Louisiana capitolian., 1880-05-22
Written for tho CapltOllan.
At the Cost Of his Life.
An INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.

An INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.
It was in the month of November
1863. General Lees army had faller
back from the line Of the Rappahannocl
to that on tho south side Of the Rapidar
river, where he had established winter
quarters for the army Of Northern Vir
ginia. Already tho havoc Of the battl.
field was showing its dreadful effect!
among the veteran regiments. Brigadet
that eighteen months before could bring
into line three Thousand muskets, scarce
ly numbered eight hundred. The mel
were poorly supplied with clothing
shoes and blankets to protect them
against the freezing blasts Of mercilest
winter. Added to this, hunger was eve1
present as reminder that the Confed'
eracy was becoming less able, as one day
succeeded the other, to furnish tho ade-
quate supply Of food to its heroic sol
diers.
Withal the courage and the devotion
of the army to the cause it was defend.
ing, was unshaken.
1t was at this gloomy period, during
spell Of excessive cold, that the Army
Of the Potomac. under General Meade
effected the crossing of the Rapidan
with the evident intent of giving battle
hoping to achieve the defeat of the wa,
worn veterans of Lee.
In view of this forward move
ment of the enemy, Lees Army had fall
len back behind small creek, known as
the Mine Run, situated but a few miles
farther south Of the Rspidan. There the
undaunted chieftain awaited for two
days the attack Of his powerful antago.
mist.
Despite ,he numerical superiority oi
bis forces and the unlimited resources
at bis command, the Federal General
advanced with great hesitation. His
battalions had not yet appeared on the
opposite bank of the MiEe Run.
The morning Of the third day had ar
rived and yet no enemy was visible. AT
this juncture. Johnson's Division OF
EwelVs Corps (formerly Jackson's) was
ordered to cross the creek for the pur.
pose of reconnoit ering the enemy's posi-
tiOn
The Division had scarcely crossed the
run" and entered the dense woods be-
yond, that the rear guard was suddenly
attacked bya body of infantry concealed
in a ravne. 1t was evident to every
one that nothing remained to be done
save to fight, as the enemy was in pos
session of the ford just passed.
Promptly did Gen. Johnson throw his
Division into line, after which move
ment, with loaded guns he await the
onslaught of the hidden foe. Some tif-
toen minutes elapsed and still the enemy
had not moved. 1t was then Johnson s
turn to act. With characteristic deter.
mutation the command Of forward
was passed from regiment to regiment.
In quick time, with fixed bayonets the
gallant Division moved towards the
front. Arriving at the edge of a wide
open field, the Division was met by a
brisk musketry fire coming from a line
of blue coats posted on the summit oyan
elevation on which stood a farm house
tlanked by row of haystacks.
The men were ordered to charge; with
an exultant yell the battalions wheeled
to the left and assembled the height driv-
ing enemy from their position. Encour-
aged by their success the commanding
officers with the several regiments of
Stafferd's Louisiana Brigade (Nicholls')
pressed on eagerly in pursuit of the fly
ing enemy. It,was then that they were
met by o murderous volley of mus6etry
grape aud canister, from q dense
mass ofFedersls disposed in three lines,
one above the other on the height oppo-
site, distant some three hundred yards.
Unsupported by artillery the Louisisni.
ans were compelled to fall back to q
road running parallel to the farm and
the hsystacks they had just captured,
not before, however, they had lost many
killed sad wounded, whom they were
necessitstel to abandon in their front for
tho time being.
Johnson's Division was confronted BY
Freach's entire oorps Of tho Army Of the
Potomac. Yet the enemy dared not to
advance, despite bis overwhelming pro.