The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-10
MISSISSIPPI IN TIE WAR.
The Part That harris Mississippi Brigade
Played in the Late war.

VIUBSBURG, July 6, 1875 |
To the Editor of the Vieksburg Herald:
/ have read with great pleasure the official
thanks of the late Lieut. Gen. Ewell to Gems |
N. III. Harris, for the gallant conduct OF hissI
command on the fatatul field OF SDOttsylva- |
MIA Court House, during the memorable cam
pagn OF the Wilderness, which, after deeds Of 1
deRthless daring and numberless instances OF |
suplime sef-abnegation, eliminated in the
surrender Of Lee and the consequent tailurS
of the Southern cause. | had the honor tOsi
serve In Harris Mississippi Brigade and have't
though it would not be untnterestlng to you
and the readers OF your journal to furnish, as
best can from memory, a brief sketch OF the
war record of that command
| Over decade has passed since its survivors
returned to their des0lated homes, and as
they carved their names in letters OF living
! light along the pathway OF glory, SO In the
walks of peace they have illustrated all those
virtues which adOrn human nature The war
which swept away their riches has left un-
| stained and uusCarred those higher attributes
which adorned prosperity and now elothe ad-
versity in honor. Harris brigade was organ
| ICED Just after the battle OF Seven Pines, by
throwing together the Twelfth, Nineteenth,
ouently the Sixteenth (Miss.l then attached
| to the Army of the Valley. 1t Is not my pur-
pose to review at length it's arduous
services. From williamsburg to Sharps-
burp: from the Peninsula to Gettysburg, it's
battered banners bear the names OF innumer-
able and historic battle fields; while hundreds
Of its gallant dead are sleeping where they
fell Winfield Scott FeatherstOn, distin-
prished citizen OF Marshall county, and then
the Colonel Of the seventeenth Mississippi,
was it's first brigadter general, and COM
manded with conspicuous gallantry and con-
sumate generalship from the seven days
fights around Richmond until after the first
battle of Fredericksburg, when he was trans
ferred to the Department vi the West and sue
Cpe ded by Carnot PUsey, Of Wilkinson, the
Colonel Of the Sixteenth.
Gen. POsey led the brigade until he fell
mortally wounded at Bristow Station, when
his place was filled by the promotion OF Col.
N. H. Harris, Uf the Nineteenth. Gen. Harris
is native Of Mississippi, and at the com
mencement of our civil struggle was 8 lawyer
of prominence in ViCksburg. A modest and
unuTetentiOus gentleman. In every grade from
: captain to brigadier general, he proved his
, capability and dauntless herOlsm.
: On two occasions at least the Mississippi
+ brigade under his command bore the burden
of the fray, and, while want of time f0rbids
t me to partiCuariBe, can safely and truly say
that the helmet Of Henry Of Navarro at the
) battle of Ivry never shOne more cOnspicu-
J oIlsly In the forefront of danger than did the
- manly and towering form Of Harris in those
t dark and bloody days. In all the closing
scenes OF that dread drama, in storm or sun
shine, he was ever at the head OF his COM
D maud.
r On the morning of the twelfth Of May, 1864
r Gen. Hancock of the Second Corps OF the
:, Army Of the Potomac, with his entire COM
: mnQ0, StOfEneu bne WOEkS OCGIpl6u ny bIIt
Y Confederate General, johnson, capturing al
g most all of his division. Into this breach the
brigade of Harris was thrown, and for eight
cen long and weary hours, amid a hOWllng
!. tempest of Kissing shot and she'll, with the
r dead and dying piled In heaps, and the sur.
e viyOrs compelled to replenish their exhausted
d supply Of ammunition from the dead bodies o
r their comrades, thev held their ground agalns
IS appalling odds, turned back the tide OF Fed
n eral victory, and saved the army OF Northern
i Virginia The Confederate leaders. Lee, Ewell
" A. ?, Hill, and the gallant and lamentet
e Rhodes, have all officially testified as to tn
d invaluable services rendered by Harris
Il briuaGe on this uCCHiOn. COL Baker, Lieut.
% Col, Feltus, of the Sixteenth, and Col Hardin
s Of the Niuteenth and q host OF others, fell II
e the forefront at this dread carnival OF death
le And leaving in battle no stain on their name.
Looked proudly 10 heaven from the death-be
of fame."
And here, Mr.. Editor, 1 close. Old memo
le ries have been evoked, and 1 am thinking G
h those sad yet glorious days when |, too, wOr
ar the gray and fought and bled for Dixie. !
r pen more able than mine will answer, as it dc
20 serves, the recent article of Gen. Lane, {
il North Carolina, in reference to the clOsin
10 scenes around Petersburg. God knows that
l. have no desire to pluck one leaf from tn
lr glorious ehaplet that perpetnates the memor
is Of the grandest army that ever bazed ii
Dr pathway to Immortality; but the militar
Of record Of my old command Is sOmethln
sacred, and the name and fame OF the liVin
and dead will ever be guarded relig1Ously D
me. The principles for which they contende
N may not be recognized until their names hay
n n grown feeble on ths tongue Of friendship {
~ been dropped like dead silence from the ear
NJ the world.
an But they will struggle back from the hollo
he bosoms which once bled, and In q fairer ar
"a. better day will ascend the heights OF COVER
he ment, when might will give way to right, al
q reunited nation move grandIy on to hapI
future, one in history aud one in hope.