The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-30
ANNALS OF THE WAR.
HAYS LOUISIANA BRIGADE IN THE
PENNsYLVANIA CAMPAIGN.
Capture of RedOnbts at yyInchestrF-Ass
sault orr Cemetery Heights
at Gettysburg.
ny AN Ex-oFF1oER, G.. s. A.

DuANo piat@h NAAFibS bth6a W blttAL
strong and unassailable position on the hills
Of Stafford resolved to manceuvre Hookers
army out Of Virginia and to transfer hostili-
ties to the enemy's territory. Such move
ment If successful, would break up the Fed
eral plans for the ensuing campaign relieve
| threatened points In other portions of the
Confederaey, and satisfy the clamor that per-
vaded the South for an invasion Of the North
| On the third OF June, 1868, the ARMY III
! NnrtharnN Ntyrt1g ground around Fredericks-
burg, the scene of two Of It's most glorious
triumphs. Ewells corps, having been re-
lieved by A. ?. Hills, marched on the fifth.
going in northwesterly direction, passing
through Culpeper rt-House, Sperryvllls,
and crossing the Blue Ridge at Chester Gap,
reached
| THE SHENANDOAH RIVER
on the evening OF the twelfth.
June t3.-Hays' Louisiana brigade fofded
the Shenandoah at 8 80 o'clock q. m, and taking
the Winchester turnpike passed by the grave
of the lamented Major Aaron Harris, formerly
brigade commissary, who was killed at the
battle Of Front Royal the year previous. At
| II 80 we halted within two miles of Winehes~
ter, where Cen. Mlroy had about 10000 Fed
erals behind very strong Qualifications, and
that puissant and refined officer had sent word
to Cen Ewell that he intended to defend the
town until Ito use his classic lRnguage) hell
frOze over" The sequel showed that ne did
not tarTy long enough to learn whether any
such extraordinary signs Of frigidity and con-
gelatlOn had been observed in the internal
regions. Early's division, to which we be-
longed, formed line of battle on the left Of the
pike, near Barton's Mill and Immediately in
the rear of Kernstown, the scene of the first
important engagement fought by Stonewail
Jackson in the valley Of the Shenandoah. The
Federals were in strong force In our front,
skirrnishing briskIy with the cavalry Of Gem
Jenkins. At4 p. m. Gordons and Hays bri-
gades advanced and drove the enemy TO the
entreDehments near the town, remaining ID
tae all night.
i IN FRONT OF WINCHESTER
Cen Eweli had two divisions, Early's and
Johnson's; Gen. Rhodes had been detached
from the corps and sent to BerryVille to dig
lodge the Federal force posted there and cut
off communication between Winchester and
the Potomac. On the approach OF Rhodes
this force retreated upon Winchester
June 14,-Gen. EWell, at the Suggestion aK
Gen. Early, determined to take Windneatfas
by flank movement rather than By gems
eral assault in front. In pursuance Of tfds
plan Hokes', Extra-Billy Smiths and Hays
brigades-G -Gordon's remaining to engage the
attention of the enemy in front-with Jones'
battalion Of artillery, were led by Gen. Early
by cirGutous country road TO d thieklys
wooded hill west Of the town, between fhg
Romney and Pughton roads. On the left of
Winchester are series Of hills rising higher
and higher as they extend to the west; those
near the town were crowned with strong and
elaborately constructed redoubts, the most
prominent Of which was the "FlaQstan
Fort" Five hundred yards to the vest OF
this fort were two redoubts, one mounting
four guns and the other two guns, which
commanded all the other Qualifications.
these were the works Early designed to as
sault Once In his possession he could soon
silence the remaining works, and force Mil
roy either to eyacuate Winchester or surren.
der his army.
So secretly was the march conducted that
not picket or scout Of the enemy was en-
counteTed On arriving at the hill fr0nn
which the attack was to be made recon-
noiteriDg party erept to the edge Of thss
woods and discovered several Of the enemy
quietly resting under tree outside the fort.
while the sentinelS lazily paced their rounds
everything .betokening total Ignorance 0f
our proximity.
Gen. Early selected
HAYS BRIGADE
(he always did 80 when an unusually bold
dash was to be nnadej 10 storm the redoubts
Hoke's and Smiths being kept in reserve
At p. m. our artillery opened rapid and
well-directed fire upon the eredoubts Some 81
the shells striking the parapets, tore great
! holes in it, sending the dirt high up In the
air. SO taken by surprise were the Federal
gunners that they made no response for sev-
eral minutes, when, recovering themselves.
= they replied with considerable spirit
Our brigade was formed In a thick range of
wood which skirted the hill, with the Sixth.
Seventh and Ninth Regiments In the first
line, and Fifth and Eighth Regiments In the
second. Arriving at the foot Of the bill, stir
under cover OF the woods, Gen Hays sent
! word to Gen. Early that he was ready to adj
| vance, but Old JubaI, In reply, instructed him
! to wait for orders; that he wished to dig
] mount some OF the enemy's guns before the
infantry attack began. Gen. Hays supposing
by the changed direction of the eneny's fire
that they had discovered his position, and
believing that the favorable moment had
r arrived, took
THE RESPONSIBILITY
, Of ordering his brigade forward the result
! proved that he acted wisely. Emerging from
! | the woods our boys had to cross several 0rYere
fields, climb fences, etc. but so hot was the
, fire of our artillery that the Federal infantry
!, nad 70 Keep 90 close Dehlhd Lnelr DreaStW0rk3
: that they did not observe us until we had
? reached an abattis Of felled timber. some fj9
: yards from the redoubts. While scramblin0
through this cur artillery ceased firing. AMI
( the Federal infantry opened bris kly with their
rifles; but so impetuous was the charge og
: our boys that in a trice they were over the
; breastworks, driving the enemy out In great
; haste and confusion. The Federal artillery
: men (regularsJ strove hard to get away with
their guns, but our men shot down their
horses and prevented them from IA king avraxy
: single piece or caisson. In this charge the
brigade captured six rIfied cannon, but took
! ! very few prisoners, the Feds. being too nins-
Die OF foot for US. Our loss was seventy-uiua
In killed and wounded.
CAPT. THOMPSON,
: commanding the Louisiana Guard Battery. q
: gallant officer and an estlmabIe gentleman.
r was wounded by shell and died that night
Q His wound was in the wrist and e0mpaEa~
1 lively slight; he would not leave bis guns u
Lh..--.s n8saraeAeaa