The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-04

came unoppossd, and In . few moments
had torn our well-constyucted ebotoD
away and were over our works takine
prisoners Of our unarmed troops.
saw officers ride up to the lines ana
step from their stirrups on TO our hreast-
works without harm to themselves or to
their horses.
This statement az TO the failure q the
muskets of our men to fire 10 true - 90
that portion Of our line between the
Stonewall brigade and the salient. when
was as far as my vision extended, out
have been informed by officers OF Jones
brigade that the right OF that brigade
had been more careful or more fortunate.
and their muskets were In good ordss.
and that the enemy wss repulsed In front
Of that portion of our lines with great
loss, and that they held their position
until the enemy's troops, VINO had crossed
TO their left. had swung round In their
rear and came up behind our lines.
I speak advisedly when I say that II
the muskets Of our men had been ser
viceable they would never have gotten
within three hundred yards Of our limo.
One well-directed vclley such as our men
knew so we'll how to give, delivered -
the moment the line wavered and halted.
would have thrown them into confusion
and made their future movements too
slow and dispirited TO render success In
such a charge possible. Such attacks
must be made with dash, rapldity and
united effort TO ensure success.
had peculiar opportunities for witness.
ing this assault. because the enemy on
this occasion. as In their attack on RAM
seur on the 10TH did not attack the Stone
wall brigade at all, but attacked imms-
diately on their right. directly In front
Of Jones' Virginia and Hayes Louisiana
brigades, and with perfect safety and
without shot coming in my direction.
stood upon the breastworks In front Of
the right regiment Of my brigade ana
witnessed IL all.
AS soon as the enemy began TO cross
our works the right regiment Of my
brigade. the Fourth Virginia, then COM
manded by the brave Colonel afterwards
GeneraD William Terry. was formed at
right angles TO the works, so as 10 fire
down the inside OF our line was very
soon wounded and left the battlefield.
and what happened afterwards Is only
known TO me as 10 others, as history
relates II.
The dreadful carnage on both sides.
in that salient which gave 20 Il the namo
OF the Bloody Angle" the touching In.
cident of The devotion of General Lees
soldiers TO his person; when the old hero
In the midst of the heaviest Are. and
when his troops were being pressed back.
rode TO the 'front.' OF one OF his brigades
Just ready TO go into the fight, ard offered
to lead IL in the charge How his brave
boys refused TO follow him. shouting with
tears In their eyes: General Lee TO the
rear, General Lee 10 the rearl Wa will
90 forward, but General Lee must go to
10 the rearl" Unul some OF the men
FIR My but respectfully laid their hands
upon the bride OF his horse and turned
his head to the rear. Then the old hero
raised his hat In his peculiar dignified
way. and rode slowly back. while tina
brigade went forward with more dash
and courage than ever before because
they had commanded Mars Bob" and
he had obeyed their command
1t was In this bloody angle that an oak
tree as large around as a mans body was
cut down by mimic balls alone, and it's
trunk can MOVIE be seen In the war office
at Washington city.
have SPOKEN of this charge OF Ham
cocks corps because IL has been ignorant-
ly charged that our troops were taken by
surprise.
There may have been some want of
care on the part Of the troops and their
officers in not keeping their powder dry.
and had II been rainy night they would
have taken greater precautions, and the
disaster would never have occurred.
AS an illustration OF the dangers and
the casualties OF the campaign Of 1854
II Is only necessary 10 take Johnston's
division as a sample. That division had
been recruited and re)rganzed during the
preceding winter. and went into the cam
paign with a maJor-general. four briga-
dier-generals, and a full complement OF
Held and company officers. It's rank and
file was composed of about six thousand
men, On the 9Th and 9Th OF May. two OF
It's brigade commanders were killed and
about one-half of its field officers and
about one-third OF the men were killed
or wounded. After the 9Th OF May IL was
increased by the addition OF Hayes bril-
gade, about eight hundred strong. on tho
18th two more Of It's brigade commanders
were wounded. and the one remaining,
with the division commander. was cap
tured. or the rank and file nearly all In
line on that day were killed. wounded
or captured. The whole remnant OF the
six thousand was formed into one small
brigade, and a colonel promoted 10 COM
mand it.
A fact not generally known is that on
the 18th OF May 1861 the famous Stone
wall brigade. which had won renown on
so many battle-helds. ceased 10 exist as
a separate organization. and the few re-
manning members, not above two hundred
In all. with the other fragments Of John
ston's division, were Incorporated Into
single brigade. called Terrys brigade.
The official designation NJ Stonewail
brigade was not given TO that body Of
men until after the death OF It's General.
Paxton. at Charlottesville. in May, 1853.
Prior to that It had been known either
by its number, or tie name Of it's COM
mandtr.
When Stonewal Jackson was its COM
mander in 1861, Il vas called the First
Virginia brigade After General Jackson
was promoted 10 major general In Octo-
Der, 1861, IL was commanded by General
Garnett, and was called Garnetts brigade.
General Garnett having incurred General
Jacksons displeasure at kernstown, Was
relieved OF command. but afterwards fell
at Gettysburg. leading his brigade In tho
charge OF Picketts division.
After Garnett. General Winder COM
manded the brigade for about four
months, until he was killed at Slaughter's
mountain. While he commanded IT, IL was
called Winder's brigade. When the gall
liant Winder fell, General Jackson had
Major Paxton, OF his staff, promoted 10
the rank Of brigader-general. and as
signed TO the command OF Winder's bril-
gade; and Il was called faxtons Drigads
until he was killed at Charlottesville In
May, 1868.
Then | was assigned 10 its command.
and for a few weeks only IL was known
as Walkers brigade when. by authority
OF the Secretary OF War, II received the
official designation Of StOnewall brigade.
by which II had been unofiicially known
in the army before, and which name IL
had received on the plains Of Manassas
on the 2ist Of July 1861, when
the brave Bee pointed TO the First VIZ
ginia brigade, under command OF Gen.
- t.oIao.. IA snlh 10 his brave men.