The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-10
[By j S. Anderson. for Milwaukee Sunday Tell
graph

| LBy j. S. Anderson, for Milwaukee Sunday Ieie'
graph.
On the 9th of November, 1864, the Army Of
| the Potomac lay in camp in the vicinity OF
| Warrenton, fronting the confederate army
| commanded by Gen. Lee, which occupied the
line of the Rappahannock river. A short time
previous, Lee had repeated against Meade Tho
tactics and strategy which had been SO success.
full against Hooker and Pope, and passed around
the right flank of the Army of the Potomac
He had compelled Meade to fall back nearly
to the vicinity of Alexandria in order to avoid
a battle at disadvantage.
Meade selected position in the neighbor-
hood of Genterville, and Lee, finding his an.
tagonist had pursued a cautious and judicious
course, and was ready to confront him upon
ground of his own choice, fell back to the line
of the Rappahannock, destroying the railroad
and all ether public property in his path.
Meade, smarting ut having been out-man@u-
vred, and anxious TO deliver a return blow
followed him a little to the south and east of
Warrenton, striking the enemy o sharp blow
at Bristoe Station, but failed to bring him to
battle. Both armies rested near the Kappa
hammock, Lee holding the fords and crossings
on the river.
On the evening of the 9th of November, 1864
orders were issued to fill up to the maximum
with ammunition, to have three days cooked
rations in the haversacks and be ready to
march at daybreak. Always prompt, the bu-
gle sounded at the headquarters of "Uncle
John" Sedgwick, tae grand old corsmandsr of
the 9th corps, just as the sky began to redden
in the east. Tents were struck; the 'sstirrup
cup' OF strong army coffee drank, and as the
first rags of the sun flashed above the horizon,
the columns filed into the road and swung ont
with the long, steady marching step southward
toward the enemy.
The first division of the 9Th corps led the adj
vance, the third brigade, commanded by Gen-
eral David Russell, aud consisting of the 9th
Wisconsin, 9th Maine, 49th and 10th Penn
sylvanis regiments, in front. The 10th Penn
sylvania led the entire column. After passing
the picket line about two miles out, line OF
skirmishers was thrown out to the front and
fianks of the column, and in this manner
marched without opposition until about 2
a'clock, p. M, when at distance of two and
half miles from the river, small party of
ca salry was struck.
They fell back without seriously attempting
to oppose the advance, contenting themselves
by observing our approach. We soon arrived
near the range of hills bordering the river and
the head of the column turned TO the left so as
| to pass down the river. We marched down
| and parallel with the river nearly to the rail-
road and connected with the advance of the
| Fifth corps, under Gen Warren, which soon
| came up in force The second division of the
Sixth corps, as it came up, deployed by the
right and supported couple OF. batteries ahich
took position on a height from which the rebsls,
could be sseeu in medium shell range. The
enemy were found TO be strongly entrenched
on the same side of the river on which we
were holding tete de poRt back of which
was pontoon bridge.
Their works consisted Of several strong forts.
| Ga the south side of the river, Immediately in
| our front, ON commanding ground, was an
elaborate redoubt pierced for four pieces of ar
! tillerY, and containing two twelve pound Par
| rott guns taken originally from Mihoy, at the
capitulaton of Winchester.
Further to the rebel right. at q distance of
| six hundred feet was a smaller redoubt, con-
| tanning two three inch guns, said to have been
| taken from us, one at Anlietam, the other at
| Chancellorville. This redoubt was on ground a
| little lower than the first and commanded the
| approaches along tie line of railroad and the
| river below. The Two redoubIs were connected
| by strong line of rife pits, and to the rebel
| left OF the larger work an elaborate and care
| fully constructed line of breastworks extended
/ up the river, and parallel With it for long
| distance.
| On the further side of the river on high
null IHat UOnlndtSu INC WuOle, W&s btrODg
| fort in which were planted several heavy guns,
| l should judge field 80 FOUNDERS and further
| up on the same side of the river q smaller rs
| doubt. Whether there was artillery in this or
| not am unable positively to say, bat think
| there was, as we had artillery posted on a
| ridge, nearly opposite, which seemed to be re-
| plying to heavy shelling from that direction.
| These works were SO situated as TO command
| the intsrvales between the other redoubts on
The north bank of the Rappahannock, and
| could aid them by their fire against any enemy
| attacking in front or flank.
| These works were fally manned, In the
works on the side of the river facing the fedeI-
al troops there were two entire brigades.
