The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1872-04-20

80
est to the members Of Gen. n. ii
Harris Miss. Brigade, the following
letter of Col. Chas. 5. Venable, late
of Gen. Lees staff, to Gen. Harris,
in response to a letter of inquiry in
relation to the incidents of the 18th
of May, 1864. A company of this
county-the Sardis Blues-were in
Harris Brigade, and participated IN
the terrible fight mentioned
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA,
Nov. "a, 1871.
My Dear General:
Your letter of August Oath, was
duly received. | sought Il copy of
Major Cooks life of Gen. Lee, and
read therein the myth concerning
the battle scene Of May 18th, 1864.
at Spottsylvania Courthouse. Major
Cook has evidently confounded Gin a
disordered way,) some incidents OF
the fight on a portion of Rhodes
front on the afternoon OF the 10th of
May, when Gordon and others
urged Gen. Lee to retire from the
front, with the great battle of May
18th. You do right not to permit
so gross a misstatement of facts,
which robs the brave Mississippians
whom you commanded of their
proper need of glory, to pass unno>
ticed.
You ask me to relate the incidents
of the 18th of May, connecting Gen.
Lee with your brigade, in the bloody
battle Of that day.
Gen. Rhodes had immediate charge
of the troops who held the enemy at
bay in the angle of our works, which
they had captured at dawn, and he
may justly be called the hero of the
battle of the salient. The enemy, il
attempting to press their advantage
massed their troops and made re.
peated assaults with overwhelming
odds on the troops sent to oppose
their further progress within oul
lines. Rhodes sent from time tc
time urgent messages for more troops
Brigade after brigade was ordered tc
his assistance as they could be spared
from other portions OF the lines, On
the receipt Of one of these messages
from Rhodes, Gen. Lee sent me t.
our extreme right, occupied by Gen
Malone to bring up your brigade
You moved rapidly across the oper
space In rear Of the courthouse
When you had reached a point on
the courthouse road, near Gen. Lees
position on the line, the brigade was
halted for a few minutes. Gen. Lee
rode up alone during this halt, and
gave orders that you should move al
once to Gen. Rhodes assistance, ant
as the column moved on he rode a
your side at its head. We soon came
under the fire of the enemy's artillery
This excited Gen. Lees horse, and al
he was in the act OF rearing, a rount
shot passed under his belly, very
near the Generals stirrup. Thu
men of the brigade cried out, "GC
back, General Go back For Cod
sake, go back" and perhaps som'
made a motion to seize his bride
He then said, "If you will pfomis'
me to drive those people from on
works, | will 60 back. The mel
shouted their promise with a will
Gen. Lee then gave me orders t.
guide the brigade to Gen. Rhodes
We found Gen. Rhodes near the ia
nous spring within a few rods 0
the line of battle held by our ex
hausted troops. AS the column 0
Mississippians came up at a doubl'
} quick, an aid-de-camp came to Gen
t Rhodes with a message from Ram
!, sour that he could hold out only
few minutes longer unless assistanc
4, was at hand.
| Your brigade was thrown instant
e ly into the fight, the column bein,
h formed into line under a tremendou
fire, and on very difficult grount
: Never did a brigade go into ba.tl
' under greater trials; never did
brigade do its duty more nobly. Tb
entire salient was reeaptured, an
the progress ofthe enemy was checke
and they were driven into a spac
in the angle which they had occu
pied.
c The disaster of the morning wa
retrieved. and our troops held the
. difficult position under a heavy, VI
ceasing fire during the remainder {
the day and the entire night. The
were withdrawn before light on ii
9 morning Of the 18th, to the rifle phi
constructed under Gordon's suveI
. vision while the battle was raging,
short distance in real Of the old lin
The enemy abandoned the capture
salient on the same day as useless
e them, or perhaps a ruse preparation
l. to a grand assault on our left, 0
dered BY Gen. Grant at daylight
the 14tb, this we learned from cal
, tured copies of his battle order
e His troops. however, failed to con
Of up to the attack.
I'M L.. II Al.n aalinnf mich l.