The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-23

Col Igylor hnd dsn. Hsth, ne was on ths ffsd
in full time to direct ali the movt ms6ts ooHing
10 IL pursuit and tho realization Of the isgifi-
mate fru ts OF tho success that had been gained.
future to seiss Cemetery lIii thu AFTERNOON
should rest exclusively on Ewelis shoulders.
Col. Allan's criticism. therefore, to that extent.
the others but 1t Is to bs remarked that neither
ot these gentleman give % solitary " reeson for
snne I ' ON ' eond Y have m " Ue EHg M eg 9
that Tho seizure OF that hill on the afternoon of
the ist won 4 havs bsen gf materiel advantages
to US. All this is assumed.
.. Without eQntroverting any fact stated by Col
Taylor on his own KIN ,wed 20 tths otter gentle-
men ate no faets in this eognsetion), j propose
70 show that thsy Ars oil uudsr q ui+apprehsn-
sion as to the real facts OF the cass, aud that oil
of their eonisetur9s and speoulationa in regard
part on tho afternoon OF the 1st have no basis to
rest on.
ID order TO got at what are called ths bottom
fasts aff 'eting the question In hand will givs
% detailed account Of what came under my per-
sonal observation on that day. and my own part
II is only necessary to refer to ths wsll.known
facts that the advance Of Hsth's division on The
rohd from Cnshtown. supported by pender's,
who had eatnped ut Hsidlefsberg tho night bs,
Tore aud was ON his way, to Cnshtown, oams
down or on tho road from dummasbursh about
O'clock D. m nbd became engaged on Heth's
left | arrived about an hour after Hodss got
gp. ! had marched from abont tnrse, miles
perhaps more Of course as was mo Ing 81
hiysiob hs fsaaTea ea s,t tS sSs m to got my my
then holding his lin ' On the north Of ths town
brigade had not seen Ewsll OF R9des since
tho night before, and had Oh my march merely
reeeived directions from Ewell, ~ . note sent
~ b courier, 70 move towards 70 GettyeR2grg, as
Hlli was advancing. on that plaes. Without
waiting to .commpaicats with Kodes o. szsi
utt, Hdas.sE mr.
1oB's. Hays and Hoks'stbs latter oonmaad.d
by Cql. Avery: Smih's brigade being posted
fink from some cavalry reported TO bs on il
Gordon first struck Barlows d gision and drove
i 6ack y great dsordsr Htys ,s aud Ayeiy then
routed that driving itthroueh the town. Hays'
roand S"s darea or sr s sd on s 9 Il PEE ss
town, dordons ammunition had been
nearly 2. exhausted. and hg b, had stopp q to refill
brigades had been very prompt. and rapid, and
brought them on the rear aud flank Of the force
con- lronting Rodes. That force tnsn commenced
falling back and the rout soon became gem
eral. The troops from kodss. front moved TO
our right Of the towa. followed by his division.
nary Hill coming back also. / sent Tor Smiths
brigade, and for my artillery also: tut Smith
dd ana not Gfgms and Sent gfeona eco Gd time Before
passi9g 70 the right Of the town toward Ceple-
tsry Hill, had g2t out OF reaen. re Cd With the
snssess r2ae % s9 he t 2g pas he
and found Hays forming line along street on
he left OF the, town. The euemy had begun fir
my line was formed. and still continued II, II
was very ap pparent that force was there which
n. had not partlsipated n The fight below. and
town nearest the hill ana from the foot OF the
latter. As soon as saw that Hays had formed
bshna % low pdge IL ri hs sd as % na
Ewsll and Rodes, or either. to urge that We
should advance at once ueon the hill in our
some OF Isodes' Brigade in the west part Oh the
toyn Just formleg line. but did not find him.
Cashtown road to look at the position from tnat
point Of view. and seeii | could flni Ewell or
der's Division. who had ridden to the town after
the enemy had been driven from Il, and re-
1uested him 70 go and tel Gen. Hill that II he
hat hill. None OF Hills troops h,ad advanced
beyond seminary Ridge. In = very short time
formed me that Ewell had sent him TO tell me
that johnson was coming up. and 70 ask me
where thought he ought to be put. The enemy
from from Bis artillery ali around. Whil Coi. smsa1
and myself were having ? hurried conversation
ab h ut the subject OF his message. with tho
grest ezeitement. and told me h" That Gen. asn.
Yolk road with infantry, artillery and cavalry.
and that he could not hold him back. Gen.
Smith had not obsyed my order wden sent for
that road. had no faith in the report myself
but knowing the effect such repo T rnusG have
@ 'oY Of IT, e ras woad fd bTng ri The ensmy
In the rear immediately ordered one Of my
s'aff officers TO 60 and tell Gordon TO take his
brigade out on the York road and take COM
mand Of Smiths also, and stop that stamped
Ali this had taken place In a very few mo-
panf md in he irro r had dnateg nd
to Col. smead Culp's. Hill. the wooded hfli east
Of the town and adjoining Cemetery Hill. as the
as 1t evidently comm ded the ensmy's position.
Gen. Ewsll, stating that he wished 70 ses me in
informed me that Johnson WAS coming on and
would soon pc uD. and he repea'ed the question
as to which thought the best position for John
sons division. j pointed out to him CuIp's
Hill as the proper position for Johnson. and
urged the proPpfiiety pi pf pushing on and eaptur-
with him ur the street towards the hill to recon-
Boitre; but. as We We're proceeding that way.
We were stopped by FIR e !, fr9n m the enens
Ewell was not disposed to make the advance
until Johnson arrived. because Rodes' Division
staesand only two Of my NY bTigades Es wsre avail
of the enemys advance In. force on the York
gades In that direction to prevent panic and
protect our flank and rear. II there should be
any truth In the rspor That was S ~ nS nsans
q a., Or near Hanover the g., day before: and cel.
march baek had reported to me that force Of
the enemy's infantry II and cavalry ha been on
ing for Johnson's arrival rode out OF the town
a short distance to looz out on the York road
which was visible for nearly or quite two
miles, to sec If we could dir cover any indf-
CATIONS OF the enemy's vance; ! placed no
confidence In the rumor, bat Rodes was In
clined to believe it. while Ewell seemed at a loss
as to what oDini to form, as the reports came
mairiy from struggling cayalrymen. some of
Wnnm. think. were waits from the battlefield
of Hanover.
While we were discussing the matter, a line Of
9 skirmishers was seen away out on our right OF
the York road. as we stood. apparently adyanc-
ing towards us. when ROdes exclaimed, There
they come .now!". To this / replied. in some
what, emphatic language. that it could not
be the enemy; that Gordon was out there;
and II the enemy was advancing hs would cer-
tainly be firing On him. 1t must be recollected
that it was very hard to distinguish between the
blue and the gray. at a distance. az both looked
dark. To solve the doubt. LeuE. T. T. Turner.
~ Lrx,aI ckafY onIP bark n ID ~ ina