The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-15

hired teams dragging awkwardly along be-
hind them their gun-carriages. Nobranch OF
the military service SO impresses the senses
as the brilliant manouyoring Orwell equipp, d
and well drilled light batteries. The dash
| ing array of men, horses and guns. the
rapid firing and still more rapid changes Of
positions. and the distance at which they
operate are well calculated to produce n
sense Of insecurity with those exposed 20
their fire.
THE SOUTHERN MEN.
The Southern artillerists were expected
10 experience this advantage in favor OF
their antagonists. and 70 overcome H. II
they could. The incident just described not
only excited the surprise Of both antago-
nists. but gave promise Of what might be
done i'm the failure by the former. The
spirits Of the southern artillery were pro-
portionately raised by the result Of the UNI
equal contest they had Just entered. Well
might this be. when we consider the cir
cumstanccs. The United States battery
came 20 the field with all the pres
tige OF scientific preparation. 1t was
| commanded by AN experienced military cX-
pert. IL had the advantage Of position and
was superior 20 its opponent in The number.
weight and cahbre Of its guns. Captain
! Ayres battery belonged 20 the third artil-
| lcry OF the regular army, and bad engaged
on this occasion an armament Of tWO ten
/ FOUNDER rilcd Parrot guns. two twelve
FOUNDER llOwiizers, and two siN-pounder
! pieces, aided by two twcntypOunder rifle
Parrot guns, commanded 10y an 0ilicer
! of another company of regular artillery.
| Opposed 90 this formidable array Of pieces,
! Captain Eschelman Of the Washington ar
tillcry. with The disadvantage Of being UNI
der the hill. had only three siX-poundcrrine
guns aud four ordinary siN-pOundcrs.
DRAWN FROM CIVIL LIFE.
When il is remembered that the victors
on this occasion were men drawn from civil
life who had never been under fire before.
who had not had the advantage of military
training. and had encountered a picked
company Of United states light artillery,
the result was ihcmOre astonishing. There
was no adyoutitiOus circumstance 10 which
the COnicderates could have attributed
their success The truth il the astonishing
efficiency of the Confederate artillery during
the entire war was due 20 the peculiar adap-
liability Of the S0utherncrs 10 that arm
Of the service. They were intelligent, self
reliant and cool: three conditions. absolute
ly necessary 10 the efficient use Of artillery
in the field. They never allowed themselves
20 Doe bound by conventional techinaitics;
bat used their guns as occasion might re-
quire. looking more 10 results than 10 rules.
Although this applied particularly TO the
officers. as much depended upon the ma
terial a. well as the morale OF the company.
We feel il but Justice 10 the corps 10 which
the First Company of Richmond Howitzers
belonged, TO say that perhaps there never
went 10 the field "a finer body of troops. They
were men Of education. intelligence and
social standing. Many of the cauuOneers
and drivers, after "a certain amount of
experience, showed capacity TO take
command OF battery themselves:
and il was often the case that the
advice Of one Of these was gladly re-
coiYod by the officer in command. In Neri-
iicatiou of this. as the war progressed, from
one company alone more than forty COM
missiOncd officers were created.
AFTER THE REFUSE.
But to return. After the severe rcpulse
Of the enemy by lOngstreet and the ignomi-
NOUS defeat of .Ayres, General Mcdowell
seemed disposed 10 try conclusions with
General Bonham at Mtchelrs Ford. His
batteries kept up a severe and prOtracted
fire upon the central position Of Beaure-
CARDS lines, while his double line Of skirm-
ishors drove i'm the Confederate pickets. All
this time the IlOwitZers and their infantry
supports stood exposed TO heavy fire with
out being able to return a shot At that
time the former We're armed with they irginia
NllildlN lNNllAiif UtAlti lfo7'b va 'iiiN
four pieces, two smOOth-bOre siX-pOunders. |
and two twelye-pounder field Howitzcrs,
all brass. Consequently, they were not
able 10 reach the lines of the enemy who
could DE seen massed on the opposite hills,
and whose long range artillery continued IFS
fire throughout the day and night.
While these things were Transporting. a
group Of soldiers were seen TO emerge from
the woods on the left. They were bearing a
litter, upon which lay the form Of the gall !
LIANT Captain Eschclman, of the Washing |
ton Artillery. He had been severely
wounded i'm his late encounter. and was
being taken 10 Manassas. 10 be sent 10 Rich !
mOnd for treatment. 1t may not be amiss
% add that he recovered, not only to meet
the foe again on many hard fought field.
but had the pleasure Of uniting with the
veterans of his heroic corps in doing honor
10 the memory of the great commander OF
the Army Of Northern Virginia at the I'M
yelling of his statue on the 18th Of May last
L.
ia he CgUfjuNgH.