The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-23
i vOrCE FROM THE CoNFEDERA CY
Harris Mississippi Brigade at spOttsyI-
vania,

Harris Mississippi Brigade at spOttsyI-
vanIa.
The following letter will be found of special
Interest to our Mississippi friends. The
original Of it, signedby Gen. Ewell, was given
to us some weeks ago by Mr.. Peter Baker
now Of Mobile, who was an officer OF one Of
Che Adams county companies in the Sixteenth
Mississippi regiment The brother of Lieut..
Baker was colonel of the Sixteenth at the
battle OF Spottsylvania, and was killed In
that bloody conflict. A. M. Feltus, lieutenant
colonel OF the same regiment, was also killed
Ahpre-shot through the heart while receiving
some instructions from Gen. Ewell. Major
Council was terribly wounded and the adiu-
tant OF The regiment killed In the same fight.
The other regiments Of the brigade, the
Twelfth, Nineteenth and Forty-eghth, were
as badly cut up as the Sixteenth, losing many
Of their officers. The fact that an oak tree,
twelve inches in diameter. In front Of the en-
trenchments held by this brigade, was literal
" cut down by the bullets of the enemy,
shows the terrible fire on that part of the
line.
When this brigade was organized after the
battles around Richmond, in which all its
regiments there In separate brigades partiCi-
pated, Gen. Featherston communicate. After
his transfer to another command Col. Posey,
of the Sixteenth Mississippi, was promoted
To the command Of the brigade. He received
a wound at Bristow Station, of which he died
d few weeks afterwards in Charlottesville.
Col. NJ II. Harris, Of the Twelfth Mississippi,
succeeded Posey and commanded the brigade
a. hnn f,ln Of
foot-sore, wounded, half-starved and battle
SCARED veterans of Appomattox.
Gen. Harris, who commanded the brigade
Mt Spottsylvania and to whom Gen. Ewell's
letter below is addressed is now resident OF
VicSsburg, Miss, and borne in affectionate
remembrance by the surviving soldiers who
served under him.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF HENRrCo.
Richmond. December ~, 1864.
Gen. N. H.. Harris, Commanding Brigadier
General:
have omitted to acknowledge services
rendered by your brigade on the twelfth OF
may last of SpottSylvania, not from any want
of appreciation, but because [ wish my
thanks to rest upon the solid foundation of
official reports. The manner in which your
brigade charged over the hill to recapture
cur works was witnessed by me with intense
admiration for men who could so calmly adj
vance to what seemed and proved almost GER
tain death. have never seen troops under
hotter fire than was endured by your brigade
on this day-together with some others.
Major Gen. Ed. johnson, since his exchange,
has assured me that the whole strength of
the enemy's army was poured into the gap
caused by the capture of his command. He
estimates the force engaged at this point on
their side at 10000, besides Birney's whole
command Of perfectly fresh troops. Prison
ers, from all their three corps were captured
hy lis. Two divisions of my corps, your bri
0ade and two others, one OF which was scarce
III engaged, confronted successfully this Inn
Ylense host, and not only won from them
nearly all the ground they had gained, but 80
shattered their army that they were unable
fo make q serious attack until they received
fresh troops.
tenth Mississippi Regiment while under my
command from Front Royal to Malvern Hill.
am glad 10 see, from q trial more severe
than IL experienced while in my division, that
the regiment is Ia a brigade OF which 1t may
well be proud.
r.. S. EwELL,
Lieutenant General
Official: w. r. Stone, A. A. and l. g., Harris
Brigade
Special order of Lieut.. Gen. r. $. Ewel,
conmendatory OF Harris Mississippi Brigade