The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-11-23

and deadly as was the Confederate fight.
ing Of Saturday, it became but ordinary
performance when compared with the
marvellous exhibition of courage and en-.
durance which were exhibited in that
army on Sunday before the Union
breastworks about the Kelley farm aud
upon the slopes Of Snodgrass hill and the
Horseshore ridge.
The Union line about the Kelley farm
was established on the crest of q low
ridge sheltered by heavy woods, and the
troops we're protected in their position by
low broastwork of logs and rails vary.
ing from two to II feet in height.
Time and again from 10 o'clock until 2
the whole right wing Of the Confederate
army rolled its lines on the slight works
in continual breakers, only to be shat
tered and driven back as the waves OF the
ocean 60 to pieces on the beach brigade
after brigade daHhed themselves against
salient of this low work, to be shattered
and broken, and to retire with loss so
great that after 2 o'clock and throughout
the most of the afternoon the right wing
of the Confederate line had so weakened
itself by Its brilliant, tremendous, and
yet ineffective fighting, as to be practi-
cally incapable of further effort until
much time had been consumed in reor-
gsnization.
But even this fighting, persistent and
marvellous as it had been, was surpassed
by the wonderful assaults Of Longstreet's
wing throughout the afternoon upon the
ridges held by Wood and Brannan and
Stedman. For an hour after the break
took place in the Union line on Sunday
the entire Confederate army WAS assault
ing the Union position. Breckenridge's
division, with Helm, Adams and Stovall,
was turning the Union left, and had
moved far into the rear, but Helms
brigade, striking the salient of Baird's
position, bad been sfectually shattered,
its commander killed and some of his
regiments almost annihilated.
v
In Brsckanridgc's division the sggte-
gate of loss was 3S per cent. Owing to
the loss of its commanding officer, the
Adam brigade Of Il ttbis division iit Vas com:
mandsd in the latter part q the fight by
Senator Randall Gibson. It's loss was II
per cent. and the loss of men 3S per
cent. In Brecksnbridgs's division Helm,
in command of one brigade, was killed /;
Adams, commanding another, severely
wounded; and Graves, the chief of
artillery, vas killed. 4
Gist and Colquitt Of Walkers had
fought with tho same fsrceness and the
same want of SUCCESS. Stewart, in front
of Reynolds and Brannan, with his three
magnificent brigsdes Of Bate and Clayton
aud Brown, had pushed into the very
face of the Union line, but still found
themselves unable 10 carry the low works
before them. a. tho same time Laws
division of Longstreet had rushed upon
the front of Harker, moving across open
ground and under hosvy en6lading fire
Of Frank Smiths regular battery, and up
almos. 10 the muSzlas of the infantry's
rifles. In this movement Kershaw sup
ported Hood, ard thus the Union troops
on the right had the full view and full
experience of the fighting of Longstreet's
veterans. Buahrod johnson in front Of
Braunau, Hindman before Stedmau,
with Preston's strong brigades as 8 re-
serve, alternately assisting on one point
and then on another of the ridge-all
these covered its long slope almost con-
tinuously from noon until dark with
lines of assaulting columns.
The splendor of such fighting as thi'
is enhanced many fold by the fact that
from the beginning to the end it was
unsuccessful fighting. Ordinary soldiers
can be carried forward in a battle so long
as SUCCESS attends their movement, but
test of manhood, of soldierly ability. OF
courage and endurance which it is diff.
| cult to measure and which cannot be
overestimated, comes when through q
long afternoon assault after assault SEEM
ingly in overwhelming numbers, has
failed, and when the line of each sue
ceeding advance and retreat is thickly
strewn with dead and wounded, and all
the terrible wreck of battle. To say that
in the face of such experiences the Con-
| federate lines wore rallied quickly after
every repulse and brought forward again
to new and ever vigorous assaults over
slopes thus covered with horrors, Is tc
say that all can be said in praise of the
valor of tie officers who directed the SOL
diers who executed these marvellous
storming parties.-Geo. Fl. Boynton, ii
Cincinnati Gazette.
|
| mon H,,ob Fnr fho GrnphouOI