St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1893-06-24

generals, including Bartlett, Slocum,
Badly" Smith and Franklin, were in a
group talking over the situation. When
the report came in, Bartlett said, Il will
find the enemy" He called the Twenty
seventh New York into line, and marching
at the head led it through the woods to a
ravine that extended across the fields half
way between the woods and the mountain.
We marched in silence, and the deep ravine
sheltered us for some distance.
As the ravine grew shallow toward its
head the line became exposed, and shell
came whistling over the plain. A puff
of smoke up ON the mountain side told one
side of it anyway. Bartlett ordered double
quick march, and we were soon in full view
on the open plain, shells at intervals landing
harmlessly in places we had just left. Then
we deployed as skirmishers and dashed on
toward the monntain base.
At distance of SO rods perhaps we
heard the pop, pop, pop of rifles in tho
woods, and bullets sang in the air high over
our heads. A windrow of smoke rolled mp
from the side of the mountain, where we
discovered a stone wall crownIng steep
terrace and lined with men in gray. After
drawing their fire several times orders
passed along to lie down. We were fair
targets for eyes, but not for bullets, as we
lay there spraawled in the bare sward We
had reached a point where the rifle barreis
leaning across the wall above as could not
be depressed so rs to hit the mark.
In few minutes-it seemed long time
as we lay there within glnshot of LOCO
enemies-there was Il mighty rushing sound
behind, and column of troops swept past
our right flank toward the front. There
began to think there was some fatal hitch
in the programme and the mountain de,
fenses could never be. carried when the
sound of a rapid yolley of musketry came
down to us from far up the Hill on one side
of the pass near the crest. Our skirmishers
rallied, marched up TO the stone wall and
found it abandoned,
Bartlett had led the rest of the brigade
under cover Of the feint made by our skir>
mishing linebeyond the flank of the enemy's
line of battle, turned the intrenchment and
climbed the steep aceiipity that formed one
wall of the gap. The Confederates retreat
ed, fighting manfully but to no purpose
Bartlett's men on the crest poured their
fire into the road, and the ranks broke, ey
cry man for himself The fight began at 4
o'clock, and at dark we were half way
through the gap beyond the mountain
crest.
Mcclellan recommended that star be
given Colonel Bartlett for his work up to
date, and President Lincoln appointed him
brigadier general The senate failed to con-
firm the appointment for months, and
while we were under orders forthe Chancel.
lorsville campaign, in the spring of 1863, he
learned that he had no legal rank nor com
mission and was virtually II private cit
izen. He put off his uniform and prepared
to go home. Lincoln accidentally heard OF
the affair, reused up the senate to vote
and then telegraphed to army headquar-
ters, Tell Bartlett to put on hisold clothes
again and go to work.
For the third time Bartlett fought his
brigade comparatively alone at Fredricks-
burg, May, 1863 When the light division
of the Sixth corps moved across the plain
to storm Marye's Heights on Sunday, the
Sd, our brigade was stationed on the left