The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-11

the main body, movement indicating that
the Southern force was too small to hold
the whole line. And yet the impression
made on us, who entered that field from
the north, was that it might be occupied
the next moment by troops issuing from
the timber on the enemy's side; that he
too, might undertake a flank movement
ana That If he did so in force, we might
easily be hemmed in and forced to surren-
der. But one of our regiments soon occupied
the earthwork last deserted "Old Glory
was raised with cheers from it's parapet
and our few guns were swiftly unlimbered
in the field. A line of hostile skirmishers
deploying in front of a redoubt still nearer
Magruder,' was quickly dispersed by our
men, and in few minutes our guns were
playing on the great fort, almost at point
blank range, and on the woods through
which the skirmishers were retreating
For short time the clouds broke up in
the west. and flood of light came over the
battle field We saw the deserted redoubts
nylng our colors; our infantry in line
awaiting orders to advance; signal officers
waving their flags; the smoke-hung, fire
rimmed curve of TT. Magruder; still further
the Infantry fire and rolling clouds Of
smoke over Hookers station. All this COM
posed picture rarely seen since the day
OF old-fashioned short-range fighting 1t
satisfied the eye, and stirred the soul of
one whose conceptions of battle had been
American wars and the canvasses of Yer
net and Trumbul. The sound as we'll as
the pomp of glorious war was evident and
the circumstance was close impending
Our batteries fired vigorously for an hour
the fort replying, and some casualties &C.
CURED along the line. But our regiments
as yet had little to do, and simply awaited
orders. The infantry's chance. however, was
not long coming, though preceded, late in
the afternoon, by one of those bushes tradi-
tionally betokening the decisive turn of an
engagement. On the extreme left both
Hooker and his foe ceased firing, and FIT.
Magruder was nearly silent 1t was a ques-
ton whether the enemy was falling back,
or making ready for final attack in force.
An then-on a sudden-there issued a bat
talon of his cavalry from the woods op-
posite our right, closely followed by long
ranks of infantry supporting it, and press
ing forward as soon as lines could be re-
formed.
This was an interesting moment. One
year before, a reinforcement marching in
at the same hour of a battle had driven
into unseen panic our 5000 men engaged at
Bull Run. And this was the first engage
ment, excepting the blunder of Balls Bluff,
undertaken by the Army of the Potomac
But a year of discipline and army life filled
too, with study of the work done by our
soldiery in the West, Lad taught us when
and how to fight, and how to stand under
fire or before charge by the enemy.
Here was Hancock's opportunity. What
more could ambition ask, that so
"Grasps the skirts of happy chance
And breasts the blows of circumstances"
He formed his line at once against this sud-
den onset, while the Confederate foot and
horse came on-yellng, firing and charging
with almost irresistible galantry and style.
Our artillery wheeled, and gave them sew
eral volleys, and our regiments opened with
a WILL But still the enemy came on, until
his front, now somewhat broken up, was
less than a furlOng distant from our SOL
diery. Then Hancock-a superb figure on
his horse-indulged himself, consciously or
by impulse, in the one bit of martial dra-
mates which I witnessed throughout my
experience of the war. Taking off his hat
and speaking in set and courtly terms, he
SAID to his staT and to the line of officers
nearest him: Ready now; Gentlemen, it's
our turn. Charger! The word instantly
passed down the 'front.' and our whole in
fantry line moved forward at double quick.
Before it closed with the enemy his adj
vance ceased his ranks broke in disorder
and retreated at full run. Our men pur-
sued as rapidly, took some prisoners and
enjoyed few hand-to-hand encounters, al
though most of the "Johnnies" escaped to
the rear of their stronghold. But the field
of Williamsburg was won.
This little affair on the right with it's
charge and Hancock's brilliant counter
charge, was the decisive encounter of the
day. OF course, it was made effective by
the long and frghtful contest between
Hooker's forces and the main body of the
enemy. Gen. Longstreet, seeing himself
now out-fanked, evacuated Magruder, re-
treated with his whole corps to and straight
through Williamsburg, abandoning that
ancient town to our occupation. The next
morning Gen. McClellan's headquarters
were in spacious mansion on it's main
street. Other houses were full of Con-
federate wounded. William and Mary"
the second Oldest Of American colleges, was
turned into a hospital. Sixty thousand
Northern soldiers encamped within and
about the town, and rested for few days,
burying the dead of both armies and pre-
pairing for the advance to Chickahominy
Hooker's division had suffered heart-break-
ing losses. I saw, and wildly remember,
the grief Of it's fiery commander, as he re-
ported himself at headquarters to his gen.
eral-in-chief The tears rolled down his
sun-burnt cheeks, while he complained to
Mcclellan of the useless sacrifices entailed
by the delay to send him reinforcements.