The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-01-07

The centre of Lees line, Louisiana
troops, lay in the road, with the
bluff at their backs. There was
no ditch or embankment, or cover
of any sort along this part of Lees
line; nor was there any obstacle to
the approach of the Federal forces,
except the steady rifles of the brave
men who that day achieved the
most signal victory of the war.
The troops of Lees wings were
much better posted than his CEN
tire; they were on more elevated
ground. Their front was in great
part securely covered by deep and
impossible assures or gulHes, which
the enemy could not discover until
within pointblank range, and their
fire could sweep the whole front ol
attack. About four o'clock p. M.
the enemy in a heavy column
marched out Of the timber beyond
the bayou, crossed the narrow neck
between the bayous, and marched
straight against Lees centre. The
column Of attack was commanded
by General Frank Blair, and moved
up in fine and formidable array
but so deadly was the fire of Lees
line, and so steady were his men,
that before the foremost enemy
could come within one hundred
yards, their lines were broken, the
attack was repulsed, the Federals
were retreating in disorder to the
cover, of the woods, leaving one
thousand dead, wounded and pris;
oners on the field, and General
Sherman was defeated, and from
that moment abandoned all further
efforts at an attacd, and turned all
his energies and attention to effect
a safe retreat, m
In no battle of the war was tht
disparity of numbers greater, OF
was the disparity in losses so great
Lee captured en- the ground two
hundred and fifty prisoners, officers
and men, who iu their fright hao
fallen down; our men thought them
dead, until examination proved
them to be entirely unhurt. Sew
eral hundred wounded were re.
moved by Lee to his own hospitals
and more than one hundred were
killed upon the field. Captain
Hamilton, of Lees staff, killed by
the explosion of caisson, was the
only Confederate killed; ten others
were wounded, and this was Lees
whole loss.
i x
The conduct of Sherman during
this, bis first Independent expedi
ton, is open to criticism. The
grandeur Of his intentions and prep
arations is in strong contrast with
the impotent conclusion. His de-
lay and hesitation in making his
attack, the feebleness of that at.
tack, and his unjustifiable readiness
to abandon the whole enterprise
evinced incapacity for command
i His attempt to evade admitting that
4 tbe battlefield was Lees in not ap.
| plying at once for a truce to bury
his dead, and his petty assumption
of dignity in causing a subordinate
officer to sign the letter which he
finally sent requesting truce, and
the gross neglect Of his gallant dead
consequent upon this unsoldieraike
course, were characteristic of the
man who has proclaimed that
Wade Hampton's troops burned
! Columbia, aud that his did not, and
who announces that "the honor Of
military men is very different from
the honor of politicians"
In pleasing contrast with sher-
mans conduct of this battle was
that of his antagonist, Brigadicr.
General Stephen D. Lee. Twenty
years younger than Sherman, he
was yet a soldier of tried expert
cnce, and was fresh from the army
of Northern Virginia, that school
of war commanded by the great
master of the art, and had borne 8
conspicuous part in all Of its great
battles. Like Sherman, Lee was
now commanding for the first time
on field where all was committed
ito the hazard of battle. The Odds
against him were fearful-near ter
to one-and it was not possible te
perceive that the advantages Of po
ssition were so strongly in his favor
as to compensate for his unequal
numbers. A commander Of less
experience and nerve than Lee
might have posted the centre Of
his army on the bluff instead OF III
the road at its base. But Lee per-
ceived that if his line were on the
Ibluff there would be a dead angle
along its front Of such CHI, extent Sten1 Haa that
the enemy would be safe from hre
long way off, and could carry MS
tposition by escalade. Therefore nc
resolved to receive the attack al
the base of the bluff, and to depend
on the craftsmanship Of his troops
and their tried courage, animated
by his example, for his sole defence
While Sherman never during the
battle showed himself in its front
Ihpt remoined with his reserves