Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-01-19

Of its strength. twas an exception to find
i man who could not show bullet holes
through his clothing. and some of the
wounded were hit three and four times.
Those who buried the dead said that OF
the 900 or more killed by the artillery
FIRE at least 175 were SO torn and mutt
lated as to be Little better than bloody
mass.
AS Pender was driven back ho met
Ripley's brigade, Of the same command
coming to his support. Lee knew the
position, but he must carry it to turn
the Federal left This secsnd brigade
had less than two thousand four hun
dred men, and, united with Pender, the
total strength was not over five thou
sand. Four times that number could
not have made an impression upon that
position.
Whcn Ptuler had rallied Lis men. the
two brigades advanced in column of as
sanlt, breaking cover with cheer and
on the double quick The Federal guns
were worked with terrible energy, but
under cover OF the smoke, and by crawl
ing upon hands and knees, the Confed-
atcs reached the mill race. Indeed,
several hundred of them crossed it.
Then, for forty minutes, there was ter
tific struggle. So fierce was the Federal
infantry fire over and through the
abattis that it was gradually whitfield
away. Limbs as large as mans arm
were barked, Clipped and splintered as
if lightning had played over them, and
the surface of the mill-race was covered
with splinters. twiRs and leaves.
Pender and Ripley could not advance
beyond the canal in force. They could
not long maintain their lines where they
were. The fire from the Federals
searched every foot of ground, and
/ every minute their lines were melting
away. When the order was given to
fall back, the artillery raked them again
as they crossed the open ground, and
when the men finally reached cover, the
loss of each regiment had become amaz-
ing. For instance, the Forty-fourth
Georgia, which numbered only about
700 men, lost 1913 officers and men.
Every field officer was killed, and of the
ten captains and twenty lieutenants,
only twelve remained It was the same
with the Third North Carolina and other
| regiments.
AT FRAZIER's FARM
At Frazier's Farm, during this same
eventfnl week, Randall's battery of six
pieces was Oh McC1ellan's right, and
supported by the Fourth Pennsylvania
The front was an old field, devoid of
shelter, and the battery. was playing into
the woods half mile beyond. This
battery so annoyed the Confederates
that a brigade was ordered to charge it.
The Eleventh Alabama had the lead.
and was to be closely supported by the
other three regiments. Through some
blunder the Alabamians, numbering
about seven hundred and fifty, were per
mitted to advance alone.
They were seen as soon as they broke
cover, and more than one hundred Of
them were killed by the artillery as they
advanced across the field. The me1
were thrown into disorder one moment
to be rallied the next, and, finally, Will
muskets at trail and caps swinging II
the air, they made rush straight upol
the guns. AS they came near the Penn
sylvanians rose up and delivered tw1
or three volleys right into them. These
were returned, and then the final rusl
was made. In minute wild mob wa!
swirling round and round the guns
bavonets drinking blood-cluhbed mus
kets telling men-the wounded stagger
ing up to clutch an enemy and pull hin
down.
Tue guns were won. The Fourth wa
pushed slowly back, but as the cheer
Of the Alahamians drowned the noIs
,, Of the battle to the right and left. tn
Seventh Pennsylvania came to the sup
port Of the Fourth The fight wblcl
now took place was witnessed 10y a
/ least two generals and half doZel
| colonies, outside Of the hundreds il
: the ranks. 1t was two regiments to one
but the Alahamians had won the gun
and were determined to hold them
Not single Company formed IN line
not an officer had command Tw
thousand mad and nfuriatel me
$ rushed at each other with murder j
: their hearts No one asked for ouartt
! 10 one gave 1t.
, 4. the end Of twenty minutes til
: Pennsy,vanians gave way, not overpov
4 cred by numbers bat pressed hack b
. such dare devil fighting as nobody ha
5 ever witnessed before. The guns ha
T been taken, but there were no horses ,
Il draw them away. The captors vel
: making arrangements to draw the
{ away when there was rally on the pa
' Of the Federals. The smallness Of Il
$ Confederate force suddenly becan
= plain as the smoke lifted, and before