Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-03
cI.FsuRNE AT NEW HOPE
CHURCH.
o,a r. the BlOodiest Fields in ANY
War.
F,o,n the st. Louis Republican.

q hrif description, Dy NIL LSOH AAS-'
of wich appears in your weekly issue
If ne A.. presented a scene OF blood
sbad and slaughter rarely, II ever,
eonIled upon the American continent.
Esphiallv is this so when we take into
confederation the relative strength oil the
,wohnnosing forces actually engaged.
misunderstanding this fact the article
nv Hr. Fremon, and one other from
fedfal standpoint, is all that l have
eveIseen in print relating to this engage
met This latter article upon the battle
of NV Hope church, while OVerdraWn
and In some respects totally inaccurate,
will still serve TO show the respect Wnlch
tbebnemy had for Cleburne's DIVISION
and it's able and gallant commander. a
wrter in the Cincinnati ER4dtIIer gives H,
thefOllowing Renaissance OF Gen. Cle-
buIne for the purpose, as he says, OF
shdwingthe absolute control he held over
hisme
. A FEDERAL COLONIES STORY,
But there was one part of the Con-
federate line which did not share IN the
tulnult apd fierce resistance which was
everywhere else apparent. This was the
nbrtion heId by the division OF Maj .-Gen.
Cleburne, OF, as all the Southern people
know him, s'Pat'' Cleburne. 1t has been
said OF Cleburne that he was the only
man IN the Confederate army who could
absolutely control his men and make
them hold their fire until he was ready
Tor it to be delivered.
On the daY of this battle, when the
federal advance began, it il stated that
he said to his troops that he would shoot
any man who would dare to IRE a gun
until he gave the word.
This was the explanation OF the omi-
nous silence all along that portion OF the
breast-wOrks held by his force. Probably
the effect of this can best be shown by
repeating the words of a federal colonel
who was captured in this battle, and
who described it the next day. SAID he:
SIT was the most severe ordeal which
my nervous system has ever undergone.
When we began the advance we natu-
rally expected that the artillery would
open upon us as soon as we got within
range. and that, having swept forward
until we were in reach OF The fire of mus
kerry, that would begin to open upon us
also. | had been through so much of
this that had ceased to fear it, and al
ways relied on the excitement of the Oc-
casiOn carrying me forward; but mere
we ran for some 200 yards or more, and
there was not cannon shot. Another
100 yards and still no explosion of bomb
shell or anything of the kind! now be-
gan to feel little strange. Another 100
yards and still no sign of life, and my
nervousness began to give place to de-
sire to halt. Another 100 yards, and we
were. certainly within range OF musketrV;
but still there was nOtOne sign of life IN
the intrenchments in front OF us; nothing
to give cause for apprehension, appar-
entity. except the waving of the COnteder-
ate flags above the works as light wind
blew. Now, over me began to come
mortal feeling of dread, a feeling which L
never felt before, and which l can
scarcely describe. l would have turned
and fed but for the fear OF disgrace,
which was stronger even than the horror
Of death. But i knew what was coming,
and determined by my example to inspire
my men to brave it, no matter how terri
bic it was. At length we were within
scarcely more than twenty yards OF the
intrencnments, when from all along the
line protruded forth, beneath the head
logs, scores and hundreds OF muskets. l
could see them as l gave a quick glance
down the TbOle front, and those i'm
mediately before me particularly, seemed
slightly waving from side to side. There
was no mistaking it. / knew that every
holder Of 2 ausket was picking out his
man. This continued for bat few mo-
ments, when above all other sounds, dis
tinct and clear, l heard the command
kINGua -NOWg AncAs ME- AuobbnAly nOuA
along the entire line there seemed, like a
lightning flash, to burst forth a sheet of
flame and smoke. 1 was struck, andfell
senselessfor aninstant, out when l re-
covered myself and turned to look, there
seemed to be scarcely seven men Of my
entire regImentsOn their feet. Then the
fury of the combat arose above every
other sight or sound. The whole forest
and mountain seemed to be on fire.
t.. -. fhnN =
have stood before 1t.
As an evidence of the correctness OF
this description, it may be stated that
after the battle the Confederates picked
up In front OF Cleburne's line LOOP dead
and wounded Federals."
THIS DESCRIPTION,
so far as Cleburne was concerned, is to-
tally at variance with his method of con-
trolling his men. 1t was not by threats
4 or harsh means of any kind that Gen.
Cleburne exercised his control over his
command, but by inspiring them with
that respect, love and confidence which
would and did later at Franklin, cause
them to follow him even ''intO the jaws of
hell"
On the morning OF the battle Of New
Hope church, or, more properly speaking
the battle on May u at New Hope church
IN contradiction to another engagement
fought on the same line near the church
a few days later, Cleburne's division
made two OF three moves on the extreme
lett OF the army. Between ana 3 that
afternoon we were hurriedly called into
line and caused TO double quick to the ex-
treme right, a distance of five or six
miles. On reaching that point we were
at once formed in double line OF battle,
6oVan's brigade in the rear line. In this
position we remained but few minutes,
when Goyan was advanced to the front,
passing over what had been our front
line. Whether this was Granberry's or
Lowrey's brigade l do not now remem-
Der.
In the meantime Brlg.-Gen. Kelley,
who had but recently been promoted from
eolonel of the Eighth and Nineteenth Con-
bolidated Arkansas regiment 10 the COM
inand OF brigade OF cavalry, was hotly
Engaged on our front and right with the
enemy's advancing lines Of infantry con-
sistlng Of Towards corps Of Sherman's
army.
THE FIELD.
In order to get correct idea of "Old
Pate" battle ground at New Hope
church, one has only ~ lay down upon
the ground, In his mind a capital A. The
leithand stroke representing the Con-
iederate line facing NORTH as you look to-
wards the right-hand stroke, which here
represents a hollow. The top Of the A
vas the head OF the hollow where our
une extended on to the left. The point
hn Nastas hnfN