The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-09-15

my puls III pOo6o11lou % L4l0 i0TL Win
out 30 much as n scratch. So you SEQ
what proSentimenL il worth. ! hayo
mover much believed in them aimee that
night"
Colonel Robert McEldowpey, who was
present, referred 10 tho attack on Fort
Etedman, at Petersburg. Just before the
close Of the war, where BY tho way no
was Wounded) which attack was made
by General Gordon's command. Tell
us about that, general said genial
Colonel Bob. and 60 tho general pro-
coeded 10 answer another demand on
him for experiences. All tho dining
party agreed that they could listen TO
him for a week.. That attack, said the
general, was madO in February, 1885,
whom we woro In our last gasp and very
desperate. General Loo had sent for
mo in the night-aiter midninRht-to
come 10 his quarters. II was bitter
cold might aud / SGT out on Rallop TO
get out Of the intense cold Us soon az
possible. Leo occupied q little brick
house in the environs oil Petersburg,
and as l opened the door Of bis room,
Gttor he had answered my knock. l
found him standing by Ru opon Are
place, resting his head on his arm on Q
high up mantel, and apparently in q
deep aud sad study over tho situation.
/ havO' sent for you, said be,
TO look over these report from
our various commands. l have spent
the night on thom. and on these
maps, pointing TO o long table,
covered with papers, on which light
was burning. You will SEQ, no said,
that they arc very dIscouraging. Tho
mon have scarcely anything to eat. A
single ration 10 madO to supply six
mon, and the camps are full Of sick and
starved soldiers. 0ur-hoIses are also
dying for food, and whom We lose q
horse we practically lose his rider, for
We can mako no other disposition Of
him. OF course was moro or less ia
miliar with tho situation in my own
command, but did not know 1t was 30
bad In oil the rest. So said 10 Gener-
oil Loo that OF course the situation was
very desperate and that supposed we
would have to do something worry soon,
We'll, said no (1xing his eyes very In.
tontly on me), what do you think we
ought to do2 l replied, ono Of three
things, general, right away. Either 10
mako tho boat terms We can got from
Grant, or to rotreat and try 10 unite
with General johnson, or to fight
And which would you advise, said he.
l would first try fight, replied. Ilo
mcdiLativoly remarked, as il TO try my
earnestness in tho matter (which
was habit no had), so you would
advisive fighting. Yos, l said, as n
choice OF threo evils. He bad boon to
Richmond and had laid the situation
before Mr. Davis. asked him what
tho President thought. oh, he remark:
cd, he is p0rtinacious MS to tho idea Of
holding out longer and fighting further.
And as for tho members Of Congress-
they do not know nor appreciate the
situation at ALL So suppose tho only
thing left for us Is TO fight, and will .let
YOU arrange for an attack on Fort Sted'
man at once. So returned TO my
quarters and a. once issued orders TO
Innt effect. We wero TO get ready TO
move inside tho federal fortified area
tho next night, aud as soon as we could
500 in tho morning We were to attempt
u surprise Fort Stodman. Well, We
found many difficulties in our way
whom tho time came. There were
the abbatis that we Ind to cut
through with our axelnen. who went
ahead Of tho command TO do this work.
Thoy succeeded In cutting an opening
into the area and through this we
marched in tho darkness as rapidly as
possible. A good deal OF delay occurred
as day was breaking and part OF tho
command became bewildored as. to
its exact whereabouts. 80 much 80 that
Il soon became apparent that we were
in danger OF being cut to pieces. and
retreat was inevitable. The retrent
was disastrous. We lost two thousand
men In getting out, and we realized
that Grants position was practically
imprognable. Thus ondcd. may cay,
ono OF our alternative plans for 6cttering
our situation. As respects the others.
|, was tho opinion OF Mr.. Davis that we
could got az lood terms, when the worst
came 10 worst, or, In other words, after wo
hadexhausted ourselves to tho uttermost.
Therefore, as you know, wo finally pro-
cecded with a further experiment in
tho way Of retreat, with the conse'
ouoncos Of which tho world 10 familiar,
and With all tho details OF which no.
body can over DO familiar. My ttmo Is
too short to entcr upon such oil them
az arc bost known to me, and guesa
It's about tho time for us to riso IRON
tho table and 60 ont on the portico for
an after.dlnnor smoke"
So saying, tho company adjourned to
MINOR Mltchell's portico, whore other
persons wero found waiting to call on
tho general, after which 10 was loft to
enioy his cigar ond q short nap before
tho hour for his lecture. a. W. C.