The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-05


rout and confusion acted like magic
upon his men, and the example of his
division, checking each rebel onset
with it's firm and steady lines, rean-
mated the broken regiments. and
fred them with it's own determined
spirit of resistance.
Overpowered and driven from it's
advanced position, Crooks command
now endeavored to form on the left of
the Sixth corps, which itself in turn
was soon obliged to fall back. While
the movement was going on, the trains
were all rapidly moving off, though
imminently exposed to capture. Sher.
idan's headquarters train was partic-
ularly in peril, and a desperate effort
to save it was made, which proved
successful, just as the enemy's trium-
plant lines were sweeping down upon
the train.
Col. Hayes brought his division to a
halt, and met them with a firm resist
ance. Some of his regiments waver-
ing under the terrible fire, Col. Hayes
gallopped forward to rally his men.
and mounting a slight declivity was
confronted at less than a hundred
yards by the enemy's infantry, which
Instantly delivered volley of bullets
and yells. Hayes horse fell dead
beneath him, pierced by many bullets,
and by the suddeness of its fall, while
at full speed, flung it's rider violently
out of the saddle. Col. HAYES was
terribly bruised, and his foot and ankle
badly wrenched in being disengaged
from the stirrup. For a moment the
soldiers on both sides supposed him to
be killed, as he lay upon the ground
benumbed with pain, and scarcely able
to move. Recovering himself, how
tver. he sprang to his feet. and in
che midst of a perfect storm of bullets
from the rebels, who were now almost
upon him, ran back to his division,
which he regained without further in
jury. Meanwhile the Headquarters
train had escaped, and the division
being no longer supported on rear or
flank. resumed it's backward movement.
The fighting now grew more and more
stubborn on the union sides; the ene-
my, wearicd with marching and fight
ing, and tempted with camp plumber,
more and more relaxed his pursuit,
and ut last, in a position of their own
selection, they were brought to dead
halt. The enemy seemed to content
himself with Smelling them, and for
the time being made no further de-
monstration. Gen. Comfy, then COM
handing the 23d Ohio, of Hayes divi-
sion, thus described the scene and what
followed:
Gen. Crook lay Il couple of rods
away from the line, in place which
seemed to be more particularly exposed
than any other part of the line. Col.
Hayes lay close ny, badly bruised from
his fall, and bitterly complaining be-
cause his troops did not charge the
enemy's line, instead of waiting to be
charged. Suddenly there is dust in
the rear, on the Winchester pike, and
almost before they are aware young
man in full major general uniform. and
riding furiously magnificent black
horse, literally fiocked with foam,
reins up and springs offat Gen. Crook S
side. There is a perfect roar as ev-
erybody recognizes Sheridan. He talks
with Crook a little while, cutting away
at the tops of the weeds with his rid.
ing-Whip. Gen. Crook speaks a half
dozen sentences that sound a great
deal like the crack of a whip. and by
that time some of the staff are ND.
They are sent flying in different direc-
tions.
Sheridan and Crook lie down and
seem to be talking, and all is quiet
again, except the vicious shells of the
different batteries and the roar of ar
tillery along the line. After a while
Col. Forsyth comes down in front and
shouts to the general The Nineteenth
corps is close up, sir Sheridan Jumps
up gives one more cut with his Whip.
whirls himself around once, jumps on
his horse, and starts up the line.
Just as he starts, he says to his men:
owe are going to have good thing on
them now. boys and so he rode off.
a long wave of yells rolling up to the
right with him. The men took their
posts, the line moved forward, and
the balance of the day is a household
word over the whole nation.''
The advance here described began
at 3 o'clock P. NJ, the men moving
steadily and confidently forward over
the wooded and broken ground, the
screams of shells and rattle of musket-
ry at the same time swelling into a flu
rious chorus along the whole line.
Quickly the enemy's front line was
carried by a brilliant charge and his
left decidedly turned, Gordon's divi-
sion, which led the attack in the NOR
ming, having been outf1anked and brok-
ell. Then came a pause in the adj
vance, but not in the fight, as the ene-
my opened with his full artillery force
now largely strengthened by his cap
lures. The different divisions were