The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-31

anu DllDS Daca accurate information, not OF
what be heard but what be sa,u-s trough
and-ready man, not in the sense in which
the phrase was once applied to one of the
Presidents of the United States, but e rough I,
on the enemy, and "ready" to obey at ali
times the orders or wishes Of his chief. Such
an one was Colonel Charles S. Venable, the
trusted staff officer of General r. E. Lee,
whom he took great pleasure in now intro
ducing to the vast audience as the chosen
speaker for this annual re1nion.
COLONEL yEsABLE's ADDRESS.
Those interested in the truth of Confede-
rate history were expecting q rare treat IN
the address Of this gallant soldier and conf
dential staff officer of our great chieftain, and
they were not disappointed. With a grace
full allusion to the occasion, and an expires.
sion of his willingness to do everything in
his power to promote the objects of the As
sociation, Colonel Venable said that he pro-
posed to give brief outline of some facts
and incidents Of the campaign of the Army
of Northern Virginia from the Wilderness
to Petersburg, which might be of use to some
future seeker after historic truth.
He proposed to give facts and incidents Of
that campaign of which he was eyewitness,
illustrating at the same time the character of
our great leader and the heroiSm Of his SOL
diers. He proceeded with most deeply in.
teresting and valuable details, only few OF
which we have space to give. When, in the
early days of May, 1864, Grant crossed the
river with 100000 men, General Lee could
command less than $4,000 of all arms, and
yet he boldly marched to attack him, having
in hand when he first struck Grants col
umn only 10000 men.
He gave vivid picture of the battle
on the plank-road fought on the evening of
the 5th Of May between Wilcox and Heth'S
divisions, of A. P. HIPS corps, when (under
the immediate eye Of General Leg this he
roc band Of only 10000 beat back the 10000
with which Hancock made repeated assaults
upon them.
He also spoke of Ewell's splendid success
on the old turnpike, where, with $1,000
men, he had driven back Warren's corps,
and illustrated the unexpected boldneSS of
General Lees strategy by quoting the re-
mark Of General Meade when the columns
came in collision: "They have left a divi-
sion to fool us here while they concentrate,
and prepare position on the North Anna ;
! and what want is to prevent these fellows
| from getting back to Mine Rum"
He yividly pictured the battle of the next
morning, when Hills two divisions, which
had become aware that they were to he re.
| lieved by Longstreet, and were not in the
best fighting trim. were violently assaulted
before LoDgstreet had come up, and a por-
| ton Of them had been forced back several
hundred yards, when Longstreet's men dou-
blc.qucked mile and half, and went into
the fight with the widest cheering and en-
| thusiasm. He gave the correct version of
that splendid historic incident of Gregg's
Texas brigade pausing in their advance
as they saw their loved leader going
into the fight, and Yocifealing "Go
back. General Lee; so back General
| Lee: and told how confidence was
| at once restored to HilPs brave men, the
whole. line swept forward, the flank attack
| was made, and Hancock was driven back in
q confusion that would probably have re-
suited III utter rout but for the unfortunate
| wo,ndirg of Longstrect just mt this juno
| ture.
He'told the story OF Grants flank move.
| ment to Spotsylyanin Courthouse, aud how
| splendidly Stuart with his cavalry assisted
by part of Anderson's infantry held il
check overwhelming numbers until Genera
Lee could get into position.
He then gave an account Of the repulse o
Hancock by Heth's division, under Early. in
its attempt to turn Lees flank, and the ter
rible repulse which Kershaw's and Fields.
divisions gave the enemy in their repeated
attacks on their lines, even though the odds
against them were fully five to one. He
gave striking incidents illustrating the hero
ism of our Men in these fights.
He gives the account Of the breaking o
Rhodes's lines on the 10th, and tells of the
gallant style in which they retook them
under the eye and in the immediate presence
of General Lee, whom the troops again beg
| ged to go to the rear.
He gave the details of the disaster to John.
ston's division on the memorable 10Th o
May (eXonerating that noble old Roman from
all blamel by which We lost three thousand
prisoners and eighteen pieces Of artillery
and told of the splendid courage by which a
| new line just in the rear was formed, against
| which the blue waves dashed in vain.
He gave an incident of the refusal of Har.
ris's Mississippi brigade..to 60 into the fight
with General Lee, and brought out the point
that this incident occurred seuerdl times Ia
this campaign, and that General Lee, when
written to after the war about it, only men.
tons one lin reply to direct question $50
modest and unpreteDding was be that such
incidents were regarded by him as of minor
importance.
He claimed that while others did mos,
noble service, Rhodes and Ramseur were
the real heroes Of that memorable 18th o
May.
He said that in reply to the question fire.
quently asked why General Lee sent the
Government no telegram about the battle ol
the 18th, that he did send a telegram thai
evening.
lie then sketched the further progress OIL
the campaign by which Lee fOiled Grant al
the North Anna, gave him 4 crushing defeat
at Cold Harbor, and finally forced him to lay
siege to Petersburg, which he might have
done at the beginning of the campaign with.
| out the loss OF single man.
This narrative is interspersed with touch.
| ing and valuable historic incidents, which
| we regret our want Of space will not allow
us to give; but this will all doubtless be
published in full, and will give the future
historian invaluable material. ay
His summing up was as follows:
He bad not designed to give reoier, but
only a few incidents Of the campaign. But
| few more general statements of this creates,
campaign OF that army would not be out o
place. On the 4th OF Nay four radiating In
vading columns set out simultaneously fol
the conquest of Virginia. The old State
which had for three years known little ely
Esave the tramp Of armed iesions, was now Z
be closed. In by circle Of fire, from th'
mountains 10 the seaboard. s.. te
. Through The Southwestern mountain
passes; through the gates OF the Lowe
Valley; front he battle-scarred wales Of th,
Rappahannock !; from the Atlantic seaboart
to the waters Of the James, came the serriet
lhosts on field and food, numbering NOR,
j Ssnna.,Llo1 is,f TIT, i,o