The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-04-14

lit utllCNC GU thbt tIiat ChChty Won "
treating. His neglect of the right was
otherwise criminal. In him alone
conferred all the Information of COLI
stantly occurring chances. To him
alone was reported each new circum-
stance. His subordinates knew but
the partial truth. They relied ON him
for the initiative.
AT 6 p. M, then, the situation was
this: The left and centre lay as before.
Howard held the right, the ''key of
the position" with 10000 men, q half
brigade Of Devens only astride the
pike, the rest of of Devens's and
Schurz's forces facing south, and
Stoinwher massed at Dowdalls. How.
ards best brigade was Como 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 Jacksen's corps
of over 10000 men, whose wide wings,
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 front, principally where
Hancock lay.
During all this afternoon Hooker
had a chance handsomely 10 redeem
his Fridays error in retiring into the
Wilderness. Whatever the reason,
the fact that Lee had divided his army
remained clear. Ice, with the right
wing, had but $4,000 men. Hooker
knew that he could not have more thar
$4,000. He himself had 10000 splen-
did troops. He could have crushed
Lee like an egg shell, aud then have
turned on Jackson. But, with q
knowledge of Jackson's habit of mys-
terry, of his wonderful speed and fight
ing capacity, aid Of his presence on
our right, with all the means of knowl-
edge that this same right flank was
isolated by two miles of impenetrable
woods from any supporting force, he
waited events.
The 18th corps was eating supper.
Arms were stacked as the breastworks
looking south were but fairly sub
stantial. Facing east were none. Some
carelessness was apparent, in that
ambulanccs, ammunition wagons, pack
mules, and ever a drove Of beeves
were close behind the line. Every
one was at ease, though a few were
not wanting in anxiety. Little Will
derness Church, near by, ~endeavored
!, to stamp Il peaceful air upon the war
like scene. The general feeling seemed
to be that it was too late to get up
, much Of a fight ON that day.
: Jackson, in three lines, Rhodes in
advance, Colston next and "A. p. Hill
i still coming up, lay close by. lie had
caught Hookcr's right in fdgrdnte
e delictu. AT 6 p. M, the order was
y given, and $4,000 Of the best infantry
/ in existence closed rapidly down upon
e the flank of 10000 Of the least hard
v cned of the troops OF the Potomac.
, Not the Old Guard, not Fiedrich's
. automatic, could have changed front
$ under the staggering blow. The ngh,
| was short, sharp, deadly, but partial
: only. All that man could do Devins
and commanded; but the force on tho
/ right was swept away like a cobwct
c by Jackson's mighty bosom. Some Of
Schurz's regiments made q gallant
show of resistance under tho terrible
n ordeal of friends and foes breaking
G through their hastily formed lines
Is some melted away without burning
cartridge. Buschbeck's brigade threw
" itself into some breastworks con
v structcd across the road of Dowdalr
IT and made a desperate resistance. |
was here that Howard had asked lcav,
# to place his line, but had been refused
O "A ridge made the line well available
for defence. The whole situation wa
= confusion worse ~eonfounded. 'Th
attack had been 30 sudden that TN
It stampede of the regiments Of the ex
tremc right swept away many Of thos
which were ~endeavoring to form nea
d the fork of the roads. The drove o
10 beevcs, the frightened transfers an,
ambulance drivers, officers, servant
is and hundreds of camp followers wer
e. rushing blindly, seeking an cscap
from the murderous hail Of lead. Til
|. enemy came on with rcmorsoless stead
~fastness. Never was an army mo-
ld completely surprised, more absolutel
IL overwhelmed. Few, even among .tb
&c old soldiers, preserved their calmness
but many did their duty. The highr
es officers were in the thickest Of tho fray
" An occasional stand would DC mad
Ie only to be again broken. Everywher
lie appeared the evidence Of unpreparet
N ness.
o. 1t is small wonder that the corr
70 made no resistance worthy the mann
III Rather wonder that, under the Gil
TX cumstanccs | have detailed, the onst
" of Jackson was actually checked b
s. this surprised and o~vermatched, tn
tclescopcd force, considerably MOI
n. than an hour, at Il loss of Onc-third Il
It, effective strength. Could more hay
Id been expectcdp
he The worthlcssness of Hooker's di
r position now became apparent. Jacl
o. sons small rear guard had been pla,
ing with Sickles, while his main bod
at had cxtinguished Howard. Nothin
py now lay between Jackson and Ii
or headquarters Of the army except
I'd difficult forest, through which u ma.
k. of panic-stricken fugitives were rusl
ed ing In dire confusion out of rang,
CHI Happily night was approaching, an
er Jackson's troops had to be halted an
lv reformed, bis three lines having b,
~ come incXtricably mixed.