The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-04-22

| believed that another attack %ouiu oe
made in the same place. Common gen.
erosity to the memory of Gen. Hooker,
who was gallant and successful corps
commander, leads us to think that at the
time he believed that the enemy was
retreating. His neglect of the right was
otherwise criminal. In him alone cen.
tired all the information of constantly
occurring changes. To him alone was
reported each new circumstance. His
subordinates knew but the partial truth.
They relied on him for the initiative.
At6 p. M, then, the situation was this:
The left and centre lay as before. How.
ard held the right, the "key of the posi-
tion," with 10000 men, a half brigade
of Devens only astride the pike, the rest
of Devens's and Schurz's forces facing
South, and Steinwehr massed at Dow
dall's. Howard's best brigade was gone,
and there was not a man to support him
between Dowdall's and Charlottesville,
for this portion of the line under Sickles
had been advanced into the woods nearly
two miles. On the right flank of this
little force lay Jackson's corps of over
2O,CJo men, whose wide wings, like the
arms of gigantic cuttle6sh, were ready
to clutch it in their fatal embrace. To
cover Jackson's march, Lee at intervals
during the day tapped at the lines in his
front, principally where Hancock lay.
Duriu Ill this afternoon Hooker had
chance handsomely to redeem his Fri
days error in retiring into the Wilder
ness. Whatever the reason, the fact that
Lee had divided his army remained clear.
Lee, with the right wing, had but $4,000
men. Hooker knew that he could not
have more than $4,000. He himself
had 10000 splendid troops. He could
have crushed Lee like an egg shell, and
then have turned on Jackson. But, with
knowledge of Jackson's habit of mys'
terry, of his wonderful speed and fighting
capacity, and of his presence on our right,
with all the means Of knowing that this
same right flank was isolated by two miles
of impenetrable woods from any sup
porting force, he sat still, folded his
hands, as it we're, for sleep, and waited
events.
The 18th corps was cooking or eating
supper. Arms were stacked. Breast
works looking South were but fairly SUBJ
stantial. Facing East were none. Some
carelessness was apparent, in that ambu-
lances, ammunition wagons, pack mules
and even drove of beeves were close
behind the line. Every one was at ease,
though few were not wanting in anxiety.
Little Wilderness Church, near by,
endeavored to stamp peaceful air upon
the warlike scene. The general feeling
seemed to be that it was too late to getup
much of fight to-day.
Jackson, in three lines, Rhodes, in
advance, Colston next and A. P. Hill
still coming up, lay close by. He had
caught Hooker's right in Jaagrante delictu.
At 6 p. M. the order was given, and
$4,000 of the best infantry in existence
closed down upon the flank of 10000 of
the least hardenend of the troops
of the Army of the Potomac. No
division in the Army Of the Potomac,
not the Old Guard, not Fiedrich's auto
mata, could have changed front under
the staggering blow. The fight was short,
sharp, deadly, but partial only. All that
man could do Devens did. Wounded, he
kept the saddle and command ; but the
force on the right was swept away like o
cobweb by Jackson's mighty besom.
Some of Schurz's regiments made gall
liant show of resistance under the terrible
ordeal of friends and foes breaking
through their hastily formed lines; some
melted away without burning a cartridge.
Buschbeck's brigade threw itself into
some breastworks constructed across the
road at Dowdall's and made desperate
resistance. 1t was here that Howard had
asked leave to place his line, but had
been refused. A ridge made the line
we'll available for defence. The whole
situation was confusion worse confoundad,
The attack had been so sudden that the
stampede of the regiments on the ex-
treme right swept away many of those
which were endeavoring to form near the
fork of the roads. The drove of beeves.
the frightened teamsters and ambulance
drivers, officers, servants and hundreds of
camp followers were rushing blindly to
and fro, seeking an escape from the
murderous hail of lead.
The enemy came on with rcmorseless
steadfastness. Never was an army more
completely surprised, more absolutely
surprised, more absolutely overwhelmed.
Few, even among the old soldiers, pre-
served their calmness, but many did their
duty. The higher officers were in the
thickest of the fray. An occasional
stand would be made only to be again
broken. Everywhere appeared the evi.
dence of unpreparedness.
1t is small wonder that the corps made
no resistance worthy the name. Rather
wonder that, under the circumstances I
have detailed, the onset of Jackson was
actually checked by this surprised and
overmatched, this telescoped force, con-
siderably more than an hour, at loss Of
one.third its effective strength. Gould
more have been expected?
The worthlessness of Hooker's disposi.
tions now became apparent. Jacksons
small rear guard had been playing with
Sickles, while his main body had extin-
guished Howard. Nothing now lay
between Jackson and the headquarters Of