Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-07

and had ordered. down Pegraln. and even
roW the light batteries OF B-andeT and Ei-
lett were rafting through the town ut q
| sharp trO, with cannoncers mounted. the
sweet. serene face OF their boy-col6nel LIT
up with that glow which 20 his men meant
/ hOtly-impouding fight. Yenable had sped
upon hes mission and found Mahones men
already standing to Their arms; but the
tederals from their lofty "look-outs "
were busi.y interchangibg signals. and TO
/ uncover such length Of front without OK
| citing observation demanded tho incest
! precautiOn. Yet was this difficulty OYER
come 10y q simple device, for tho men, or
! dered 10 drop back one bY one ~ il going
] for water. obeyed with such intelligence
that Warren continued 20 report 70 Meade
| that not O man had left his front.
The forming IN the ragine IN rear the
| men of the Virginia and Georgia brigade5
! came pressing down the valley with swift,
swinging s,rde-not with the dlscon-
tented bearing of soldiers whose discipline
! alone carries them 70 what they feel to be
! q scene Of fruitless sacrifice, but with the
glad alacrltv and aggressive ardor OF men
/ impatient for battle, and VINO from long
! knowledge Of war are conscious that for
| tune has placed within their grasp an OPP
pOrtunty which by the magic touch of
veteran steel, may be transformed to
swift-wuged victory"
Hating for q moment in rear Of tho
"Racland House" Malone babe his men
strip off blankets and knapsacks and pre-
pare for battle.
FOREST or GIIrTEBING BAYoNETs.
! Then riding quickly 20 the front, while
the troops marched IN single file along the
covered WAY, he drew rein AZ Bushrod
J0hnson's headQuarters. aud reported in
person 10 Boauregard. Informed that
| johnson wOuld assist in the attack
| with the outlying troops about the
Crater. he rode still further TO the
front, dismounted, and pushing along
the covered way from the Plank
| road, came out into the ravine, IN
which he afterwards formed ms men:
Mounting the embankmeut at the head of
the covered way he deserted within 1860
wards forest of glitterlng bayonets, and
| beyond floating proudly from the cap
tured works, eleven Union flags. Estl-
mating rapidly from the hostile colors
| the probable force in front, he at once dis
! matched ms courier to bring up the Ala
| bama brigade from the right, assuming
thereby grave responsibility. vet was the
| wisdom of the decision vlndlcated by the
| event.
Scarcely had the order been given when
the heal Of the Virginia brigade began TO
debouch from the covered way. Directing
| Colonel Meisiger, its commanding officer.
| 10 file To the right and form the line of
|
ing quietly and cheerily to the men;
| Silently and quickly they moved out and
| formed with that precision dear 70 every
/ soldiers eye-the sharp-shOOters leading,
followed by the Sixth, sixteenth, SIXTY
! first. Forty-first and Twelfth Virginia
the men Of Second Manassas ana tramp
tons Gap.
But one caution was given-to reserve
their fire until they reached the brink of
the ditch: but one eXbortation-that they
were counted on 10 do this work, and do
it quickly.
Now the leading regiment OF Georgia
! brigade began 10 move out, when suddenly
a brave Federal officer, seizlng the colors.
| called on his men to charge. Deserving
tins hostile movement on the instant,
| Weislger, q veteran of stern cOuntenance
| which did not belle the personal intrepldIty
! of the man, uttered 10 the Nlrglnians the
single word, Forward "
Then the sharpshoOters and the men OF
the Sixth on the right running swiftly for
ward. for theirs was the greater distance
10 traverse. the whole line sprang along
the crest. and there burst from more than
| 500 Warllke voices that fierce yell Whlcn no
| man ever yet heard unmOved on the heid
of battle. Storms OF case-shot from the
RIGHT mingled with the tempest OF bullets
which smote upon them from the front
VET was there no answering volley, Tor
| these were veterans, whose fiery enthu-
siasm had been wrought to finer temper
| hy the stern code of discipline, and even
i'm the tumut the men did not forget their
orders. Still pressing forward with steady
| fury. while the enemy. appalled, by the IN
| exorable advance, gave ground, they
reached the ditch of the inner works.
ONE CRASHING voLLEY.
Then one volley crashed from the whole
line and the Sixth and Sixteenth, with the
sharpshooters clutching their empty guns
| and redoubling their fierce cries, leaped
| over the retrenched cavalier, and all down
the line the dreadful work of the Dayonet
How long It lasted none may say with
| certainty. for in those fierce moments no
man needed time. DO man asked. no man
gave quarter; but IN an incredibly Drlei
! space as seemed TO ,hose VINO lookeu on
the whole of the advanced line north OF
! the Crater was retaken, the enemy IN
headlonr fight. while the tattered battle
;laps planted along the parapets from left
"a rtpbt told Lee at the Gee House that
from this nettle Danger vaior had pluckeu
the flower Safety for an army.
Redoubling the sharpshOoters on his
rgbt Malone kept down all fire from the
Crater. the vast rim Of which trowned
down upon the lower line occupied by his
troops. -, It'll
nil was such as might be fifty portrayed
only by the pencil of Dante after he had
trod mi ue-circled hell FROM the great
mortars TO the right and left huge missiles
5ascrihinC graceful curves fell at regular
intervals with dreaded accuracy aud burst
amonp the helpless masses huddled TO-
ge+her and every explosion was followed by
T,;teons cries. and oftentimos the very air
seemed darkened by flying human hmbs.
Haskell. too. had moved up his EprouNette
mortars among the men OF the oiAteeHth
V,ro;Dia 40 close indeed that ms powder
cbargo was but one ounce aud hall, and,
wItbont lntermissiOn. the storm OF nre
beet upon the hapless and imprisoned
Nahone's men watched with great inte-
rest the easy method OF reaching troops
hehiud cover, and then, with me ihlIatlVe
ingenuity of soldiers, gleeluily RarnS Slo',i
! m, the couutless mUskets with pay ohSla
/ Gxed which had been abandonei oy me
enemy and propelled them with such nee
! etiI that they came down upon LeuHe 5
men like the rain of the Norman arrows
az hastings" c;. t-ioo1a al
yanced aud attempted to dlslodge Ml'G ~! :
,'e'l, mo et,Il neld portion OF tue lines
south OF the Crater, out 30 cl9Sei5 vi
ev-rv inch of the ground searched by artil'
! Ierv So hitting was the hre OF mushelr!
thot oblinuinp TO their lett, they sougil'
cover behind the cavalier trench won uS
the Virginia brigade, MANY, o.hcerS anu
men testlfvlng by their oiood ho" s'''""'
iy the venture had been essayed.
ALAG OF TRUCE.
Half AN bour later the Alabamians under
Saunders arrived but iqP'bsr al %s'a @pde Tt &c
p rroa',e Tor co.operation from Colquitt oil
the snt SHARPLY to the %,1S'f fo rSISSdr
upon tnv a s~eh astonishing rapidity did
az, sbo " slorious soldiers rush across the m
eF2Snng t that ere saf ss' Mac Gao
y cries s9os .he works. Tie Confederate
S Sniteries Mere now ordered 10 cease tlring
forty were S%' Of 'G the 60 Ala "a
sault 1ne o SaSd themselves for the service
, Hnin me ordinary system Of detail wa
1ecessa nsD ,PalS. SSfSrS 1 int 'i handEos
parS S ,oode FAST 10 q ramrod. was pro
;e %V above the edge of the Crater, and
Alter a hrlof pause, motley mass OF p ~ y;
] hihlA - tAh~. Il Il nd tor tLel