The National tribune., 1884-03-27
eEE. 0. 0. HOWhRD'S "REMINISCENCES


dirision, apd Colonel Douglas. commanding
I.awton's brigade. were killed. General Law
tcn. commanding Ewell's division, and Colonel
Walker. commanding brigade, were severely
wounded. More than half OF the brigades of
Lawton and Hays were either killed or wound
ea. and more than third of Trinble's and all
the regimental commanders in these brigades
except two were killed or wounded"
Some idea OF the severity of the contest on
the right may he gathered by taking Gibbons
account for sample. Lieutenant Colonel
Bragg 10Th Wisconsin,, and Iieutenant-C Colonel
Allen t2d Wisconsin,, were badly wounded and
Carried TO the rear. Lieutenant-Colonel Bach
man, ia command of the 10th Indiana, was NOR
tally wounded, while Captain Campbell, work
ine his battery, received bah in the shoulder.
Between thirty and forty of his battery men
were killed and wounded, and twenty seven
horses were shot, SO that Gibbon remarks:
"ABd finding the guns almost deprived OF sup
port and OF cannoneers to work them, order
ca them to timber TO the rear aud fall back,
followed soon after by the infantry of my bril-
eaae. much reduced in numbers and scant OF
ammunition"
But before the end Of this period Of the fight
Hooker with his batteries and his infantry,
left, kept swinging to his own left and for
ward till he had dislodged Jackson and Hill
from their first line and forced them through
the corn-felds and open spaces into the west
WOODS.
About the time Ricketts, advance seized the
edge Of this woods, near bunker Church, jack
son brought to bear Lawtons fresh division,
till this time comparatively unengaged and
located in those west woods. Stuart, too, with
his guns well supported, had plnnging fire
upon cur men the instant they took the open
feld The truth is that Rockers divisions
were much broken before. and now were fear
fully handled and losing ground, and must
soon have gone to pieces.
MANSFIELD ARRIVES.
Just as the enemy was taking the offensive
and making charge Mansfield, whom Hooker
had sent for, appeared with his corps. Ii was
probably a little after o'clock in the day.
Mansfield first re-enforced Rockers line and
aided him TO regain some ground that he had
just lost hut the troops went forward only TO
cDne back again. Then the old general, whose
hair was snow-white, took the offensive, form
ing in senii-circuar order, with Greene's Dir
vision on the left and Williams On the right.
VIII not attempt a description OF this adj
vance liz was like HOokcr's and met with
similar ohstinacy. The Conicderatcs, how
ever were forced TO retire; numbers Of their
colonies and several Of their generals were
slain or disabled Jackson's command was
broken and driven beyond bunker Church.
AT that time-pr0bably about so'clock-Lee,
seeing little likelihood Of McClellan's left col
umn doing much damage, almost stripped his
right. leaving there bat few troops under Gen
eral I'D. IL. Jones, and sent everything else to his
left. The distance was not great and the roads
good, the whole length Of the Confederate line
not exceeding two miles and half.
Hood. who had now been sufficiently rested,
and ID H. Hill being present in some force
with the advance, made q charge against Mans
fields line. now weakly supported by the shat
tered divisions Of Hooker. These fresh troops,
with Numerous batteries well posted to sweep
our lines from both the right and the left sue
ceeded in thoroughly breaking and disorganiz-
Ing our whole front, and the great proper
ton of our men, who were not either killed or
wounded. fell back TO the west woods or north
ward to the grove on the turnpike. Mansfield
was slain as he advanced TO make his first
charge; Hooker, badly wounded had to leave
the field; the division commanders HartsUf
and Crawford had been disabled. What an
hour before were regiments, now looked like
squads of men here and there IN the edges of
the wood and by the fences, irregularly firing
toward the enemy. Our batteries-increased
in number bv the arrival Of the 18th corps
fMalsGeld'sl sand they alone, had checked
the eneny's advance and hindercd them from
crossing that bloody open ground between the
weeds.
General Greene, with a part Of his force
ching 10 projection of the west wood, and
maintained his fire. Such, in substance. was
the condition OF affairs on our arrival / saw
abundant evidences Of the conflict. Too many
well men were carrying their wounded COM
rades TO the rear.
General Summers brief remark about Hook
er'E corps is significant He says he sent staff
officers to find where the troops were, land
General Ricketts,, the only general officer we
could find, said that he could not raise 800 men
OF the corps"
TO be continued