"Stonewall" Jacksons famous old brigade was
| there, and with them also were the famous
| Louisiana tigers.
This Louisiana brigade was commanded by
| Brig. Gen. Hayes, who as senior officer COM.
| mauded all the forces on that side of the river
| The other brigade was that Of Gen. Hoke, who
| commanded brigade OF three large regiments,
| the 9th, 54th and 9th North Carolina. They
| were the flower OF rebel army. Well dressed
| and splendidly equipped, they no doubt con-
| sidered themselves match for any equal num-
ber of men ia the world. The Loaisianians
| occupied the two redoubts and the rifle pits
| connecting them and small party Of the line
| to their left of the larger redoubt, directly in
| front of the pontoon bridge. The line to their
left was held by the North Carolina Regiments.
| Our troops took some little time to deploy and
| corps. AS soon as the Ines were formed, the
skirmishers of the 49th Pennsylyania were
| called in, and the entire right wing of the 6tn
Maine, under Major Fuller, deployed as skir-
mishers back inside of their works, if possible.
| This was quickly and gallantly done the aItil-
lery aiding in the work, and the men lay down
behind stumps, fallen trees, hillocks and any
object which afforded shelter, keeping up a
sharp but desultory fire on the ent.enched line
OF the enemy.
Tn tha mao nti,,,a sa coral hattar;as h.d ~,
position on the ridge in front Of the infantry
| lines and had opened a heavy cannonade on
the enemy's entrenchments. Shot and shell
flew like hail through the forts on both sides OF
the river. but without any perceptible effect
The enemy's infantry would lie down in the
rifle pits while the iron storm passed over
them, perfectly protected. The artillery,
shielded by the heavy curtains of earth could
not be silenced.
Gen. Russell, who commanded the first divi-
sion OF 9th corps that day, solicited permission
to make an attempt with his brigade to carry
1t by storm. The desired permission was given
BY Gen. Wright, who commanded the corps
that day, in place OF Gen. Sedgwick, who had
chsrge OF the entire right wing of the army
and preparations were Immediately begun. II
was TRYING ground for a charge. Between oui
lines and the enemy were two long ranges oil
hilly ground, with several hundred yards Of
broken declivity between, at the bottom oil
| which was small stream. The first hill shut
the crest of the second the enemy's lines and
the country on the other side of the river were
plainly visible From this second crest the
ground, fiat at first, sloped gently downward
until right across the path extended swale, OF
ditch, fourteen to twenty feet wide, with steer
banks, ave or six feet deep and covered with
two or three feet of water and mud Crossing
this came a flat field covered with short stump.
and underground and bushy tree tops left by
the troops who had cut the timber for firewood
Next came smooth clear stretch which evi
IDENTIFY had been used for drill or parade
ground by the troops enoamped there. Their
a sunken road, next dry moat about twelve
feet wide and five feet deep. Then came
smooth upward slope, and at the summit, abou
fifty yards distant, the strong towering earth
works
The storming party selected consisted of the
left wing of the 9th Maine and the entire 5tt
Wisconsin. They were to be supported a.
some distance by the 49th and 119 Pennsylva
MIA. just as the sun touched the horIzoa tht
left wing of the 9th Maine deployed on ths
summit of the first ridge, in the form of
strong skirnish line. The 9Th Wisconsin
formed hundred yards behind them and tht
whole moved forward.
When the 9TH Wisconsin reached the littl'
creek / have spoken of, two or three she'll