The Portland daily press., 1890-03-20
THE BLOODY ANGLE.
major GREEN'S Graphic Description Of
Hancock's Charge.

Major w. II. Green lectured before large
audience at the rooms Of the Y. M. c. A.,
last night, taking fer his subject the charge
of Gen. Hancock's troops on the "Bloody
Angle" at Spottsylvania. After describing
the advance Of the troops in the early morn
ing of May 18th. Major Green said:
We had at least half of mile to cross
before reaching their main line Of works.
Much of this ground was Obstructed by the
falling Of trees and sharpening the branches
towards the front. Up to this time the
movement had been made as though on
parade, but now the scene changed. Every
private in the ranks seemed to realize that
the success of the movement was involved,
possible time. Quick time was taken up;
then double quick; and finally just before
reaching the works the men are on the run.
Breaking into wild cheer the troops mount
the works. Each one seeming determined TO
be first on the entrenchments. The
"JOhnnies" being aroused from their slum-
bers have only time to give US one volley be-
fore our boys are on them and ordering
them to surrender. Now eusued scene
only witnessed once in a lifetime.
The objective point Of Hancock's attack
was ''salient" of the enemy's line, pro-
jeeting some two or three hundred yards
from their main line SO as to enclose strong
p,,sl,sisha posltsiinshna ieerronnd and had been heavily
woodeu Defore the line of works was built
The rebel works were made in a most
thorough and substantial manner of logs on
the outside, and inside, supported by stakes,
the intervals between being filed with earth
from the trench upon the inside. The works
were from three TO four feet wide on top and
surm0unted in many places with top log,
notched out on the underside at intervals of
few feet to enable the men to fire without
endangering their heads. To also add to the
strength of the line and at the same time to
prevent flank movement, every rod or so
trduerSe was made of single line of logs,
supported by stakes and in some instances
the rear was closed up with timber, merely
encountered was Major General Edward
Johnson's Division of EwelPs Corps. john
son was captured at the salient" by
Sergeant Haskell and Private TOtman of
the 18th Maine. Brigadier General Stewart,
one of Johnson's brigade commanders. was
captured little later and sent to the rear.
When taken before HancOck-that general
had been classmate Of Jhnson az West
Point - he pro1fered his hand. johnson
Indignantly refused remarking that under
Hancock, Immediately replying, said,
that under any other circumstances
he should not have prOffered 1t.
For time 1t was difficult to say which was
the larger column; the Union troops press
ing TO the front or the Rebel prisoners going
to the rear. Some of the Rebel officers. when
summoned to surrender, refused, only to be
killed by the revOvers in the hands OF our
officers. Some four or five thousand were
captured and sent to the rear under guard,
lines by keeping we'll to our left. Twenty
six pieces of artillery also fell into our
hands, which Lee had despatched to john
son during the night, when learning OF the
movement. This artillery had just arrived
from the left of Lees line, and the horses
bor cod md Oft In nianpS.
Major Moore, of the Goth Pennsylvania, was
i'm temporary command of the 18th, our field
officers being absent, wounded and, one, a
prisoner of war, captured III the wilderness
the week before. As Major Moore went
over the works his horse was killed under
him. Pressing to the front, he cut the traces
of a leader of one of the battery horses, and
mounting him and waving his sword said
"Come on, boys; we have them on the run.
Pressing forward, efforts were now made TO
carry their second line. but Rebel reinforce.
ments coming up we were obliged to fall back
to the captured line and change the works to
face the other way. 1t was now sunrise, and
from this time until IL o'clock at night, some
of the most desperate and bloody hghtlng OF
the war was done. Regiment after regiment
brigade after brigade, and division after di.
vision was despatched by Lee to drive us out
Of the works On our right the lines touch,
our bows on one side, the Rebs on the other
1t is load and fire over the works, the enemy
in the meantime endeavorlng TO Hank oui
right. Later in the day assistance is caliec
| for, and some Of the regiments of the gal
| liant old Sixth Corps respond with will
coming up on the double-quick, at trail arms
| in line of battle. 1t was at this time thai
| the writer witnessed as gallant an act as was
performed during the war.
A regiment is moving into position, double
| quick, when Rebel col0r-bearer mounts the
works and shakes the Rebel flag in defiance
| One of the boys in blue Of the regiment
responds to the challenge, and running out
| from the line of his regiment makes
| for the color. bearer. But before reach
| ing the works, | see him halt and tre
| but missing he rushes forward and with the
| bayonet dispOses of his adversary. 1t is a
| gallant act we'll done. The battle goes on
and does not cease at dark, but continues un
| til midnight, before the rebels finally give ur
| the contest, and withdraw to second line
| In the meantime the captured cannon IL
| front had remained just where we captured
| them, neither side being able from sharI
| shooters to withdraw them. Now they are cal
| ried to the rear ard parked, and the battle o.
| the 18th of May is over. The losses have beer
heavy on both sides, after contest OF z
| hours between the first and second line o
| the enemy. Many of our men were killed
| but no record of them has even been obtain
| ed up to this day. They are numbered will
/ the 10000 unknown who so quietly sleep II
| the National Cemetery at Fredericksburg