News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-01-01

JACkSON'S FIRST SHOT.
Inns other division, with which Slocum
was holding the curve from the swamp
down to Summers line Feeling himself
overwhelmed Franklin sent to Sumner for
re-enforcements; but later on, when Sum
ner was pressed by Longstreet and Hill,
Franklin returned the borrowed troops
and Slocum loaned Sumner a brigade.
This left only seven Union brigades at the
swamp holding off Jackson's splendid
army and Huger's column as we'll.
The afternoon wore away with the heavy
artillery duel across the swamp, and the
sullen roar of the battle between Sumner
and Longstreet reminding US of the dan.
gers menacing our line of march. Jack
son stated in his report that the sounds of
battle at Glendale made him "eager to
press forward, but the marshy character
of the soil, the destruction of the bridge
and the strong position of the enemy de-
Tending the passage prevented"
The artillery firing continued all along
the swamp until late in the evening, and
at the bridge crossing until midnight
The Confederates made no other attempt
to force the passage, and it was evident
that JacksOn's pursuit was foiled. Firing
ceased at Glendale, LongstreeU having
penetrated to within range of the road and
up on Summers flank. The day was ended
and the crisis passed, for under cover of
night Sumner and Franklin could hasten
on to the James. In order to deceive the
enemy on all sides Franklin ordered few
guns to be fired up to the last moment
The troops buclled their straps tight to
nrevent the rafting of accoutermcnts when
IN mo4ion The same was done with the
teams, and blankets were wrapped around
of GI
Then all moved on at u snaips pace.
found myself sleeping in the line while
standing on my feet, and some portions of
the march. just before daylight, / could
never recall.
We passed so close to Longstreet's pick
cts that we heard their movements, and
could plainly distinguish forms around the
fires of his artillery camps. n cough, a
rattle of armor or the neigh of a horse
could have betrayed us, and then those
guns, ready trained to rake the road
way, would have belchcd forth grape. But
no alarm was made, and with the coming
of light we took up rapid strides toward
Malvern Hill We were not n moment too
soon. Holmes and Magruder had been
alert and knew McClellan's position. The
guns opened before noon, and in a short
time Longstreet and y. p Hill arrived
and bloody work began. Jackson's column
arrived late in the day, and although ID.
II. Hill fought his division gallantly Jack
sons own troops were late getting into
position and accomplished nothing. He
was almost as effectually barred out here
as he had been the day before at Glendale.
The comments by prominent generals en-
gagged that day on Jackson's failure to
force the swamp crossing are very de
cided. Franklin admits that Mcclellan
would have been defeated on the Both
"had Gen. jackson done what his great
reputation seems to make it imperative
that he should have done"
The Confederate D. H. Hill, who was
with Jackson at the time, speaks Of the
latters ''inertness on this OCCASION" and
says: Had all our troops lJackson's and
Hill'sl been at Frayser's farm tGlenda.el
there would have been no Malvern Hill"
That is equal to saying all would have
ended June 80. Longstreet in his ac-
count, complains that of $4,000 Confeder-
ates within three miles of him Lone came
to his support at Glendale. jackson"
he wrote, should have done more than
he did. If he had been there we would
have destroyed or captured Mcclellan
army" jackson would have been there
had he not met his peer at White Oak
Swamp. GEORGE l.. kILMER.