The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-06-23
CRITICAL MOMENT AT AN.
I fa,E TIETAM. a@

N -"H
From GEN. Longstreet's account
of "The Invasion of Maryland in
the June Century, we quote this
anecdote: "Thus the. battle ebbed
and flowed with terrific slaughter on
both Sides 1ysif 1ue -rt t33iap on
"The Federals fought with won
derful bravery and the Confederates
chung to their ground with heroic
courage as hour after hour they were
mown down like grass. The fresh
troops of Mcclellan literally tore
into shreds the already raggediarmy
of Lee, but the Confederates never
gave back. ~ .g@ -a.- -1Jor,atgaJ
Il remember at one time they
were surging up against us with
fearful numbers. | was occupying
the left over by Hood, whose ammu-
milton gave out. Soon after the Fed
erals moved up against us in great
masses. a...E. g0E t} 100 ----.il +o
ave we're under the crest Of a
hill occupying a position that ought
to have been held by from four to six
brigades. The only troops there
were Cookies regiment of North
Carolina infantry without a cart
ridge. AS I rode along the line with
my staff [ saw two pieces Of the
Washington artillery (Miller's bat
tery), but there were not men enough
to man them. The gunners had been
either killed or wounded. This was a
fearful situation for the Confederate
center. | put my staff officers to the
guns while | held their horses. 1t
was easy to see that if the Federals
broke through our lines there, the
Confederate army would be cut in
two and probably destroyed, for we
were already badly whipped and
were only holding our ground by
sheer force of desperation. Cooke
sent me word that his ammunition
was out. l replied that he must hold
his position as long as he had a man
left: He responded that he would
show his colors as long as there was
a man alive to hold them up. We
loaded up our little guns with CAMS
ter and sent a rattle of hail into the
Federals as they came up over the
crest of the hill. Eya1 81
"There was more business to the
square inch in that little battery
than in any / ever saw, and it shot
harder and faster and with a super
human energy as it seemed to real
ize that it was to hold the thousands
of Federals at bay or the battle was
lost. So warm was the reception we
gave them that they lodged back
behind the crest Of the hill. We
sought to make them believe we had
many batteries before them instead
only two little guns. As the Fed
erals would come up they would see
the coiors OF the North Carolina
regiment waving placidly and then
would receive a shower of canister.
We made it lively while it lasted. In
the meantime Gen. Chiffon, Gen.
Lees chief of staff, made his way to
me and asked, where are the troops
you are holding your line with? l
pointed to my two little pieces and
to Cookies regiment and replied,
There they are; but that regiment
hasn't a cartridge .H-.
"Chilton's eyes popped as though
they would come out of his head; he
struck spurs to his horse and away
he went to Gen. Lee. | suppose he
made some remarkable report, al
though | did not see Gen. Lee again
until night. After a little a shot came
across the Federal front, blowing
the ground in a parallel line. An
other and another, each nearer their
line. This was from a battery on d.
III. Hills line.
"This enfilade fire, so distressing
to soldiers, o beat back the at
lacking column" #l~ +. .