The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-14
CHARGE OF CABELLs BRIGADE.


/
At daylight on October the 4th, 1862,
the roar Of batteries that had crept ST.
lently forward during the night, and
opened simultaneously upon the inner
| iutrenchments of Corinth, announced
to the sleeping aud weared troops, the
| beginning of the second days terrible
battle. We were held in reserve near
the edge of the woods, listening with
great Impotence to the rolling vOlleys
of musketry that came from the chars.
ing squadrons on our right and await
| ing with intense expectancy, the order
| to move forward. Shells were sweep
ing through the woods rending large
oaks and scattering the broken limbs
and branches over the lines of troops,
and at odd intervals, bursting over
head, raining down right and left upon
the awaiting columns, their iron lrag-
ments.
The order of battle issued on the
evening previous had been for Cahell
to place himself upon the left, and
when General Van Dorm, command
ing in person the center opened with
nineteen pieces of artillery tire left
was to put itself in motion, storm the
works in front, and sweeping down to
the right, double up the Federal lines
in their intrenchmcnts, but by some
| fatal error the immediate commander
of Cabell upon the left had ordered
this General to remain just where he
was until further orders. No orders
came.
The Wells immediately in front and
redoubled fire of cannon and musketry
now evidenced that the desperate is
sue of final charge was at hand, and
still we were held in reserve. We lay
upon our arms while our comrades
sorely needing our support were NOW
ed down like grass before the reaper.
At this moment Van Dorm dashed up
to the commander of the brigade, and
fiercely exclaimed, "Cabell, why do
YOU not make the attack as ordered
you?" The reply was, "General, here
are countermanding orders requiring
me to remain in reserve at this point
until ordered forward" "By Cd,
Cabell, | knew you were too old an
officer to disobey orders, but fear the
day is lost. Move to the left, and take
the works in 'front.'" were the quick,
incisive utterances of the commander
in-chief.
The ringing commands of shoulder
arms!n "trail armsw forward, double
uuick!r thrilled through the nerves of
two thousand men as they moved for
ward upon their terrible errand. 1t is
not for the writer to say that 1t was
| thnt nI,arnn eft
that particular juncture; it may
have been been that General Van Dorm
thought that there remained n
desuerate chance to regain the battle,
and so hoping against hope, hurled
into the very Jaws of death this de-
voted brigade We debauched from
the woods into the open field fronting
the works, amid storm of shell, can
lister and grape, passing brave wound
ed fellows, brought to the rear crying
out "give 'em hell, boys With
steady ranks, closing well up the va
cant breaches torn out by shot and
shell, on, stumbling over dead and
wounded comrades, amid the viperish,
rasping hiss OF minnie balls and hats
full of grape tearing the earth ana
grass at our feet through the smoke
and flash of field batteries and seige
guns. with the day lost beyond re-
trieve, with the broken, stricken col
umns falling back around us, sped
Cabelps brigade. The scene was fear
fully grand. The fuses of the enemy's
shells were now cut shorter, bursting
In the very faces of the char
ni,n troons the batteries to
fhe right and left turned their
Guns angling towards this doomed
command and with riccochetting shot
enfiladed the ranks. The brigdde WdS
charging Corinh almost atone: no
. time was given to catch your falllnlg
comrade in the arms, lay him gently
hock and receive from his trembling
Iirs his last words to the loved ones at
hame--often no time granted to STAN
NOR n single prayer to his God ere lie
, was snatched from his grasp. -,
The dim outline of the cap OF the
Federal soldiers as they crouched down
close to the earth works now appeared
throupb the smoke. The flashing muz-
zles of their Entields were but lew
t feet distant and with n wild yell, mn
! nj ferocious rush was made Tor the
4 works. Struck senseless at that mo-
S ment the writer knows only from inc
Inns of comrades what followed. a
i, considerable detachment threw them,
selves over the works and some OF thenN
GOT nearly to the Tishamngo Hotel
n The remainder were shot dwon or driV'
an hack with fearful slaughter. me
writar was carried to the field hosp'ta
Yitbin the works, and there listened
a with n soldiers pride to Federal en-
cnmiums upon this charge of a Reoe
:. q tbppi"ode~than which, in its desper
" ote Syalor, the old guard under Nay, a
n W. or the six hundred unde
o. Cardigan, at Balaclavo, did not surpsss