The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-11-05
UNCLE DANIELS STORY.
Continued from Ist page.}

| ing more tnan the WanderlngS OF the mlnt
= during sleep. But, Mr. President, since yol
have taken me into your confidence l mus
, confess that / am sometimes startled by
r what seems to be an unfolding of events il
the future
5 Saying this much he relapsed into hi
) wonted silence. After some further CONVEX
: sation they separated. The next mornin.
Gen. Silent left for the Army of the East
, He was received on his arrival in a manner
, , that showed their confidence in him as
! great commander. He established his head
quarters in the field near Meador, and al
: once commenced giving directions in hi:
quiet way for recognizing the troops and
preparing in every way for an early advance
His army was soon organized into three
corps,.-Second Fifth and Sixth command.
ed respectively by Gen. Hanscom, Gen. Sedge
wear and Gen. Warner; the Ninth (Inde
pendent) Corps, under Broomfield, with the
cavalry under Sherlin, who had been ordered
to the East from the Army of the Center.
"My son Jackson, having been spoken OF
very highly to Gen. Silent by Gen. Ander-
son, had also been ordered to the East and
placed in command of brigade under Gen
HanScOm.
"The armies both in the East and the
West being reOrganized and in good condi-
tion, Gen. Silent began his arrangements for
an immediate movement. The Armies of the
West and Center now being combined under
the command Of Sherwood were to move
from Chatteraugus directly down the rail-
road against Biggs,-or rather Jones, the new
commander of the rebel forces. The move
ment of the combined armies, East and West,
against the enemy, was to take place on the
same day. The rebel army East was admir-
ably posted for defensive operations, pro-
vided they were to be attacked in their posi-
tion. Laws had his army divided into three
corps, commanded respectively by Ewelling
on the right A. p. Hitler on the left, and
LOngpath who had come from Biggs) as
reserve in the rear; his cavalry by J. E.
Seward. His army was on the south bank
OF the Rapid Ann, and in rear of Mine Run,
and extending East to the spurs of Blue
Ridge on the west, protected by heavy earth
works. His forces and his movements were
covered by streams, forests, hills, and by a
very heavy chaparral or copse for miles in
extent.
silent would not attack in his front, as
| Laws expected but concluded TO plunge imme-
diately into the chaparral and threaten Laws's
right. This would compel the enemy to give
/ battle ut once or retreat. So orders were issued
| for the Army OF the East to move at midnight
/ cross the Rapid Ann, and march into the dense
woods by the roads nearest the rebel lines. The
troops moved, and by dawn the next morning
had possession Of the crossings and were passing
over the river. BY night of that day the army
! had crossed, and most of their trains also. The
cavalry had pushed forward and camped near
Sedgewear who had gone into bvouac on the
hill after crossing the Rapid Ann. During the
day our signal corps had read the signals Of the
enemy, which were that Laws had discovered
SIent's movements and was making prepara-
tlons TO meet them.
Silent had ordered Broomfield to move at
once and make night marches so as to be up in
time. Sherlin was to move forward and attack
the rebel cavalry at Chancelor's City. Three
times this army had crossed the Rapid Ann
before and us many times been driven back
The question in the minds of all was, Will
Silent 20 on, or will he be forced to recross the
stream?' Laws was very confident that he
would force him back.
That night Silent received telegram from
Sherwood at Chatteraugus, saying that his
army had moved out that day and was near the
enemy; also, from Crooker and Boutler; all had
moved. Thus Silent had all the armies of the
Republic, wherever they might be, at the same
hour moving against the enemy aggressively.
No such movements had parallel in history.
The enemy were menaced in every 'front.' so
that no one could give aid or re-enforcements
to the other.
Laws, when he saw the situation, deter
mined to attack, believing that he could assault
Warner and drive him back before Hanscom
(whO had crossed some miles from Warner)
conld come up to join on Warmers right. That
night Warner and Ewelling lay facing each
other, nearly together. They might easily have
divided rations, though hidden from each other
by the dense forest. Yet like the knowledge
We all have by instinct of our near approach
to danger, they were each aware of the others
presence.
Gen. Silent ordered change SO as to move
his head of column direct for the right flank of
Laws's new position. Warner moved, with
cavalry in advance, to Craig's Meeting House,
his left resting at the Chaparral Tavern Sedge-
wear was to join on his right Hanscom to move
from Chancellor City to his support and Sher-
lin on the left and in rear of Hanscom
Early in the morning the enemy appeared
in Warmers front. One regiment of cavalry |
had already been hurled back Meador had |
made his disposition In accordance with Slent's |
instructions. Broomfield was now crossing the |
river, and Silent waiting at the ford to see |
him; but learning of Lawss movement, he |
went forward at once to Chaparral Tavern. |
This tavern was in low place. densely sur
rounded with trees and underbrush. Here |
Silent placed his headquarters in the rear of |
Warmers Corps. The woods and chaparral |
were so dense in all directions that neither |
army could distinguish the line Of the other.
by o'clock an occasional shot could be |
heard, and then the rattle of musketry, as |
though company or so had discharged their |
pieces. Presently few skirmishers would |
come back to the main line, asserting that the |
enemy were in force in front. Then orders |
would be given to advance the skirmish- line |
and feel for the enemy.
About 10 o'clock a shot from the artillery of |
the enemy announced the fact that he was
posting for resistance. Our line at once ad-
vanced as best it could in the direction of the
enemy. The musketry opened and continued |
to increase until one whole division of our
troops were engaged. The artillery opened on
both sides and Toared as the mighty thunders.
Musketry ratified like hail on the housetops
The enemy in our 'front.' Ewelling was driven
In great disorder for some distance by Griffiths
Division, but the underbrush was so dense that
no alignment could be made with the troops
Regiments and brigades could not find each
other. 1t became impossible to have any unity
OF action. This same cause prevented Sedegwear
from joining on Warmers right or connecting
with Griffith at all. This left Grifith's flank
exposed, and the rebels at once taking ad vantage
of this, forced him back again with the loss of
some of his guns and quite number of prison.
ers. The rebels made no attempt to follow up
tEeir advantage, but began at once erecting
earthworks.
Laws was attacked before he anticipated,
although making show of readiness; but he
was resting on ground familiar to him and
wholly unknown to our troops. Silent was
notified of our repulses. 1t was apparant that
Laws whole armV was on the fald and ,naIi- |