The National tribune., 1884-01-24
GEN. 0. 0. HOWARD'O "REMINISCENCES.
foOntinued from LIST page.l


batteries but were sqnarely in front of
the New Hampshire men. The shells and
spherical case-shot Of Petit, thrown with great
accuracy and rapidity, and the cool firing of
Cross skirmishers, quickly drove the advanc-
ing inireders back, and soon they were again
beyond our sight.
Tins saden reveille, with its excitement,
stirred up our minds and magnified our pow
ers OF caution. Too long an interval on our left
between as ana Birney was the cry. Only
pickets cOnDectingi With Summers sanction,
French gained ground to the left, increasing
tie imferval between him and Sedgwiek and
between his regiments, fill he spread over twice
rs much ground as before. by Richardson's
order I sent forward the slst Pennsylvania,
Colonel Miller. Miller deplOged into line,
moved mp rapidly into that left interval, and
reported that he there extended beyond Biz
ney's brigade; his left proved TO be IN front
OF Biraey's RIGHT. Cross was nOw--haying
been Oh guard ali night-returaed, and held
near M hand rs q reserve. These precautions,
wisely conceived, having been taken, our men
IN front along the railway had but few
minutes 10 wait From the direction OF Casey's
redouh!-as we would say in strict military
phrase. from our left fr0nt--thcre came from
the ConfsdeT8tes the same sort 0fcharge as that
have So often described probably this time with
two bri4aae fronts,-Arnsfead and Pick
ett's-sGppoTt.d by Pry0Ts brigade and other
troops. gl;ey came this time at quick walk.
al together and. owing 10 the forest ia that
direction, drew wonderfully near our men be-
fore they were discovered Richardson asserts
that . Along the whole of or front line they
opened q heavy rolling fire OF musketry within
fifty yarls Near our left, two roads crossed
the raii7oad, and mp these the enemy moved
his columns Of attack, supported on his left by
battaiiens deplovea IL line OF battle IN the
woods, the whole line coming up to Us at once
and without sl1irln shers IN advance, showing
that they had good and perfect knowledge OF
the ground. our men returned the ire with
Vivarity ard spirit, and ii soon became the
heaviest laUsketry firing th2t ] have ever ex-
perienced dariag au hour and half; and the
enelay interpossd fresh regiments Eve different
times. 10 ailsW their men 10 replenlsh their
ammunition. The action continued in this
way about an boar. had communicated 10
General French that as soon as he needed re-
enforce nents nc shOCla have them, and now
orl~ied IN General Howard to re-enforce the
first line with his bsi-ale. which he CALAMITY
did, Bringing Up the 6lst New York N person.
Se08 after tbs tlle whole line OF the enemy fell
back for the first tigne unable stand our fire,
and for half an h0ar the firing ceased on both
sides. General Howard WAS wounded about
the tire he brought the 6Ist into action"
The hot engagement thus Joined lasted more
than tAree hoaFs. Our batteries ca the right
helped wonderfully. Every brigade and Tegi-
nent in richardson's division bore al active
part.
EEGTaIENTAL EXPERIENCES
let as, for illustr ration follow the fortunes of
some one regiment. Take the SD Pennsyi-
wanna Colonel john r. Brooke, man Of ability
and seif-coItr0l commanded it. The weight
OF the enamv's assault was a little TO his left
lie faced that way, brought up his men from
the rsilsgay TO set 3 better view. and returned
the fire with the utmost vigor. lie had been at
work some time. Neither party gained ground,
bur inst stood up or kneeiel down and biazed
away Finally, General French Joined the
colonel for q few minutes, and asked him
about the ammunition. 1t was fast diminish
ing so that the general brought up another
regiment for q temporary relief Soon after,
Colonel Brooke haEing rslllcd his boxes. was
On hand again to the right Of Barlow, Of the
6lst, much farther IN advance. He writes:
q The firing during the engagement was very
heavy. The time during which We were up-
der Gre was nearly fOar hours" The opposing
regiments which Brooke met were the 4lst and
SD Virginia. the 23a Alabama. and an0Eherregi-
meDt with sioaci hats, supposed to be Missis-
sippians" The loss OF tins regiment-the SD
PennsyiyaBia--was ninety-four, IFS major kill
ed, ard several commissioned officers badly
wounded.
Try the sd New York, Colonel Paul Frank
commander Tie I'd Georgia engaged il for
fifteen minutes Ut was driven back; then
the q Georgia within thirty PAGES Of Frank s
front This close work. aided by Colonel
Brooke and the batteries continued for about
8 half hour zfterWard there followed in sue
cession the q Alabama and the lIth Missis-
spp and at last. before the end Of the terrific
struggle, portions Of the list and SD Virginia
gave and received their blows. Franks regi-
nsent vas also l0ur hours under FIRE; its losses
1te; seven commissioned officers, intending the
major. were woanasd. Colonel Frank was quite
happy that his men the FIRST time they had
met the enemy had repalsed Eve attacks, each
made By fresh troops
THE Hardest TTME OF ALL
The slst Pennsylvania Colonel MilIer-of
my brigade lad thc hardest time Of all lie
had hardly formed his lineby the railway when
he saw regiment. not los yards from him. in
his 'front.'. he asked who they were. Some
body nesT said: The rebels" he gave the
command. Ready and "AinlD ito fire by
bsttalonl. when some officer near him said:
10, no. Colonel; they are our men lprOba-
by thinking them detached from Birney) so
he commanded, Recover arms" and called
cut 10 THIS body 50 near and seen through the
thick trees: Who are youg" They cried
AlFginians. and INSTANTLY fired volley,
killing Colonel Miller himself and many Of his
Ilcn. and breaking tie continuity OF the line
SIX companies, constituting the right wing Of
the regiment. were tar0wn into confusion, be-
ing without tield-Gitcer near them. Captain
kobt. n Ice, Jr.. stepped From his place, sprang
MON q stump. assumed command, and marched
these six companies to position where they
could do some execution. / sent Lieutenant
~. a. Miles, my aid-de-caT1p 20 look up the
Other four companies broken Up and driven
from the front. he found Them and continued
with them during the day ia the open field
near TIE railroad, and brought them constantly
into action.
The 5zd NeB York, in its own fearful con.
tests, hid, somehow sgung around, drawing
back its left flank IS the enemy followed ur
GiileIis break and, surely Birney was not 81
close q Us or The railroad as Colonel Miller had
enormously reported just before his death
Right hero was AZ awful gap IA the line and
men ia gray were feeling their way along the
wooded swamp, from tree 30 tree, firing and aa
vancing. when my last~two regiments wert
called for. . Come at once" ] marched To Tho
railway and formed lines opposite the interval
Richardson Ia person pointed 10 the place FOL
my right flank. The 9th New York lCoione
Parker stood IN lie, and the 6lst New Yorl
Colonel Barlow on its left the line bein,
about twenty yards from the railroad embank
ment- facing south and southwesterly. Tht
thin WOODS, with occasional sgampy ground
were IN front. Frenchs line was nov 100 yard
or more forward Of my night. parallel with Tia,
railroad, and IN the woods. There was q gTadua
rise through the woods: the gentle upwax
slope extending over 10 The WILLIAMSBURG,
wagon road.
wHEEE GENERAL HOWARD LOST HIS ARM
].