The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-04

80 IE6 HIlJBr mas gIftH ~ eti ~. - ~
count Of tho unfortunate cngagelnehb al
HAppAHANHoCE BRIDGE,
faY tbn ,.aaann tl,at. Immediately after the
aaat,yra1re IL was misunderstood ana mis-
represented by some who were noh present
and were not familiar with the circumstances
u was declared by these Ignorant oIi J., tiiat
Hays Brigade had been surprIsed II en- un-
fsnable position by ous-half Of Meade's army,
and had met the fate that naturally and inev-
ftably awaited 1t. The writer has shown
coneluHively, he thinks-ttat, we were not
surprised: that the movements Of the enemy
had been discovered and reported to division
Headquarters fourteen hours before the as
sault was made: that Col Penn urgently re-
Tlested permission OF Gen, Early TO with
draw bis troops, but was refused, because the
positive order TO hold the position at all
hazards had emanated from his (Early'sl cons
fnHnding officer. That the advance OF Gen.
Meade was q surprise cannot be controversial,
but the blame for the consequences should
have attached TO the auperiors In rank TO COL
Penn al officer as distinguished for prudence
and sagacity as for valor and intrepidity in
battle.
On the eighteenth Of November the enemy
Gen. Lee, after hating near Brandy Station
to 40 Into line Of battle, Withdrew his troops
10 his old position behind tho Rapidan. His
army was In a miserable plight. the commits
sarlat was poorly supplied, while thousands
s ss s hen Tge oonHe ea Co 9 es s1 tSe
fensiye, OF oven to await an attack from Gen
Meade between the Rappahannoek and
Napidan rivers. But the recuperatve powers
OF Che Army OF Northern Virginia were won
sixth of November, naugurated his Mine
Hun expedition, Gen. Lee was prepared to
march TO meet him, and eager for the fray.
MIME HUN.
On the twenty-sixth OF November, tnforma-
tion having been received that Gen. Meade
had crossed the Rapldan at Germania Ford,
twenty miles below. and was marching In, the
direction Of Locust Grove with the evident
design of getting around Gen. Lees position
and selling the turnpike and plank road lead
ing from Fredericksburg TO Richmond, the
Army of Northern Virginia was put In mo-
Gen. Lee pursued the came course he subse-
auently did ON tho occasion Of Grants move
ment upon the Wilderness. Though his army
was small, he marched twelve miles TO meet
Gen. Meade and give him battle. It Is need
less to enter largely into the details of this
ffuitless expedition of the Federal COM
mRnder. Ewells corps, early next morning,
crossed Mine Run, q small fordable stream,
Tavern, being confronted by Warren's Fifth)
Corps with which heavy skrmshng contln-
tied for several hours.
On this, day l7renohs Third Corps, having
issed the rs ,oad ran up against Johnson
Second Louisiana Brigade, and . hard and
brilliant engagement onsued. which lasted
until afternoon. Though French had four
men 10 Johnsun's one, the latter administered
ito. him a sound thrashlng French admitted
d loss OF one thousand men, while Juhnson's
casualties amounted to four hundred and
fifty. French fell back on Warren's Corps
and night put On end to further lighting
Hills Corps having arrived, Ewell was with
drawn from his advanced position to the west
side, OF Mine run; the whole army went to
work Telling trees aud building Notifications,
and by the. morning Of the twenty-eighth,
sGan. Lee held q position superior In natural
and artificial advantages, to any hitherto o.
enpied by his army In Virginia. The Confed-
crate line extended some six miles along a
range Of heights, which was in itself strong
position, beng, by singular freak OF nature,
formed after the most approved principles OF
Fertilization, consisting, III short, Of -four OF
five well defined tacngs Of unequal length.
occupying space of more than three thous-
and yards, with such angles of defense that
the troops manning the line were able to en-
iilade every avenue of approach, while both
Hanks were SO
STRONGLY POSTED
as to defy almost any effort to turn Them
The country In the roar and on the TANKS was
NJ dnnsely wooded and tho approaches were
rendered difficult by the marshy ground COW
cred with thick undergrowth that bordered
Mine Run, which flowed along the entire
front, alta distance Of 1900 yards from it.
Gen. Meade, after having passed the TWEEN
ty-eighth In accommodating Gen. Lees posi-
5 tloil, resolved upon plan OF action which, was,
that Gen. Warren, with 10000 men, was to at
tempt to turn the Confederate right while
4 sedgwiok, with the Fifth and Sixth Corps,
endeavored to turn the left French in the
meantime, to hold tho line between Warren
and Sedgwict but not to engage in the at.
tack
On the morning Of the thirtieth of Novem-
ber Sedgwick's and Frenchs big guns com
menced their hoarsc barking at us, at the
same time heavy skirmish lines were ad
yanced, and all the signs portended the near
approach Of a great conflict. Never were men
more eager, almost wild, for a fight than the
Confederates at that iunoture Ranged along
the crest of the lofty works which kind
nature in fantastic mood. seemed to have up
heaved for their special benefit and protec-
tion--crowned and perfected by Notifications
which their own skill and industry had
etected--they felt able to hurl back any force
however powerful, that might be brought
against them. Cheer after cheer-or rather
yell after yell--rang out all along the line at
the glorious prospect of q
SURE AND SPEEDY VICTORY.
But not a gun was heard from Warren in
response to the laundering of SedgwieS's
and Frenchs artillery-not a sound was
waited by the breeze to Meade's expeotant ear
TO Indicate that his lieutenant had commenced
his part of the grand programme of battle.
Warren, who was one of the ablest engineer
his powerful force in front Of the Confederate
right; but readily perceived that the works
were lmpregnable- that. like the armor of an
ancient knight, they, were so strongly and
fifty Joined together that there was no crack
on crevice into which the point of an enemys
lance could be introduced. He positively re-
fused to attack, magnanimously choosing
rather ito sacrifice himself then his COM
mand." Gen. Meade, after a personal exami-
nation, coincided with his lieutenant as to the
impracticability of attacking Gen. Lees right
and the magnificent plan of the Federal COM
mander had been rendered unavailable by the
skillful and judicious manner In which Gen.
Lee had posted his little army.
On the night of the first of December, Gen.
Lee, growing impatient at Meade's hesitation
to attack, determined to take the initiative
and bring on q general engagement. With
this view he extended the line of Ewell's
corps, now commanded by Early, so that it
occupied the whole line Of works, and sent
: Hills corps to make detour around the enc
my's left flank with instructions to open the
light at daylight, When day dawned on the
second 1t was discovered that Meade's army
ho,