Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-11-21
A Reminfscenee Of the Battle Of Spottsyl-
vanilla Court House Gen. Lee to the
2 Rear! - e@i ''A

vanilla Court House Gen. Lee to III,
Rear! ~ LF9e- s.i ''A'i 3r-
l. 1i sa8'E .Ga-- 80 sn,ds9
At the recent reunion and banquet
Of the army of Northern Virginia, held
during the State Fair in Richmond,
our townsman, Col. James H. Skinner,
IN response TO the toast in honor Of
"Our Infantry" gave an account of a
memorable incident in, the Battle OIL
Spottsylyania Court House, which we
are so sure will be- interesting to our
readers that we have sought the priv.
lege of layirgit before them in the fol-
lowing extract Z Is -7r- ..-.- -,
Our infantry not only encountered
with cheerfulness all the trials and
hardships of the camp and of the march,
but in the fierce encounters of battle
displayed a proud selfreliancc, with
which the annals OF other wars and
ether armies can scarce furnish a
parallel. Let one notable instance.
out OF many, suffice for illustration. It
was on the memorable morning OF the
18th of May, "a. in the battle O!
spottsylVania {. H. In the early dawn
our army had suffered a fearful disaster.
An assault by Haneock's corps had
broken our lines, and swallowed Ut
almost a division, including the larger
part Of the famous Stonewall Brigade.
Early's division was forthwith sum.
moned to retrieve Impossible our loss,
and re-establish our lines through the
gap, IN which the enemy were pouring
1t was an appalling crisis in our affairs,
which called for the presence aud diree
ton Of our noble Commander in Chief
He placed himself in front Of the divi.
sion, as though intending to lead the
charge n person. Traces Of anxiety
could be read, Or at least fancied, OF
even his uniformly calm and impertur.
bable brow. Cur own tried and trusted
Chief of division was that day com.
mauding corps, but the mantle of an
Early could not have fallen on worthiei
shoulders than those Of the heroic John
B. Gordon. The line dlvining Gen.
Lees purpose, insisted that he shoule
abandon 1t, each heart felt that in his
life the fortunes of the Confederacy
were, under God, bound up. This
brave division, though il would have
gioried to distinguish itself under the
immediate leadership fits Commando,
in Chief, were unwilling to the unneces.
sary hazard Of his Invaluable life. They
knew that led by Gordon-as they
frequently had done under Early-they
could and would accomplish all that
lay in the power Of men, and therefore
from the ranks the cry arose, "Gen.
Lee to the rear!" This is the incident
to. which Gen. Lee himself reluctantly
referred, and locates in the battles in
around Spottsylyania Court House.
He yielded to the demand Of his men,
who had no doubt by this time inspired
him with the fullest confidence, and by
the hand Of Gen. Gordon his horse was
led through an opelAng made in Capt.
James Bumgardner's company, the
color company Of the SD Va, infantry
the regiment which your speaker had
the honor to command. Gen. Gordon
Immediately thereafter gave to the
division the order to charge, and with a
wild yell it sprang toward. Hundreds
Of brave men fell in its onward rushing
progress; but Hancock's corps were
driven before them like autumn leaves
before fierce winters blast, they were
forced far beyond our trenches, our line
was substantially re-established, and
the day saved to the army of Northern
Va. We read how in the terrible
charge at Lodi the veteran grenadiers
of France, though flushed with many
recent Victories, 'faitered until their
Little Corporal" as they afterwards
loved to call him, ard several of theii
brave generals rushed TO the lead, but
the infantry ofNorthern Va, in this
more deadly destructive charge, I'M
selfshly denied themselves the privi-
lege Of being led by one who inspired
them with an enthusiasm not inferior
to that WHICH the presence of Ma
poleon could awaken in the zenith Of
his fame. .-.-.-.