The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-09


every man a hl- post, eXuetted charge
The fog hung lUg and We waited impa
it'eutly Tor 1t 70 rise and show u III,
plain below. VI hen | saw the eneny
we're nor in sight. ! then went fOrwar
some few hundred yards leconnoitre
aud IN the meantime sent word 10 Gen
Hill that the enemy had disappear
from mv front. Gen. Hii sent my re
port t Gen. jackson, aud had him>e
only Ucen there few minutes, wher
ien. jackson, accompanied by Cel.
Lee, rode up to this spot the hIgh,-
emiueuce on chat part u the field, ami
asked, w ho says the enemy have
gone - Gen. Hill replied, Co.
crimes then turning to me Cfeu
jackson said How do YOU know p
replied, Il have been down as tar a
their plcket line OF the day previous, am
can see nothing OF them. He SAID,
Move your skiTmsh line as far as tie
line, and see where they are. There
was lpok OF deep chagriu aud NORTH
cation, very apparent to the observer,
on the cOuntenauce of each, though
nothing of the sort was expressed 10
words. The brigade that | then con-
manded was composed Of the 3Oth. CO.
Parker; 18th, Col. Bennett 4th Regi~
ment my OWN State Troops, 2nd Rcgi
mcnt State Troops under Col. Bynum.
We then went into winter quarters, near
Corbin'S, and picketod the Rappahan
mock from Prestonburg To -
by Tayior's house. Opposite Taylor :
house there were ladies, who cons tantly
tried 20 signal US the movements Of tht
enemy, particularly when Hooker moved
on 10 April following
During the month Of February was
relieved II the brigade command by
Brigadier General Ramseur. Obtaint 4
furlough for "A short time and visited
home, and upon returning was occupied
10 drilling and dI>cipinlng the 4tn Reg
ment, which regiment was not eXceIed
IN the army of Northern Virginia aud
Was noted for its esprit ttt corps
On Friday, the lst Of May, before he
break Of day, we were on the marcel
down the old Fredericksburg road tow
ards Chance llorsvllle TO meet Hooker :
army, which had lust eros sed the Rapi-
dan and striking out for Gen. Lee ; rear
On this march, for the first time, Gen
Jackson appeared in full military COS
tune, and conveyed by his personal APP
pearauce an idea of the great military
hero he was. My regiment and Miss
| lSsippi command were detailed for the
purpose Of feeling the enemy, and were
| deploved TO dive them in when found
my leit resting on the road aud acting as
an extended skirmlsh line. Gen. Jack
on rode down the turnpike with the
artillery, and whenever necessary would
/ have it to unilmb,r and feel the WOO Is
i 1
my line and upon much resistance belug
shown by the enemy, would say in sup
pressed tones, Press them Colonel
/ La this manner, without haltlng. we
marc ed down near their main body,
driving hem from every position, and
several of their regiments leaving their
/ knapsacks piled up where they hal been
thrown off when called out to oppose
our onward march. Upon crossing =
creek and mill pond driving the cuemy
before US, all wet, tattered ami torn, and
marching over the brow of the opposite
bill. the whole line of the main army
opened fire upon US, and if they had lc
served their fire until we had gain Il the
summit. my command would nave been
annihlated As it was. they were 50
astouudod by the sudden1ss OF this
alarming fire, that they began to fail
back In confusion, wheu | rallied them,
ordered them to ''he down" as we were
orote, ted by the emineDce upon the hill
! above, az q went forward to rccunuoILrt
In person, when saw that we had come
upon large force entrenched. Made
a report of thcss facts to Gen jackson
and was ordered To hold my position un
Il I'll relieved. winch was done about |.
0 clock that night, and We then went
down Gear the turnpike to biyuuac tol
the nigh ht. W hen about O'Clock, dfrei
noticing Generals Lee aad Jackson il
close conference for some time, we took
up that long march for the flank move
meDt which resulted 50 seriously to the
ConfedeIa ate cause by the loss OF Gen
Jackson, though successful IL an upJre
cedeuted degree IN the result cf the
movement. at e. long. tedious aut
circultous route to get IN the rear o
Hooker's army, about 3 O ock on Sat
urGay evening. The 2id OF May, ~,
were in position with RDies' Division il
: front, aud unexpectedly to them, fel
upon Seige,'s Corps that was in reserve
and Grove them back tor miles upol
their lires behind the entertainments
attacked tt en-, and carried ne line .
!, earthworkS, took the enemy cami
baggage, the meals and hot coffee, thcl
boiling hot on the tire, which we tauu,
very refreshing and was III the at D
fating my supper, by an euemy's camp
FIRE ami from his laider, then uneX9ect
edly brisk fire commenced. aid III
few minutes cannoGadlng, the enrm
raking tie woods and rlauk-rOads Will
] Al
were about to charge, | called upon IN.
troops 10 occupy the breas work whlci
we bad captured an hour previous, anO
be prepared for the attack.
After getting In position and near tho
: plank | went up the road to see i
could hear anything 70 account Tor tn
sudden firing, when | met ! patty bear
: ing q litter off the field. and enquire,
who il was Some one said "Lieutenan
sumter, : and upon going a step or tw'
! further | encountered Gen. Rodes. VIII
t informed me that the wounded office
was none other that Gen. Jackson, bu
2 he thought Il advisable that it should b
; oncealed from the troops for fear G
: dishnartening them in view Of the SER
; Gus work ahead OF Us in the mornn-
, We lav down behind the breastwork-
! and rested trr the night
sunday, May 3rd, Chancellorsville
: Before daybreak this morning We wer
t called upon To hold ourselves in read
: ness to support other troops when cal
: ed upon, IL in consideration of our hay
| ing borne the bruut OF the fights Tor til
1 two previous days, Others We're to TAX
: the advance. We rested Just in rear
, the - Brigade, brigade Of previou
: good reputation. which occupied I'll
/ breastworks captured by Us the day pr,
: vious. A staff officer rode up and d
: rected by command OF Gen. J. Z. /