The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-03-04
In The Wilderness.

lhc day seemed irretri=vabiy lost.
and 50 It would have been but for the
ARRIVAL Of other troops. Moving rapid.
iy through the entwining trees aud mat
ted underground, in all haste 20 find
the rear, We caught the glesm of bay
oncts In front Of our disordereei and
plunglng mass. and soon saw the
dauntles- mien and heard the steaf !;
tread Of Long-treet's corps marching
up TO the relief, under the composed d.
reciion Of Old Pete himself. Like
Dessaix at Marengo, he arrived Just in
time 10 win victory While some of
the broken troops Of Heth and Wilcox
joined IN the advance with Longstrset's =
column, others struggled back 10 the
point where they were first engaged
the night before. The sharpshooters
moved across the road. near by certain
batteries of Poague's artillery which
had been planted on slight plateau
on the left of the -oai. aud were a.
this time crowned with troops. Gen
Hill and Gen. Lee both occupied this
position, the latter appearing intensely
disgusted n the turn which affairs had
taken. The ridiculous procedure of
the ambulance corps, the teamsters aud
the followers generlly. was singularlv
we'll calculated 10 aggrayate this irri-
tated feeling: for these people suppos.
ing the day 10 have been lost. sought
the rear with keen arder. leaving the
road SO blockaded with sporadic plum
der and wagons turned upside down As
tn render difficult the movement OF the
supports. The old man was in no
good humor, and had tusineS. look
about his eyes as he ordered tn. guns
.oaied with canister and trained down
the road. For 800 yards in front Of
the plateau the road ran perfectly
smooth and straight, and was now filled
with Federal troops moving in column
but no regular order; for all conformity
had been sacrificed in the charge, and
besides a great number Of soldiers had
cohverged into and advanced up the
road to escape the tangled under
growth Of the Wilderness. On the
line came, firing and scouting, 80 close
ly following our own fugitives as to be
mingled with them and thus caused the
cruel necessity Of firing through the
loss Of our own men to check the pur-
suit. A few rounds of canister did the
work. and by this time fresh troops
had come. Thus not only was q defeat,
that seemed tn be impending, sverted,
bat = substantial victory was gained,
though al great sacrifice For Long
street in himself a tower ot strength,
upon whose sturdy valOr and fidelity
General Lee learned not less confident
ly anl not less worthily than on Stone
Wall Jackson's. was taken from the
field grievously wounded; while Jen.
kins OF South Carolina and many
other brave officers had sealed in blood
their devotion 10 the cause that their
souls and swords upheld The Wilder
hess was field well adapted by the
very nature of the country To the op-
erations of sharpshooters; but so fierce
had been the engagement that no OPP
portunity WAS afforded them for the
disprsy of either mancenvrcs or marks
mauship The Wilderness battle has
been fitly compared to the struggle of
two giants. not equally matched, who
fruitlessly' yet frightfully, writhe and
twist in each others embrace until they
are iorcibly wrenched asunder.- Capt
John d. yo'tRg a. Philadelphia Weetly
Times