Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-03

was occupied ny my regiment. 10 our
right at this time, extending along the
crest of the hill, was Kelley's cavalry in
line OF battle where they had hastily
picked up a few rails, chunks, stones,
toys, etc., for breastworks.
In less than thirty minutes after going
into line our brigade had completed a
very creditable line of works. There was
no enemy in our front nearer than i've or
SIX hundred yards, where they had ad-
vanced in the field and We're making
heavy demonstrations. The firing OF the
cavalry skirmishers, as they were
RAPIDLY FALLING BACK,
on their main line told us in unmistakable
language where the heavy work was to
be done.
AS the front line of the enemy reached
the hollow in their front, the cavalry
precipitately withdrew. To our great re-
lief, however, they were at once replaced
with Granberry's brigade. These men
had no shelter save that already men,
toned as having been constructed by the
cavalry. Cranberry had no such thing as
earthworks, and the head-logs spoken of
by the Federal Colonel, existed only in
his imagination. The enemy advanced
rapidly up the hill, and when within ii f.
teen or twenty yards of GraDberry's line
their front line of battle Law down. Then
a butchery as has rarely been equalled in
the annals of modern warfare. Howard
had massed his forces, his object being to
turn and crush our right flank. Just
how many lines of battle there were
cannot say, but when the front line lay
down, the hillside down to the hollow
seemed literally covered with Federals.
There being no enemy, as / have said,
in our immediate front nearer than 800 or
t.4Fk
of our left and centre, whilst we on the
right swept the hill side IN Granberry's
front with a deadly enilading fire. On
the left of our regiment and Just where
our line passed the head OF the hollow,
was section OF hOwitZers, a portion of
either CObb's or Keys battery l have for
gotten which, the latter though, L think.
These guns had full sweep OF the hollow
and hillside at short range with grape
and canister, this coupled with the mus
kerry in flank and front was. indeed, such
as no mortal man could Withstand. Upon
the falling back of the cavalry, Gen.
Kelley, so we were told, became so NOR
titled at their conduct as to cause him for
awhile, to abandon them in disgust. He
then asked andObtained from Gen. Gle
burne permission
TO TAKE HIS OLD REGIMENT
from our brigade to the extreme right. 1t
was, doubtless, the movement of this
regiment to Granberry's right that led
Mr.. Fremon into the erroneous statement
that Govan was on his right. Placing
himself at the head of this regiment, Gen.
Kelley advanced just in time to meet and
defeat a movement of the enemy which
was intended to overlap and turn Gran
berry's right. Lowry's brigade was then
advanced to the extreme right, but
whether they were engaged to any ex-
tent or not am unable 70 say.
The Eighth and Nineteenth Arkansas
regiments, led by Kelley, having to fight
in open field, suffered severely, losing
nearly as many men perhaps as the en-
tire division besides. The Federals hav-
ing lain down IN GraRberry's front there
was no distinguishing the living from the
dead. The firing, therefore, upon our
side was doubtless kept up sometime
longer than it would otherwise have been.
This accounts for our finding compare
lively no wounded men upon the ground.
AS an instance of the Confederates'
unerring aim there was one place IN their
front line on the hillside where we found
thirteen dead men in the line OF battle
without single man missing from the
line; then one, two or three men would be
missing, when you could count eight or
ten, all in their place, lying dead, and
Juob So buAb COnbluuCA lOL d EDaS5 Vi OUJ
yards. For this distance, | don't think
there was more than the fourth man
missing from the line. In addition to
this the hillside extending down to the
foot might be said to have been literally
covered with dead men. Near the hollow
we found seven men VINO had been killed
from behind one small tree.
At another point in Granberry's front,
and short distance to our right, we
found Federal who had fallen in an ex-
posed place, his body lying parallel with
our lines. In this mans body we counted
FoRTY-NINE BALL HOLES.
After the night charge, which was
made between S and O'Clock that night,
for the purpose Of cleaning up in front
and developing the position taken by the
enemy, l was on the battlefield near the
hollow, and just to the right OF the field.
Approaching Federal that l had seen
fall during the action, found him lying
apparently dead. Upon my attempting
to remove his haversack, he spoke and
asked for a drink of water. Apologizing
as well as l could for my vandalism, j
gave him my canteen which was full,
taking his empty one in return. On fur
Their inquiry he told me that he was
wounded in the head-said, he was cold,
and asked me to place some blankets on
him. which l did. As the leaves were
burning near him, l collected some dry
brush and pieces OF rails and soon had q
bright fire at his feet.
The man then rose TO a sitting position,
when. to my amaZemeut, saw that a
mimic ball had pierced the centre OF his
forehead, passed through the brain and
out about the centre Of his skull behind.
Ateach orldce there was not less than a
gill Of brains on the outside. Early on
the following morning / went 10 look
after my wounded Federal, and found
him still alive and perfectly rational.
The inflrmary corps soon removed him to
the field hospital, where. / was told, he
lived until late that evening, remaining
rational up 60 the moment of his death.
Being one of the detail TO bury the
dead, was present that morning about
o or 10 o'clock, when Gen. Johnston and
all his general officers rode over 10 look
at "Old Pats" battlefield. When within
few feet Of where l was standing and at
point which commanded full view OF
the battlefield, Gems. Johnston and Polk,
who were in front, refined up. After
casting his eyes over the field, Gen. Polk,
addressing Gen. Johnston, said: Seen
eral. this IL horrible, horriblei isn't itT'
"WhY, no, General" said sold JOe''
smiling. "When viewed In the light OF
our present calling, and what 1t Is now
our business to do, l regard Il the most
pleasing sight that l have witnessed in
some time"
These officers were very sociable with,
and quite complimentary TO our men
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