The National tribune., 1884-05-01
SAVING THE NATION.
RATTLE OF GAINESVILLE.
CONTINUED from LIST page.

BATTLE OF GAINESVILLE.
The sun is Just sinking below the horizon,
and the cool of the evening is delightful to the
weary soldiers, who irear the boom of cannon
far away in the east towards Centreville where
Hooker is driving the rear of A. z. Hill from
that place northwest toward Sudley Springs.
Not soldier in Gibbons and Doubledays brI-
gades OF Kings division mistrusts that half
mile from the turnpike Taliaferro has his bat
teries in position, and that the gunners are
taking aim.
Bang! bang! hang! There are flashes and
white clouds of smoke along the edge of the
woods Shells burst amid the astonished and
startled troops. few of the soldiers leap
the fence south of the turnpike and flee to the
woods The column comes TO a halt and waits
for orders General King is not there. Gibbon
and Doubleday hold quick consultation.
Tear down that fencei" is the order. and
the fence on the north side of the turnpike is
thrown TO the ground in twinkling. The
two generals resolve to know the meaning OF
this audacious Cannonade.
Gibbons brigade advances across the field
I'd, 9th and 9TH Wisconsin and 18th Indiana.
a line of light fringcs the dark green foliage of
the forest. The men from Wisconsin begin to
drop. moment later they give their answer.
The Union batteries gallop to a hill, wheel into
position and open fire.
Doubleday has the seth Pennsylvania, 10Th
and 95th New York regiments. They turn
from the turnpike aud move up a gentle slope.
Gibbon marches through piece OF woods TO
an open field. The regiment holding the left
of the line advances TO Mr.. BraWners house,
driving the Confederate skirmishers, coming
upon Taliaferro's line, which is posted along
the railroad cut crossing Brawners farm The
uproar of battle extends from the farm house,
out-buildings and haystacks eastward TO the
woods where Ewell's division is stationed
Doubleday advances across the open field
northwest of the little cluster of buildings
called GroYeton, charging straight into the
woods
THE CONFEDERATE TROOPS.
General Taliaferro has four brigades-Bay-
lors, Johnson's, Taliaferro's, and Stafford's.
Two of Ewells division are also engaged
Trimb.e's and Lawton's; in all there are
twenty Confederate regiments against
seven Union. 1t is nearly o'clock when the
battle begins. 1t Is a terrific struggle. This
is what General Taliaferro says of 1t:
" For two hours and half, without an in
stants cessation Of the most terrible discharges
of musketry, round shot and Shell, both lines
stood unmoyed, neither advancing and neither
breaking nor yielding, until at last, about 8
o'clock at night the enemy slowly and sullenly
fell back and yielded the field"
General Taiiaferro was wounded. General
Ewel received bullet in his knee and was car
ried to farmhouse, where his leg was ampu-
tatcd. Three Confederate colonies, one lieu
tenant-colonel, and four majors were killed and
wounded.
" 1t was fierce and sanguinary fight" said
Jackson. Through the twilight hours, while
the light faded from the west, the two lines
faced each other-the Union troops mostly in
the open fields, the Confederates in the edge of
the woods-snd fred sullenly in each Others
faces, broad sheets OF fame from musketry and
cannon lighting up the lurid seene-one-third
of the Union troops being killed and wounded.
NINE O'CLOCK.
Gibbon and Doubleday have fallen back to
the turnpike The soldiers are not in the least
disheartened. They have lost nearly one-third
Of their number. The field where they have
fought is thickly strewn with killed and
wounded; but they make the welkin ring with
their cheers. They know that they have
fought three times their own number and that
it has been brave fight.
Jackson hears the hurrahs sounding on the
night air and does not know what TO make OF
it. a defeated army marches away in silence
but the Union troops, instead of marching
away, are hurrahing as if they had won a vic
tory. 1t must be that they have been re-en-
forced. Instead of sweeping down and crush
ing King as he might have done, he CONSOLE
dates his line.
KINGS MOVEMENT.
General King is in quandary. What shall
he do? Pope has been marching to attack
I jackson before Longstreet arrives. He has en-.
countered Jaeksoa's right wing; TO stay where
+ he is viii be hazardous. He does not know
4 where TO lind Pope, and resolves to march to-
ward Manassas. The wounded are gathered
I the long train Of ambulances move away, and
at ] o'clock in the morning the two brigades
! which have fought SO brave a battle march
away from the spot which they ought TO hold
+ at ali hazards.
/ 1t Is great mistake. With their marching
away they pat it out of the power of Pope to
crush Jackson before the arrival of Longstreet;
/ for Ricketts,, who has been trying to hold Thor.
oughiare Gap against Longstreet, has been out
! fanked by division which crept through Thor.
1 oughfare Gap. farther north, and he is march
4 ing south towards Bristoe Station. In the
morning Mcdowell and Sigel were in the best
1 possible position, but now there is no obstacle
! between Longstreet and Jackson. Pope's op
/ portnnity has gone by forever.
TO be continued.