The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-12-27


Fog' 44 poorly fed, as
we'll as imperfectly equipped, the same
men, barring those who fell, kept she
field with the same organization four
years. Perhaps the last named feature
contributed to its high efficiency, be-
cause the same organization included
the same leaders, as a rule, and the
same leaders in a fighting army means
the perfection of esprit de corps, the un-
quenchable fire Of personal enthusiasm.
Longstreet marshaled under his banner
brigade at Bull Run when the army
numbered 10000, next a division, latee
a grand division and corps, and when
his columns grew larger the original
troops formed a unit in the enlarged
command.
There was no active fighting in, the
battle proper at Bull Run (July Sl) for
Longstreet''s brigade, but on the 10th
he repulsed the first Union attack on
Blackburn g ford and defended the ecross-
ing on. the flank of McDowell's army
while it passed the upper fords and
bridge to the battlefield. At Williams
burg, on the peninsula, Longstreet COM
manded 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 d, retreating through
Williamsburg toward Richmond. .@
The rear gnard consisted Of the divi-
sions Of Longstreet. and D. q. H.s.zasillhun-
der Longstreet's control. General Sum-
ner, the Old Bull of the Woods, had
the advance. of McClellan's column in
pursuit, and. with his usual impetuosity
attacked the redoubts and breastworks
occupied by Longstreet's men. Instead
Of withdrawing Longstreet stood battle,
giving Sumner a bloody repulse. This
was the first of numerous encounters
between these two generals, the oppo-
sites in nature. Longstreet was cool in
the hottest action, while Sumner be-
came aroused. They subsequently met
Often. and the aggressor always got the
worst of it. Whether the cool head or
the hot head, it was the same.
In their next battle, Fair Oaks. May
81 and June l, Longstreet played the
role often assigned to him when Stone
wall jackson wasn't at hand-that Of
assailant on the enemy's flank. His di-
vision burst upon the isolated left wing
Of McClellan's army across the Chicka-
hominy and was in fair way of de-
stroying it when Mcclellan sent Sum
ner to it's relief. Marching his men over
bridges which were half submerged by
a 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 the next battle Longstreet COM
manded a grand division, his own troops
united with A. p. Hills The move
ment to assail McClellan's right wing
north Of the Chickahominy had been
taken up by the new commander of the
Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E.
Lee. jackson was withdrawn from the
Shenandoah valley to strike the Union
flank leaving it to Longstreet's column
to dislodge tho enemy from his fortified
line close to the river, hug that stream
with his right flank and sweep every
thing before him, while Jackson operat-
ed on the Union rear. Naturally Long
street encountered the chief obstacles
to the maneuver.
McClellan's right wing was led by
Fitz John Porter. He fought Long.
streets advance at Beaver Dam creek
on June 26, exacting toll for his pas
sage Of that slender rivulet of nearly
1000 men killed and wounded. Porter
then retired to a newtline on the heights
at Gaines Mill, which he fortified
Jackson took long time to get around
to the Union flank, and when he reach
ed there it was to encounter fresh sup
ports Of infantry and artillery sent to
Porter's aid by Mcclellan just in time
to foil Jackson. Longstreet's line, ly-
ing at right angles to the river, was en-
fladed by. Union batteries across the
stream. Besides the main strength of
Porter lay on Longstreet's front, heavy
batteries and strong intrenchments. A.
E.. Hill led a savage attack upon the
Union center, but the men recoiled aft
er terrible slaughter. Longstreet put
his own division to the attack to support
Hill, but it met with the. same fate.
Repeated attempts to carry the key po-
sitions failed, and then Longstreet or.
ganized grand attack Of four brigades.
Meanwhile Jaokson's guns had been
heard OF on the flank, D. q. Hil's
troops had burst through Porter's right
on~Ar~ ~~A <ko ~~L4io 1,%& ~o %,,. ~ 49,