The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-06-08

! And his hrlpnpss limbs, so frail and weak;
! Fer h rules them all with relentless hand
This ba|d-hcaded tyrant from No-man's
BALL'S BLUFF.
How the Federal Forces We're Defeat
ed There and Driven Over the Bluff.
| Il. A. Shotwell, a Confederate Of
nee, in the Philadelphia times, gives
the following account Of the defeat OF
the Union troops at Balls Bluff, and
the death of their gallant commander,
Col. Baker, of California;:
Col. Eppa HuDton, of the Eighth
Virginia, having deployed his men
along u little ridge, advanced and
engaged the Fedrrals few minutes
after ! y. NJ. Sharp musketry firing
ensned and continued during the
next two hours. Here was the fatal
mistake of tho day on the Federal
side. In tie long range daell" the
Conftderates had all the advantage.
So thin was their line that nearly every
man could have the shelter OF tree
or stump; whereas, their own shots
could hardly miss the dense line of
blne coats. The Virginians and Mis-
.ippians being accustomed to the
rifle, most of them old hunters, rare
" missed their man. Climbing into
the tops Of trees, creeping through
the tall grass, or concealed in the
gnllies, they Piled their weapons with
mnrjerous havoc, especially among
the Federal officers. 1t was very
poor management to allow this to go
on. Had Baker ordered a couple of
regiments to sweep the woods he
would have cleared his path of all
these death-stinging hornets, and
marched into Leesburg. The Fede-
raj position at this time was upon
the plateau of the bluff, some 600
yards i'll front OF the liver, where
there was a cleared field of ten or
twelve acres, with q shallow ravine,
or hollow, running through the mid
die of it. The artillery was planted
to sweep this clearing in front, willis
the hauks were measurabIy protected
by series of steep hills and rocky
ravines, all overgrown with scrubby,
stnnted pines.
BY 4 p. Id. the last Of the Federal
troops had crossed and were drawn up
into horseshoe shape, with the point
of the shoe fronting the ten acre
cleared lot, six hundred yards from
the river bluff. But the loss in Off
GERS had greatly crippled the effec-
tiveness of the force. Lieut.. Col.
Wistar, of the First California, had
been killed, and his regiment much
shattered. Furthermore, the Con"
federates had been reinforced by the
remainder Of the Seventeen tn Mis-
sissippi, perhaps six hundred mus
kets, aud the Eighteenth Mississippi
was within one mile, advancing rap
idly. Per contra, the Virginia regi-
ment had exhausted its ammunition,
and no one knew where the wagon
trains could be found; war was q new
business at that date. Men could be
seen crawling about, searching the
boxes Of the dead or borrowing car
tridges Of their comrades.-to get one
more shot. Col. Hunton dispatched
his adjutant to say to General Evans
"My powder is out what shall l
do ~, elk bayonets and run 'em
into the river" quoth "OId Shanks"
(his regular army sobriQuet), who
had just taken liquid reinforcement,
equivalent to 10000 men. 1t WAS
time for some decisive measure, for
Col. Baker had ordered his right
wing to advance and faux the little
ridge whence came ,thesebel bullets.
Fortunatelysfor the fConfederates,
at the moment this movement began,
there was heard the pattering foot
steps and jipgliug capteens Of the
Eighteenth Mississippi, double-quick.
ing through the brush then q wild,
terror striking yell then the stimuli
taneous crash of 100 muskets, each
hurting it's leaden contents along the
Federal left and center. The effect
was electric. The roar OF this sud-
den, binding, raking volley was like
the crack of doom to the already de-
~moralized Federals, most Of whom
were under fire for the first time. A,
strange report ran along the lines
that Gen. Joe Johnston, with 10, OOO'
fresh men, had just arrived. Col:
Baker himself, remarked to an aid
that he had seen Johnston, mounted
on a white horse, riding in advance
of his troops, beck6ning with bis
hand for them to advance. Baker.
Col. Cogswell, Major Harvey and
others were at the time working the
battery, which had been deserted by
all save one or two officers-it being
plainly exposed to the deadly fire Of
the concealed sharp-shooters. The
rifled 6-pounder could not be used.
Seeing that the crisis was come-the
Confederates assuming the Offensive
aud closing upon him from three
sides, with the river at his lack
Gen. Baker, whose only fault was
inexperience, turned to the bayonet
a. the last feeble hope. Calling to
the nearest battalione, appealing to
their State pride, be begged, ordered,