The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-12


barring those who FELL kept the field with
tho same organization four years. Por-
haps tho last named feature contributed
TO its high efficiency because the same or
ganization included the same leaders, as a
rule, and the same leaders in fighting
army means the perfection Of esprit do
corps the unquenohablo fire OF personal
enthusiasm. Longstreet marshaled under
his banner brigade at Pull Run when
the army numbered 90, 900. next division,
later grand division and corps, and
when his columns grow larger the original
troops formed a unit In the enlarged COM
mand. Hence IL Is not mere picturesque
figure of rhetoric to write of "Lonpstreet's
veterans" at Gettysburg and the Wilder
ness, for among the ranks which he hurled
against Round Top and Cemetery Ridge,
in the columns which he rushed with the
speed and might of a tempest down the
Plank road & the Wilderness, were battle
SCARED heroes whom he had led at Antie-
tam, Manassas and on the peninsula--yes,
even at Bull Run.
There was no active fighting in the bat
tlo proper at Bull Run (July 81 for Long
streets brigade, but OH the 10th he re-
pulsed tho first Union attack on Black
burns ford and defended the crossing on
the flank of McDowell's army while it
passed the upper fords and bridge TO the
battlefield. At Williamsburg, on the pen
insula, Longstreet commanded a division
and displayed his fighting propensities a
little beyond what, in the minds OF his
superiors, the situation called for. The
Confederate army under Joe Johnston
evacuated Yorktown on May 4, retreating
through Williamsburg toward Richmond.
The rear guard consisted of the divisions
of Longstroet and ID. III. Hill under Long
streets control. General Sumner, the Old
Bull of the Woods, had the advance OF Nc
Clellan's column In pursuit, and with
his usual impetuosity attacked the re-
doubts and breastworks occupied by Long
street's men. Instead of withdrawing
Longstreet stood battle, giving Sumner a
bloody repulse. This was the first of nu-
merous encounters between these two
generals, the opposites in nature. Long
street was cool In the hottest action, while
Sumner became aroused. They subse-
quently met often, and the aggressor al
ways got the worst OF 1t. Whether the
cool head or the hot head, ii was the same.
In their next battle, Fair Oaks, May 81
and June 1, Longstreet played the role
often assigned to him when Stonewall
Jackson wasn't at hand--that of assalant
on the enemy's flank. His division burst
upon the isolated left wing Of McClellan's
army across the Chickahominy and was
in fair way of destroying 1t when Nc
Clellan sent Sumner TO It's relief March
ing his men over bridges which were half
submerged by n sudden rise of water, he
checked Longstreet's advance the evening
of the first day, and the next drove him
back to his own lines near Richmond.
In tho next battle Longstreet command
ed grand division, his own troops united
with A. T.. Hills. The movement to as
sail McClellan's right wing north of the
Chickahominy had been taken up by the
new commander of the Army of Northern
Virginia, Robert X. Lee. Jackson was
withdrawn from the Shenandoah valley
to strike the Union flank, leaving 1t to
Longstreet's column to dislodge the enc
my from his fortified line close to the
river, hug that stream with his right
flank and sweep everything before him,
while jackson operated on the Union rear.
Naturally Longstreet encountered the
chief obstacles to the maneuver. McClel-
lan's right wing was led by Fitz John Por-
ter. He fought Longstreets advance at
Beaver Dam creek on June &C. exacting q
toll for his passage of that slender rivulet
of nearly 4, 600 men killed and wounded.
Porter then retired to a new line on the
heights at Gaines Min, which he fortified.
jackson took long time to get around to
the Union flank, and when he reached
there it was to encounter fresh supports
of infantry and artillery sent to Porter's
aid by Mcclellan just In time TO foil Jack
son. Longstreet's line, lying at right an
giles to the river, was enfiladed by Union
batteries across the stream. Besides the
main strength of Porter lay on Long
streets front, heavy batteries and strong
intrenchments. A. +. Hill led a savage
attack upon the Union center, but the
men recoiled after terrible slaughter.
LonRstreet nut his own division to the at