The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-14

valuable assistance 10 Pegram in repeIling
this assault by an obligue fire which they
poured into the thick Federal columns as they
advanced.
THE LOSSES or THE ENEMY
we're frightful, and when next morning Phu-
bus advanced the skirmish lines of his light
brigade there was revealed one Of the sad
dest, most sickening spectacles of mutilated,
inanimate humanity that ever was presented
on battlefield. The ground was literally
covered with the bodies of the slain.
This closed the fighting on the fifth of May,
and Gen. Lee had the strongest reasons to be
satisfied and encouraged with the days work
With two corps-Longstreet's not having
come up-he had maintained his ground
against the furious and repeated assaults of
nearly the whole Of Grants army
May Cat a. m the Federals made an
other determined assault upon Pegram's
works, but were repulsed after thirty minutes
desperate fighting. In this attack
THE GALLANT PEGRAM
was severely wounded in the arm, and the
command Of his brigade devolved on Col.
Hoffman During the remainder OF the day
the Federals made no further attack upon
our portion of the line, though heavy skrm-
ishing was unintermittingly kept up until
nightfall.
menced little after daylight, the enemy
again striving by the weight of his heavy
columns to break the two divisions of Hills
corps, Heth 6 and Wilcox's, which had so long
and bravely kept him at bay on the previous
day. Hills remaining division anderson 81
having been left behind to guard the fords on
the Rapidan, had not yet arrived on the field.
For nearly one hour did this small force hold
its ground with untlinching courage and OBJ
stinacy, against at least ten times It's num-
berS; but at last 1t could not longer
stand the tremendous pressure, and was com
PEELED TO break and fall back. At first the re-
treat was deliberate and orderly, but the
Federal masses followed up their advantage
with remarkable celebrity, pushing Hills
men SO hard that they fled confusedly for
nearly mile. The enemy charged to within
200 yards of the artillery park of the
corps (which could not be brought into action,
owing to the density of the woods, and the
capture or dispersion Of Hills corps seemed
But fortunately, at this supreme moment,
the head OF
LoNGsTREEr's CORPS
came on the field and turned the tide of
battle. Gen. Lee had recalled Longstreet
from his flank movement up the Catharpen
road, to the relief of Hills hard-pressed
troops. First came McLaws' division, under
Kershaw, which, forming at q double quick
and under most CALLING fire, checked the
| further advance ot the enemy. Then Fields
division arrived, then Anderson's; these
| forming on the right and left of Kershaws,
| the whole line went forward with cheer that
made the welkin ring. So impetuous was
| this charge that Longstreets men not only
| regained all the ground that Hill had lost,
but drove the Fedcrals beyond the position
they had held the previous night
The three brigadeS Of Fields division that
had been sent to the right of the plank road,
| did not at first meet with equal success, owing
| to the great superiority of the enemy In num-
bers and position; but achievements coming
up, the attack was renewed, when the FEEDER
! ais recoiled from the shock and precipitately
fled from the field. Thus the symmetry OF
our line was restored, and the prospects
looked bright again. Hills scattered troops
were soon collected and formed, and placed in
position on the right Of Longstreets.
A LITTLE INCIDENT
of this days fighting is worth mentioning an
exact counterpart of a subsequent one at
Spottsylyania. When Fields men were driven
back on the right of the plank road, and Long
streets right was In great danger OF being
turned Gen Lee rode to that part of the field,
and placing himself at the head OF Gregg 8
| formerly HOod's) brigade, called upon 1t to
| follow him in q charge. Anxious for the safety
of their venerated chief the Texans positively
refused to be led byhim; but declared that II
| he went to the rear they would go forward
and clear away the Federals from their front.
Gen. Longstreet added his own circumstances
to those of Gregg's men, and Gen. Lee I'M
| willingly withdrew. Well did the brave Tex
ans redeem their promise for they made one
| of those daring, dashing and successful
Charges IOE WHICH GEley Odu DPCOuO ldU1UuS.
| A lamentable accident occurred on this day,
which occasioned the death of one of the best
! officers of our army. When the old First
Corps had retrieved the fortunes of the day
on the right, and were driving the. enemy
! Gen, Longstreet accompanied by his senior
Major General Jenkins, with his own staff
rode out on the plank road to direct the move
| mentS Of column sent out to fall on the
flank of the enemy while they were being
| heavily pressed in front. One OF the br1gades
~
down the road, mistook them for Federal cav
airy, and fired a Voley at them. Poor Jen
| kins was killed, and Longstreet severely
wounded. Had 1t not been for this sad anC
untoward Contretemps movement would have
| been executed which, it was believed would
have resulted in a most disastrous defeat tx
the Federal army.
On the left of our corps, and consequently OF
THE EXTREME LEFT
Of the army Gen. Gordon was posted will
! his large brigade of GeOrgians, his line eX
tending beyond the enemy's right. Early Ii
the morning that watchful and enterprisinE
! general discovered this, and proposed to Gen
| Ewell to move his brigade out of the works
and strike the flank of the Federal army. TX
| this Ewell would not consent until late in thu
| day. AS the sun was setting, Gordon, having
| formed his brigade in front of and at RICH
angles with the works, with Pegram'S on hiE
right, and JOhnstOns North Carolina brigade
as a supporting force, moved rapidly forward
upon the enemys flank. So sudden was this
attack that the Federals were taken com
pletely by surprise; brigade after brigade lef
their works and fled in dismay from the field
In vain did their commanders endeavor t.
change front to the right to repel this attack
Gordon was so quick in his advance that h
gave them no time to make this evolution
The enemy suffered most severely, while tn
loss of the assaulting column was remarka
bly, small. Onward for mile Gordol
pressed, sweeping everything from befor
him, until the darkness of night put stop t.
further pursuit; If there had been one hou
more of daylight he would have routed tn
whole right wing OF Grants huge army. A
it was, the movement was
A. BRILLIANT SUCCESS.
Seventeen hundred prisoners were taken
among whom were Gems. Truman Seymou
} and Shaler, and 600 of the Federal dead wer
buried on the field next morning. GordOl
was made a major general as a reward 70
the gallantry and skill displayed by him i
this affair.
Though our skirmish line was holly en-
gagged, Hays brigade proper took no part Il
} the action. Federal newspaper account
subsequently reported that the best fighting
!, | cOrDS of their army numbering 30 600 meI