Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-06-28

HaFFEs's MassslPp HFgude ae
8petuBylVanla.

A4NHEa - ANAaaARH AE 9ae 81
BpetuBylVaBla.
New Orleans Democrat, 2Sd.l
The following letter will be found of
special interest 10 our Mississippi
friends, The original Of Il, signed By
Gen. Ewell, was given TO ns some
weeks ago BY Mr.. Peier Baker, now Of
Mobile, who was an officer OF one OF
the Adams county companies In the
Sixteenth Mississippi regiment. Tue
brother Of Lieut.. Baker was Colonel
Of the S xleenth at the battle Of SpOtt-
sylvania, and was killed in that bloody
conhic'. A. NJ. Feltus, Lieutenant
Colonel OF the same regiment, was also
killed there-shot through the heart
while receiving some instructions from
Gen. Ewell. Major Council was terri.
bly, wounded aud the Adjutant of the
regiment killed IN the same fight. The
other regiments Of the brigade, the
Twelfth, Nineteenth and Foriy-eighlb,
were as badly cut up as The SIX eentb,
losing many Of their officers. The fact
that an oak tree, twelve inches in
diameter, in front of the en'rench.
menls held by This brigade, was literal
ly cut down by the bullets Of the enc
my, shows the terrible fire on that part
Of the line.
When this brigade was organized
after the battles around Richmond, in
which all i's regiments there in sepa.
rate brigades participated, Gen,
FeathcrstOn commanded II. After his
transfer to another command Col.
POsey, Of the Sixteenth Mississippi,
was promoted 10 the command Of the
brigade. lie received q wound al
BristOw Station, of which he died a
few weeks afterwards in Charloltcs.
willie. Col. n. II. Harris. of the
Twelfth Mississippi, ccetded Poqey
and commanded the brigade until il
surrendered, handful of ragged, foot
sore, wounded, haifstaIved and bat.
tle.scared veterans Of App)mattox.
Gen. Harris, who commanded the
brigade at Spousyvania and to whom
Gen. Ewell's letter below IL addressed,
is now a resident OF Vicksburg, Miss,
aud borne In IF clionate remembrance
by the surviving soldiers who served
under him:
HEADQ'Rs DEPARTMENT OF HENRIco
RlchnO d, Dec y, 1864.
Gen. N. II. Harris, Commanding Brigadier
General:
l have omitted 10 acknowledge services
render, by your brigade on the twelfth Of
May last at SpOttsI lVanla, not from any
want OF appreciation, but because l wish
my thanks g. rest upon the solid fOunda-
tiOn OF official reports. The manner In
which your brigade charged uvef the hill
to recaplure our works was witnessed by
me with intense admiration for men who
could so calmly advance to what seemed
and proved almost certain death. l have
never seen troops under hotter ire than
was endured by your brigade on this day
together alth some others,
MHjp!-ieneral I'D johnson, since his
exchange, has assured me that the whole
strength II the Cnemy's army WAS poured
into the gap eau. Ell Oy the capture uf his
command. He estimates the force engaged
at this point on their side ut ~, 900, besides
Birney's whole command OF perfectly
fresh troops. Prisoners, from all their
three c1rps, were captured by US. Two
divisions OF my corps, your brigade and
INu uNucEh, one OF n'cu was hChictIy cn-
gagged, confronted successfully this i'm
mense host, and not only won from them
nearly all the ground they had gained but
so shattered their army tnat they were un-
able to make a serious attack until they
received fresh troops,
l have not forgotten the conduct Of the
5 Xteenth Mississippi Regiment while un.
der my command from Front Royal tn
Malvern Hill. am lad TO see, from a
trial more syere than 1t experienced
while In my Division, that the regiment
is in Brigade OF which 1t may well be
proud.
Very respectfully, your Ohedient ser
want, Il. $. Ew SLL,
Northumberland.
OGlclal-W. Il. Stone, A. A. and G
Harrls's Brigade.
Special order OF Lieutenant.Ge eneral r
5. Ewell, cOmmendatOrY Of Harris's Mis-.
sissippi Brigade on the twelfth OF May,
1854 near SnutteVlyania Enurs.houaa