Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-06-21

is O strip of country from three to to
seven miles long, which is penetrated
here and there by roads, but whose
depths furnish safe retreats for the
wildcat, the owl, the serpent and the
fox. 1t is u lonely ride along even
the best travelled highway in time of
peace. The boot of the owl is heard
from the dark thicket at monday, and
the deadly moccasln snake leaves his
trail in the dust as he crosses the high
way to plunge into q denser swamp.
There is not a spot on the main high
way where one could see the length of
a regiment on the march, and he who
would hide from the whole world has
but to take twenty steps to right or
left. In days gone by, the slaves Of
that part of Virginia had horror Of
this wilderness. Runaways sought its
cover, safe from master and dog, but
as they skirted the swamps the deadly
serpent reared its head and struck
them with DEATH Murderers have
been driven in there by hot pursuit,
never to be heard of again, and men
have made clearings here and there,
only to be driven out by the sterile,
unyielding soil, and the strange lone
someness of the place.
War would have avoided it, but war
was dragged there. Every acre of the
dark pines, every acre Of the tangled
thickets, every dismal swamp and bar
rem knoll echoed with shrieks and
groans of wounded men and the tray
all of fierce battle. History may tell
you that it is a singular spot for Crap
pie Of enemies thirsting for carnage,
but history will not paint the weird
ness of even a peaceful ride through
that desolate tract
In the first grapple between Grant
and Lee in this dense tangle. 10000
men fought for five hours, and at the
going down of the sun, 5000 lay dead
and wounded. In the seven miles
front occupied by the two armies there
were not half dozen spots where
single battery could be massed to
sweep an acre Of clear ground. There
was not o spot where brigade COM
mander could stand and overlook his
four regiments as they stood in line
of battle.
There was at one point on the right
a cleared spot of about two acres In
extent, and q Federal battery, which
was dragged through the forest, was
placed in position there about 7 o'clock
in the morning of the second day. In
ten minutes three of the guns were
silenced by the musketry fire, and
charge was made by the Confederates
to capture the whole. Here two regi-
ments grappled and fought until three
hundred men incumbered the ground.
Again the battery opened and again it
was charged, and when the Confed-
crates retired the dead had to be cord
ed up to get them out of the way.
Again and again fresh artillerists were
brought up and fresh fire opened, and
again and again the Confederates
charged and added scores and hun
dreds to that awful pyramid of dead.
Grant had not advanced on his right,
Lee had not advanced on his left.
Where the dead fell in the gray of the
morning there was the battle line when
night shuddered at the sights it hid
from view.
The fighting on the second day was
to save that narrow and tortuous high
way known rs the Brock Road to the
Federals. It was the path into and
out of that great forest. Along it must
move every man, horse, gun and wag-
on. It dark and lonely highway
as you ride over it to-day, and every
foot of it had story of blood. The
burial parties found hundreds who had
crawled into the thickets and swamps
and died, and years after the Govern
ment contractors, who were removing
the dead to the national cemeteries,
found scores of skeletons which had
not been buried at all.
When night came again the Federals