Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-14

Pouring In CanIster-A Gallant Brigade
Commander.
"My battery of six guns" said the major,
had been increased TO eight by the addi-
ton of a section from a volunteer battery
that had lost all its officers. We were
posted in front of Franklin's division. and
to the left Of the bunker church, and had
come into battle facing obliquely toward
the right. Our position was on the edge
Of some rather thick woods, that projected
like a peninsula from the front of our
general line, and we had been shelling
JacksOn's men on the principle of the
Irish ii yht, 'Wheniver We see a head, hit
itH Right in front of us were undulating
fields, thickly covered with corn, which
on the 18th of September was tall, and
afforded excellent cover. We were sup
ported by a single regiment of zouaves,
though the battle was raging fiercely to
our left, where Burnside had forced the
bridge, and was fighting hard to maintain
the position he had gained
A CRY OF WARNING.
We were in a comparatively quiet spot,
and hardly realized the fact that one Of
the most momentous engagements of the
war had reached its climax. In our
fancied security we paid little OF no at
tention TO possible danger to ourselves
that might be lurking in the wooded
slopes beyond the cornfield. So IL hap
pened that Confederate division was
formed and had actually started on the
run, to capture US, before we had any in
timation that we were threatened. But
all in a moment cry Of warning came
and We saw the long gray lines sweeping
rapidly toward our left flank, while our
red-legged supports were decamping in
the hottest Of hot haste.
A nice position it seemed! We couldn't
Timber up and gallop away. because the
woods were 50 dense and the ground SO
rough that only slow retreat was posi-
BILE. And how could we beat back di-
vision with eight guns' But We could
try TO beat it back, and assisted by few
gallant fellows from the Zouaves who
stood their ground we changed front by
hand, and opened fire on the charging
brigades. They wers so near us, how
ever, that we used canister, which is only
fit for the shortest ranges Our fire was
rapid and very effective, but though we
could see that it tore great gaps in their
ranks, still they came on gallantly, and
~ SNNaANN VIC must Aoot Jul
guns, a bitter thought to an artillerist
We could distinguish the Confederate
officers, and could see the men putting
caps on their rifles as they came on at the
and though we pitched the
into them faster than ever, that
rugged infantry of Hills
never faltered in their charge
A TRANSFORMATION SCENE
But in the meantime a transformation
scene had been arranged, OF which we
knew nothing. At the first glimpse Of
the threatened attack staff officer,
who had been chatting with US, had
wheeled his horse and galloped rapidly TO-
ward the rear through the woods Close
at hand he found Gen. Franklin, and in |
the feYest words informed him that a !
regular battery was in danger Of capture |
and was unsupported. Fortunately for
us, a very prompt and gallant brigade |
was with Franklin at tine |
and received the order to hurry |
to our support, and in an incredibly short |
time he had deployed his regiments in the !
face of the advancing Confederates. 1t
was just in time, for the enemy had al |
most reached our guns. But our fire had !
broken the momentum OF their |
charge, and the appearance of our sup
ports sent them back as hastily as they /
had advanced
But for the opportune presence Of this |
brigade, and the prompt action OF Its /
our captured guns would |
have been turned upon our center, which |
had been greatly weakened by the assist
ance sent to Burnside on our left, and 1t |
is more than probable that our army |
would have been cut in two. Our right, |
terribly shattered by the bitter struggle |
that had been in progress since the earli-
est dawn, would have been cut off from !
Dur left, and the rout OF the army would .
have left Washington and Baltimore |
open and almost defenceless to Lees ad-
vance"
Such is the story Of one Of the many 90
casions during the war when the safety OF !
Our national existence was secured by .
lucky chance. The narrator Is a quiet .
and very courteous gentleman, who in
herited an illustrious name, and the bri-
yade commander whose promptness foiled .
the attack was Gen. w. f. (~Baldy") .
Smith-New York Commercial Adver-
tiser