Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-02-21
Gen. Lees Story.

memorable campaign OF the spring OF
1864. The United States had gathered,
during the winter of 1868 aud '64, a
vast army of disciplined soldiers, had
placed at its head successful general
and, with unlimited supplies and re-
souces at his command, had turned the
head of its columns toward the Confed-
crate capital with the cry, "On to Rich
mond !" Between this splendidly ap-
pointed army and the capital of the
Confederacy there stood only the Army
of Northern Virginia, with Gen. Robt.
e. Lee at its head That army was
lacking in almost everything except
courage and confidence in its great
leader. The struggle began with the
battle OF the Wilderness, and continued
almost daily until the two armies,
drenched in blood, glared at each other
from the rife pits in front of Peters
burg. Each day witnessed heroic
deeds on the part Of the soldiers OF
both armies, and when the shades Of
night came we counted with sad hearts
the missing ones, who had made their
last sacrifice in behalf of the cause they
| loved, their own life blood
The stirring scenes and incidents that
each day occurred moved our hearts
and left deep impressions upon our
memories. None made more pro-
found impression on me than an Incl
dent that took place on the morning Of
May II, 1861, the day before the great
battle of Spotsylvania. The enemy had
concentrated in heavy columns in front
of that part of our lines occupied by the
division Of General Rhodes, protected
by the woods, with only a few hundred
yards of open ground between the
woods and the brcastworks of Rhoades's
division. They made sudden and i'm
petuous assault upon the lines, drove
out Doles's brigade and part ofDaniels's
and planted their colors on our breast
works.
Johnston's brigade was at the time in
reserve, supporting Longstreet's corps.
He was hastily summoned to the point
of attack, and under the eye of our be-
loved commander made the charge
which drove the enemy out of the
breastworks, captured the flags which
(! they had planted upon our works, and
restored the lines. That charge was
led by two soldiers Of the brigade-one
now prominent Alabamian, and the
other North Carolinian who afterward
passed to rest on the battlefield. 1t was
a sharp struggle between them which
should first reach the enemy's flag upon
the breastworks and tear it down. The
Alabamian's foot slipped as be reached
forth to take the flag, and the North
Carolina soldier seized it. After the
fight was over he carried it back to
Gen. Lee, and asked his permission to
send it 10 the Governor of North Caro-
lima, to be preserved in memory of that
day. Gen Lee wrote letter to the
Governor of North Carolina, commend
ing the brave deed and sent the flag as
requested.
it was on this occasion, the second
time during the campaign, that the SOL
diers had TO take hold Of Gen. Lees
horse and force him from the field of
battle. While the fight lasted we could
not prevail on him to retire from the
field. When quiet had again been re-
stored number of the general officers
assembled at the little house, Gen.
Ewell's headquarters, Just in the rear of
the line of battle. There were Gener-
ais Ewell, Rhodes, Ramseur, Doles,
Pendletou, and the writer. While we
were sitting on the porch discussing the
events of the moIning Gen. Lee came
out of the house and took his seat
among us. Turning to Gen. Rhodes,
he said General, what shall we do
with Gen. Doles for allowing those peo-
pie to break over his lines 2" General
Rhodes replied "We shall have to let
Doles off this time, as he has suffered
quite severely for it already"
Just at this moment courier rode
up with dispatch for Gen. Lee. 1t
was one Of Stuart's scouts. The opin-
ion at that time was prevalent among
all the general officers at the front that
UnitedStates troops were sliding around
our right and did not intend to
fight us in the position we then held.
All supposed the dispatch that Gen
Lee had just received from Gen. Stu.
art was something relating to the move
ments of Gen. Grants army. 1t was
Gen. Ramseur who first broke the 81.
lence, remarking that the impression
was general in the army that the Fed
eral troops were moving to the left to
ward Richmond. Gen. Lee then turn.
ed and playfully remarked II do no
know which one of you may be called
to the command of the army when
anu gone. Until then you could no
know the difficulties which bcset the
commander of an army, the greatest o
which is to distinguish the true from
the false reports which come from thu
scouts" He then related the follow
ing incident:
"When l was on Gen. Wool's staff il
the Mexican war, late one night the
General sent for me- Arriving at the
tent l found that the scouts had come
in with reports that the Mexican army
had crossed the mountain and were il
camp about ten miles away. suggest
ed to Gen. Wool that it was hardly pos
sible such report could be true, bu
said that ifhe would give me squad
ron Of dragons would report the fact
t to him by morning, and in the mean
time the army could be got in readi
ness for action. KNOWING that com