The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-02
BLOODY ANGLE AGAIN.
MAJOR ID. ". ANDERSON RELATES
WHAT KNOWS OF THE FIGHT.
He Says That General Walker Was MIS-
taken in Several Particulars-His
Reasons for Recognition.
Editor Times:

Editor Times:
VIII you allow another "Old Reb'
space in your valuable paper TO say
word or two about the Bloody Angle, IN
addition TO what has been said by Cen
eral J. A. Walker and others?
| claim the right TO be heard on the
grounds. first. that l belonged to the sec
ond UonesD brigade, Gen. Edward John-
sons division. and was present for duty
on the 18th of May, 1864. Second, on the
eve OF the preceding day, the Hth OF
May. l was detailed by order OF General
Johnson, with a number of men General
Jones having been killed. as stated by
General Walker, and Colonel Witcher
with his, the Twenty-hrst regiment, DelhB
detached TO take charge OF some strate
cic point to serve as field oincer Oh
the day" on that part of our lines occu-
pied by Jones brigade. with orders 10
place a sentinel on the works every ten
PAGES. and 10 tell the regimental com
manders 10 allow their men Ito steep
on their arms" the sentinels 10 give the
alarm If the enemy advanced. one VINO
has not been a soldier with the response
bility OF such a position can scarcely
appreciate it's character. But with the
true soldier It was the crushing weight
Of eleven great States, with their millions
Of women and children in their quiet
homes, as well as the safety Of an army
that stood as a wall Of brass. In the
defense OF the God-given right or local
self government. Such was the sense OF
my responsibility on the night OF the llth
of May, 1864. l dared not close my eyes
TO sleep. but, standing there upon the
border Of my country, amid the gloom
Of that dark, misty night, could near
the drums Of possibly hundred regi-
ments laundering yankee Doodle, MN
gled with the notes of apparently more
than double that number OF tromDones 10
drown the Nose Of the moving columns OF
the enemy concentrating in front or the
Bloody Angle.
Third. | was within few PAGES or
General Johnson when we were captureu !.
was with him during the entire time OF
our Imprisonment, was exchanged at tne
same time, and returned with MN 10
Richmond. l therefore had abundant
opportunity to talk with General John-
son. which we did often, over the disaster
Of May 18th. and from General Johnson
Inns as we'll as from my own personal
knowledge. I am prepared 10 cohItm
General Walkers opinion that neither
General Johnson nor his men were sur
prised at the attack at the time 1t was
made: but on the contrary l am quite
sure so far as Jones brigade was con-
cerned all Of us were expecting IT, -.
will state two facts, which l think VIII
settle that point: While on duty as ON
cor ~ the dav." as before stated, on the
niqht of the 18th. the enemy became very
active and paraded all the bands and
drum CORPS at their command. making
the hills and dales resound with thelr
music from 10 o'clock on the lIth tll
about A. NJ. of the 18th, When all De
came quiet At this time captain W. H.
Clarv. then on General Johnson stan,
came 10 me with orders from General
Johnson. directing me to see the reslii'en'
commanders and tell them 10 wan up
tbeir men and have them in the trenches
and TO see that their guns were J." eooN
order. ,.,.o4 r,,
rbot order was promptly obeyed by
1onoe, brigade. I suppose that the same
orders were given TO the other pilSAu-9
in the division. OF one thing am SURE.
however. and that is, that not one Oh
r. enemy came over the lines held by
Tho second UonesO brigade till AFTER we
had surrendered 20 overwhelmlhS Hu IL
hers who had turned our left by cross
ing our works beyond the salient ~
question, which threw thehl ii'iii'
on our left and rear.
mo left Of Jones brigade rested imme-
diatoIv at the salient. with the entire
brigade TO the right Of IT, And Just mere
7 hcno that General Walker will pardon
me for saving that he made n sllsht
mistake when he places the sanen no.
far from the right Of Jones brSfu'.
Tben again. General Walker Gays: "Ihls
statement as 10 the failure OF the musk'ts
of our men to fire is true, as 10 thal
norton Of our line between the stone
wall brigade and the salient when vas
sarfen narfn
7 have been Informed by Offices or
Jones brigade that the right OF that
brigade had been more careful or Ipore
fortunate. and that .heir muskets were
In good order. and that the enemy was
repulsod in front OF that portion OF our
line" &c.
Now. I insist that Jones' entire bri yade
vas beyond the salient from General
Walkers standpoint. and hence beyond
the range Of his vision, according 10 MS
statement, and I will take the respon-
sibiity 10 say that what was true or
the right Of that brigade was true %
the whole Of that portion that was in
the liner that morning-three regiments
being absent the Twenty-irst under
Colonel Witcher. already alluded "a, and
the Forty -secGzd and Forty-eighth. On
picket. as | suppose stated by Lieuten-
ant Archer.
Deploring. as ! did. the absence Of the
artillery. | asked General Johnson why
il was This was his reply: Il knew that
the artillery had been removed, and ascer-
tanning that the enemy was very active
in nv front / sent a messenger to Gel-
eral EwelI during the night. telling him
Of the removal Of the artillery. but by
whose orders | did not know. and request
ing him 10 order II back. as the enemy
was very active in front. and that we
would be sure to have an attack early
next morning" General EWen sent the
reply: "'The artillery has been ordered
back, and will be in position by o'clock.
Then he added: IF the artillery had been
in positton we would have destroyed that
army" That did not indicate a surprise
on Johnson's part, | am sure I had sup
posed il possible, at least that the Louis
lana brigade had been caught mapping
that morning. and did not know otherwise
till I read General Walkers article, for
the reason that the left flank OF my own
OonesD brigade was turned. and / was
told by members of the Stonewdl
CWalker's) brigade that the enemy turn
ed their right I am glad the General
eXplains-"wet powder"-but what
pity! After surrendering we sat down in
the trenches a few minutes. then the
enemy began pouring over our works in
heavy columns. and we were ordered
to go 10 the rear.
l hesitate TO take such n leap into the
dark blue mass OF human beings then
before me. a closed column of about four
hundred Yards front and half mile
deep thick as men could walk pressing
forward with rapid strides 10 support
those more advanced. Such was the
sight that met my Saze when / mounted
the works for my ION to Fort Della
ware march," | could but exclaim,