The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-04

IS neid. Our starting point was from on,
= MIL, and the Fort was on another will
3 hollow intervening. Over this hollow
hung dense fog of smoke, which in ,
great measure Obscured our way. bu
under cover Of which we could bette
make the assault This smoke c.DeeaIe,
the sequel to our terrible disaster. II
the middle of this hollow was a rayin,
winch had on its banks some lar,
beech and other thick-limbed trees
nese trees the enemy had cut down anC
tehea with their tops in our direction
forming an almost impenetrable abattis,
Whlch was unknown to US till we came
: Immediately upon it, Up to this point
! we had charged with a veil and
an unbroken line, and up to this time
too, the enemy had reserved their fire
: when all at once they unlimbered their
guns, and the carnage began, raining a
perfect hail-stOrm Of shot and shell into
our confused and disOrdered ranks. Our
brave boys, with their characteristic and
: desperate heroism, threw themselves
forward upon this brush and struggled
to the front, only to become more and
more entangled. Some of them succeed
ed IN getting through, but the great
majority, realizing their precarious sit
uation, found protection behind the logs
and limbs of this timber. The fates had
turned against US, and a band of as
noble fellows as ever made war for
country or honor seemed a doomed sac
ritice in the midst of this impenetrable
jungle.
The enemy knew better than we did,
our position. As the smoke cleared
away, their aim became more accurate,
and the slaughter from then on was
murderous. We wanted them to come
out from behind thir works, but in this
we were not gratifed. In our rear, as
in front of us, their artillery from be-
hind the walls of their Fort swept the
face of the earth, rendering it utterly out
of the question for us to either 90 for
ward or retreat We were like worms in
! hot embers. The time we were kept in this
| position seemed an age, but was really
some two hourss We were grateful
| people when the battle had spent its
| fury and we saw coming in our direction
| Il flag of truce. As the parties bearing
| it came in our direction from the Fort.
| Capt. Walker at the moment not seeing
the flag, thought the enemy was coming
out after us. and ordered some of his
men to fire upon them, but this mistake
was soon corrected and no harm done.
1t was very soon agreed among us that
our killed and wounded could be re-
moved from the field. While Capt. Walk
er and others of our boys met the flag
on our right, the Regiment was being
collected by Capt. Finlay on the left
and the caring for our killed and
wounded was begun. The spectacle be-
fore us was an awful one. Col. Smith |
had penetrated the timber, and was shot
down within a few feet of the enemy's |
bitches. Col. Bullard and his noble old
horse, sank in hielrss mass without a |
struggle, literally shot to pieces. was |
near him, and am satisfied that he was
shot several times after being killed; the
bodies of himself and horse were pene-
trated with some fifteen different mis-
siles. In his vicinity were most OF the
other unfortunates, that having been
the most exposed part Of our line. Capt. |
Walker, our senior officer present, as
sumed command of the regiment and
began directing its movements, when
Mai Barr, who was on Gen. Chalmers
staff, came to us at the request of Capt.
Walker, took command and retained 1t
for some days.
Back in the woods, the point from
which we began the assault is where we
buried our dead and in the order before
mentioned This duty performed,
we moved with sad and disappointed
feelings to the tasks that came before
as. such as recognizing and otherwise
getting ready TO 60 forward with the
balance of the army then coming up
was Adjutant OF the Regiment, and for
that reason could not go back over the
| field, but was told the logs and limbs
behind which we sought protection,
were on their surface shot to pieces. On
some of them, there was not bark enough
on any one place but that could be COW
cred with the palm of your hand.
never saw Col. Smith after he was
carried off the field; my hands were
full in the camp with making reports,
etc. All my papers were back with the |
wagons, and Scrgt.-Maj. French was or
dered, with Capt Dobson, to care for
their mutual friend and Rinsman, Col. |
Smith.
This left me without the usual assist
ance, with all the details to make, be-
sides my reports, and such help as
could render In righting up the confu-
sion. In the midst of all these things |
the mock honor was conferred upon our
regiment as being the proper one to re-
ceive the forts formal surrender.
Some three or four days after the bat
tie, but while we were still on the field,
Capt. ]. NJ. Walker was recommended
by board of examiners, composed OF
Coils. Walthall; White and Bishop, for
promotion, and was Immediately ap-
pointed our Lt.-Colonel and assigned to
command. Major Barr from then on
continued with us. Col. Smith sent me
a request that / would make him llst
of the casualties. / was unable to get
it ready at once, and when did ne had
fallen into the enemy's hand. lie was
fond of his men, and this was most
natural request for him to make. he
wanted to know who suffered with hlm. |
| have always regretted my inability to
reach him with this report.
Under the circumstances, the concep-
ton of this battle on the part OF Gen.
Chalmers was a most natural one. He
was of human nature, and like the rest
of us, chafed under his disappointment |
at Cave City. believe the successful
capture Of the enemy's position there,
was possible. We were quite strong |
enongh, and but for the obstruction /
would have gone over the walls, with
but little if any loss. Gen. Chalmers
may be to blame for not knowing
the nature of the ground better, but /
blame him most and think him justly /
eensurable, for not forcing bis right /
wing to a vigorous attack as soon as he
saw we were caught in trap. believe
inst at this time was his dllemmai ne
was paralyzed to find us in such pre-
dicament and held the balance back
for fear of further slaughter.
No nobler body of men ever moved /
forward to battle than were the lOth /
and 44th Mississippi Regiments on tins
occasion. ss0ur plumed knight, Col.
r. A. Smith. whose rich voice could be
distinctly heard in the din of battle, |
nrouaIy led TO the charge, followed N
their respective places by Lt.-Cols- bull |
lard and Moore with their regiments.
This was the order IN which they began,
and was the order IN which they tell
Cal smith was morfally wounded, while |
fsolanels Bullard and Moore were killed |
o,,trioht Cols. Smith and Bullard were
held "a the strongest and highest esteem
1and s, was Col. Moore By his regimentl
Nv ali their men, and IN their death the
10Th Mississippi regiment sustained an
Iirreparable loss; indeed We never alter
ward felt the same pride and hope
| They were both By nature Of 8 high order
lof manhood; they we're patriots ana
gentlemen IN the pnrest sense. and were
most excellent officers In some partlc-
uIars. they we're qnite different but u
ornaralities there was analogy enough
II their natures, to make them the most
conuenial and confding friends. Col
Smith was about thirty years of ages
thorough Scotchman Was nataxe9
belieee. of that grand old country. he
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