Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-08-26
AUGUST 90. 1880.

the death struggle from the Wilderness to Pc
tersburg-but the subject is too vast l can
not, however, resist the temptation to give al
extract of General Wilcox's report in regarl
to 'sthe bloody angle'' at Spottsylvania. Hi
, report was lost with his baggage, but he hat
previously given me copy in his own hand
> writing Of so much as related to our Brigade
which was preserved, and is as follows:
: EXTRACT FROM REPORT OF GEN. WILCOX.
ARTILLERY and infantry firing was still heard t
the left on Ewel's 'front.' and this continuing will
increased violence, the Commanding General di
rected me to send Brigade TO the support Of tina
part of the line. McGowan's Brigade was order
ed and reached its destination and went into ac
J ton about 81 or 10 a. m. Being directed by Ma
, ior-General Rhodes it took position on the righ
of his line, in support of Harris (Miss.) Brigade
and to assist in filling up the gap on the right
caused by the capture of Johnson's line. Nc
which had been held by johnson, its right resting
about one hundred and fifty yards from the "a
i lient now held by the enemy, who also occupied
near one hundred yards of the right face of th'
salient. In getting into position this Brigade wa
subjected to a terrible fire of both artillery ane
musketry, and lost severely. Among the wound
ed was its chivaric commander.
J The report then goes on to speak of the opera
tions in other parts of the field in which the dif
ferent Brgades of the Division were engaged, anG
| tihues- AAs previously stated McGowan's Brig
aile had been UT1ared TO reinforce part OF EwelPs
line, and put in position on the left face OF thu
salient that had been held by J0frnson.s DIVISION
This Brigade was in part interningled with naE
ris' Brigade, but extending beyond its right ano
resting against a traverse, one hundred and 1llty
yards from the salient, the enemy being on the
other side of the traverse aud extended to the
salient and then down the right face for a hun
dred yards as thick they could stand. lr
front of McGowan was ravine and pine woods
this was also occupied by the enemy in very
strong force.
From 81 or 10 a. M, these two brSades remained m
in this position, without support or relief, till
o'clock the next morning. and all this time under
an incessant and heavy fire of musketry. On
parts Of the line the opposing forces were separa
ted only by the parapet of the rifle pits pistols
were used freely by the officers; the muskets OF
the men would often touch, and frequently the
aim of the rifle would be checked by a blow from
the butt or punch from the muzzle OF an oppo-
sing gun from the other side of the hreastwork
Our men had the direct fire in 'front.' andsa raking
fire from the right flank and rear. There is no
parallel to this fight at the salient in this war; nor
any that I know recorded in history, since the
introduction of fire arms. For eighteen hours
| there was no suspension of the musketry fire.
Cartridges could he brought to the breastworks
on the left, and then passed down to the right by
hand, and this was done till our men were with
drawn about o'clock in the morning, to the line
in the rear, constructed whlethe fight was going
this part Of the line at daylight, and had proba-
bly, retired about the same time that we did.
10 appreciate properly the severity and lnten-
sity of the fire on this part of the line, may De
trees were Wt down by the continued striking OF
the enemyN musket balls these trees were in
the rear of our line and one ofthem an oak twen-
ty-tw0 inches in diameter. 1t was visited after
ward by the Adjutant. General Of the Division
and by one of my aids camp and measured.
1t had rained much Of the day, and the pits were
on some parts of the line over ankle deep in wa
ter. This was Redeemed by the blood of our fallen
comrades, and more than once it was necessary
to remove the dead from the pits to give more
space for the living. The Brigade lost many
brave men and gallant officers in this protracted
| fght.'
Where all did their duty so well, it is hard
to discriminate; but truth requires that we
should make one distinction, which | am sure
no one will regard as invidious or unjust, and
that distinction is in favor of the private SOL
dier None deserve so much commendation,
none so covered themselves with glory as the
privates, those hardy men who carried the
muskets and bore the heat and burden of the
day. They fought not for distinction, office
or fame, but from devotion to country, the
instincts of manhood, and the love of their
dear ones nesting IN their distant homes,
from whom often came to them, in the field,
the wall of sorrow. The monument Of the
Confederate dead, which proudly stands in the
shadows of the Capitol at Columbia, erected
by the affectionate and pious gratitude Of
noble women, whose inspiration Of merit is in
fallible, has elevated in thehighest place, upon
it's very summit, the life-size statue of pri-
yate-sol1ier-a brave, true-hearted volunteer
with all his ''accoutrements on, musket in
hand, and ready for duty. A little bronzed
and worn, but looking every inch a man,
there he stands, night and day, in fair weather
and in foul, in rain, hail, sleet and snow, as
was the habit of the original in service. That
soldier is the representative of men as noble
and true as ever took the field for home OF
country, and at the same time the correct ex-
preston of the universal judgment, that the
privates are entitled to the first honor, and
that he is the right man in the right place.
The battle flags of the regiments did not
afford space to inscribe the battles in which
they were engaged. Omitting many nameless
affairs, the regiments were entitled to have
inscribed on thei! banners, Mechanicsville,
Gaines Mill, Frazier's Farm, Slaughter Noun
tain, Second Manassas, OK Hill, Harper's Fer
ry, Sharpsburg Botteler's Ford, Fredericks-
burg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg, Smokers
Gap, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House,
Jericho Ford, Second Cold Harbor, Riddles
Shop, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Jones'
Farm, Deep Bottom, Fussell's Mills, Reames'
Station, Gravely Run and Sutherland's Sta
tion.
The names of their dead would fill all the
tablets of Westminster Abbey, and although
| they were without coronets or armorial bear
ings, truer men never lived, men who are en-
titled to receive from their country some such
recognition of their truth, virtue and fidelity
as the great Abbey gives to England's immor-
tai dead.
To speak only of the officers and staff.
There was the first grand old commander
''Brunswicks fated chieftan." MaXcy Gregg
was perfect type of his State; firm, unyield-
ing and sometimes apparently stern, but al
ways just and conscientious. He united the
firmness of Cato with the courtesy of the
chevalier Bayard. A lawyer by profession, he
was always inclined to military life. In his
manner and modes of thought he was SOL
dier. He was Il good disciplinarian and a
stranger to fear. He had rendered service in
Mexico as Major of the Twelfth Regular In
fantry, and was the very first to tender his
sword in the war in which he fell. His heart
was thoroughly in the cause, and his spirit de-
lighted in the fight. The soul of truth and
honor, he never spoke more sincerely than
when he sent the well-known dying declara-
ton, ''Tell Gov. Pickens that if must die, I
die cheerfully for South Carolina."-
The first field officer, whom the Brigade lost
| in battle, was Augustus M. Smith, the dashing
Lieutenant Colonel of the First Regiment,
who fell at Gaines Mill, June 27, 1862.
Wealthy and prosperous, he was not only will
ing, but eager to risk all in sustaining his
State. Young handsome and always splen-
didly mounted, he was known as 1.-THE Murat
of the Brgade.n Indisposed on the morning
of the battle, he should have remained at his
quarters; but his impatient spirit could not
| md 1a fol of ri ;oct