Cheek: Every hedrt was con-
fdcnt and gaySahd SO We moved forward.
Suddenly the Swapping of a cap was heard
in the woods on our right, and then the re-
port of a musket, sounding strangely sharp
and clear Instinctively we turned, and there
long line of uniformed men. There was no
time for thought; another rifle shot was
heard, and another aud another, without al
instants pause the red fire flashed along the
entire line, and deadly volley was poured
into US. 1t was unexpected as the crack of
doom! Could it be the enemy, Or was it our
own men,, None of us could tell The
troops were for a moment thrown into confl-
sion, but they rallied Immediately under the
exhortations Of their officers. see it as
plainly now as if it were but yesterday. Gen.
! Longstrcet, curbing his horse, which plunged
with excitement, calm and infexible as a
statue of bronze. his head turned defantly
towards the firing, like some old Lion whom
the hunters had brought to bay; and Jenr
kils waving his hand to his men, while in
clear tones he cried: ''!SseUly men! 70,
God's sake Steddy ?" Poor fellow !. the
words were scarcely uttered, the name of his