The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-17
XVI.

title wher transferred 10 the cavalry,
were q portion Of lmboden's command.
The Federals poured into the Shenan-
ioah aud Luray from the north aud re-
captured everything and pressed the
Confederates slowly back 10 Staunton.
Neither side vas strong enough to pos
sess and hold the valley. The Confed-
occupation defspded N of tho
roads TO Richmond. The Federal occu-
patton defended ono of the roads to
Washington. There We're scouting and
raiding and clashing OF sabers, but moth
ing like a general battle resulted. Both
commanders had been instructed to
avoid this and watch the mighty move
developing elsewhere.
What is a battle like-a battle in
which 10, 900 men tall IN their tracks
to die with the roar of the guns still
sounding in their ears and Ms many
mole lie there Iqthuos~ ursing and
groaning and praying with the pain Of
their wounds: Mcclellan was on both
sides of the Chirkahominy, with tue
spires OF Richmond in view. His front
was miles long and defended by rifle
pits. earthworGs. felled trees and nat
ural distractions. More than 100, GOO
Federals faced Lee along this line. Be-
hind them were camps and wagon trains
and field hospitals and supplies cumber-
ing the ground for miles and miles.
Mcclellan was about to attack. He
y&s even writing his order when Lee
i'll upon his wing at Mechanicsyille.
That was 4 feint. The fight ar Meadow
Bridge, directly in front Of his center,
vas a piece Of strategy. The assault
upon his wing al Cold Harbor was
meant 10 aunihilate him. The battle
ground was made up Of swamps, cleared
fields, patches Of forest. timber covered
hills and old fields grown up 10 bushes
and briers. Mcclellan had two and
three lines OF earthworks here, and here
his guns were planted as thickly as men
could work them. Longstgeet and Hill
attacked here. They knew the strength
of the position; they had counted the
odds. There was no skirmishing, no
waiting. On a front three miles long
the Confederates suddenly appeared and
rushed forward to the attack. Had
they numbered five times as many they
would have been beaten back. They
were repulsed again and again by the
fire which seemed TO burn them OF the
face Of the earth. but those who lived
came back again more desperate than
before. Only their leaders knew why
this terrible sacrifice was being offered
up to the god Of war. Lee had planned
with Jackson. jackson had left the val
ley by way Of Browns gap to fall upon
Mcclellan flank at Cold Harbor. The
sacrifice in front was 10 give Jackson
time and to mask his movement.
And 20 Longstreet and Hill advanced
again and again to the sacrifice until
their dead and wounded outnumbered
the living. The afternoon sun was sink
ing lower and lower. By and by il was
only an hour high. Then the real of
battle along the front suddenly ceased.
Had the remnants Of regiments and
hrigades become panic stricken at the
awful waste Of life and fed from the
field; Had they suIlenly refused to obey
orders to advance again? Had Lee
given up all hope Of success and with
drawn from that front: For five min
utes scarcely q musket vas discharged.
Then from the heavy forest directly on
the flank Of the position Jackson ap-
peared. The flank Of an army is its
weak spot. Even if attacked in the rear
it can face about and fight with hope
of success, but if the flank gives way
disaster follows. Jackson's coming was
a surprise. His attack was as sudden
as the stroke Of a bell. 1t dumfounded
and dismayed the Federal flank, but
only for a few minutes. Mcclellan was
not far away. He had fathomed Lees
plans and discovered his true object.
The flank gave back until it had a front
Of a mile long, and then it halted and
battled TO save that great army. What
was to be done must be done right there.
Requirements were ordered up, guns
advanced, and for an hou: thste was
such fighting L s war had never witnessed
before.
On the Federal flank We're swamp and
forest and tangled thicket. Engineers
had said that the nature OK the ground
protected this flank. Wading through
swamps deep with ooze, bursting
through thickets which caught of their
caps aud left their jackets in rags, adj
vancing their lines amid the thick
forests, Jackson's men rushed to the at
tack. Time and time again the lines
were repulsed, but fresh troops poured
out Of the woods to take the places of
the dead and wounded, and the battle
grew more vindictive and murderous.
There Is a key 10 every battlefield.
There is always a key within q key.
Cold Harbor was the key Of this great
field of slaughter. The exposed flank
was the key within the key. Jackson
could count his dead by the thousand.
His entire force was up. and he had
:harged and stormed and battered in
'ain.
The QNing Of night does not always
end a battle, but as darkness shuts down
the combatants Hse their desperation
and become more wary Of each other.
Hunger, thirst and fatigue begin to tell.
AS the fire Of artillery and musketry
s)ackens the cries Of the wounded are
heard, and those who have escaped un-
hurt begin to estimate the losses. If
jackson could not break that flank be-
fore night shut down, then his sacrifices
had been ia vain. Then the thousands
Of dead and wounded belonging to
Longstreet and Hill had simply been
led to slaughter. An order was sent to
General Hood, whose brigade of Texans
lad been held in reserve for an emer-
gency. Hood placed himself at the head
OF his 1000 men and dashed forward.
frha,, hod IN fpovarca a cNx,nn,n and tbop