Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-09-24
WARS BLOODSPO1
whore the Carnage was the Greatest ut
Spottsylvania.


Should you ask q veteran of the war.
officer or private. 70 point out tho
bloodspot OF the war. the field on
which the cornage was the greatest in
a given time. says NJ. Quad in the
New York World. no two would per
hapS agree. Almost every battle OF
the war would be NAMED. and not one
III II hundred answers would locate the
spot.
1t was at Spottsylvania ON the see
ond day of the fight. On the after
noon of the first as the Second and
Fifth corps moved up against the
earthworks browning Laurel Hill.
they were driven back after II fight
lasting not over forty minutes. with
loss of almost 5000 killed and
wounded. The dead We're ten to every
wounded man. There was no heavy
fighting next day
Grant was inspecting Lees lines for
weak spot. He found it at the point
.Hlown TO every soldier on both sides
and to history rs the horseshoe.
In forming his battle line Lee had
left this to stand. Indeed. his troops
had formed it as they came on the
field. At this one point his field
work projected out from the main
line like "A tongue of land into a bay.
a whole Federal corps might nave
been rushed against it in daylight to
its destruction. but Grant moved
liancock's troops by nigh, and sta
toned them for IA dash in the gray of
morning. They rested on the fields
of the Brown farm and the farmers
house was Hancock's headquarters
From Hancock's lines to the Horse
shoe was less than half mile. with
the route INSTRUCTED by thickets and Il
econd-growth OF forest.
just before daybreak Of that early
summers morning, with mist rising
from the fields and thickets. and while
the birds were family chipping in the
trees as they noted the coming OF
dawn. Hancock's men moved forward.
| The confederate pickets were onl,
| pi.tol-shot away. As they challenges
the lines got the word to double quick.
and the plckets were carricl along
with the rush. With cheers and wells.
which were heard two miles away, the
fcderals struck the field works -
dashed over them-wcrc upon the
| confederates before even single COM
pany had rallied Some of the de-
tenders We're preparing an early break
fast some yet slept. More than 3. 600
| prisoners We're captured in twenty
minutes and Lees right center was
| pierced.
| Then came delay and confusion. and
the golden moment was lost. He
formed new line in the rear of the
| Horseshoe and the federals reached it
to be driven back to the ground they
had captured.
Now it was Lees turn. He did here
what he did at Gettysburg-at attempted
the impossible. Five times within ten
hours did he hurl great masses of
troops at Hancock's front. but each
time they were rcpulsed with dreadful
slaughter. Every charge was made
with a momentum which carried the
confederates clear up to the field
works and they were shot and bayon-
eted or taken prisoner After the third
charge the dead almost blocked the
way, while the cries of the wounded
almost drowned the roar of musketry.
There was not tree nor bush nor
twig nor blade of grass which was not
cut by the flying missiles. The earth
was ridged and plowed and furrowed
as II some mighty drag had passed and
repassed The very air seemed to
blaze and burn.
After l o'clock it rained heavily
and wounded men dragged themselves
about and drank out of the pools and
hOllOws. Those who could not crawl
lay with open mouth to cool their
parched tongues by catching a few
drops. In front of II part of Birneys
division was a sink hole. into this
rain and blood collected until it was
full of red water and around this were
a hundred wounded men drinking and
moaning.
Not when the sun went down-no1
when the light came--but only a,
midnight did Lee cease hurting his
gray masses at HancOck's front. Then
the living could no longer charge owe,
the dead and wounded And when
the morning came again and men
looked out OH those acres of field and
bush they saw what was seen Nowhere
else during the long and bloody war
the earth hidden from sight-the sol
glutted with blood that when the
burial parties cleared it of its awful
burden it had turned red!