The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-05


flame leaped from our rifles and the enc
my's line. broken and shattered, staggered
back In confusion. II was but moment,
however Quickly rallying they leaped
the creek and made a rush up the slope,
but the deadly, merciless FIRE Of our men
drove them back again, again and again,
with terrible loss, until they retreated
back across the creek and throwing them
selves down in the grass refused TO ad-
vance. 1 could plainly see their officers
Striking their men with the flats OF their
swords trying to make them again face
our deadly fire.
Il must now turn to the Guards who
were struggling on our left with
oFerpoWertng numbers. In this / will take
tne liberty to quote from some letters
kindly written me by Col Basinger in re-
Spouse to my inquiries on the subject He
says; After crossing the creek we halted
Tor time and then changed front TO the
rear. The result was that my battalion
was thrown on the extreme right of Gus
us Lees division. The line was estab-
hshed on my colors, as you say. There
was dense thicket of pines to the right
OF US and extending across the road, and
the enemy had brought I'D some artillery
and were harrassing us with it from the
nigh ground on the other side of the
creek, which we had just.le To avoid
this as much as possible the men were
ordered TO lie down, and with their bay
onets 10 throw up the earth in front
OF them against infantry fire. The in
Iantry soon showed themselves in three
hhes. IL was ap retty sight, as we had no
artillery TO annoy them. As they attacked
lhelr 'front.' line was nearly destroyed by
our hre. The second line Jared
no better, and fell back in con-
fusion. But at this juncture a body
OF men came up through the thicket on our
right flank in much disorder from having
TO make their ba Il
happened to be at the moment at the
rlght or the line and ordered the Guards
TO change their line by a flank movement.
with fixed bayonets they charged the
enemy and drove them back, capturing
some coIors, etc. Supposing all further
Danger from attack at that point at an
end, put the Guards back on the original
me In the meantime the advance of the
enemys third line had taken place and
been repulsed. But another body had
come through the pines and again attack
ing my right flank, and l had to repeat
what had been done before. But, by this
time the Guards had suffered so severely
that we could not achieve the same snc-
cess. L then drew back the survivors to-
ward some low ground in our rear, the
enemy sun nring on us. On looking to
the right and left of me l saw no men left
put the non commissioned officers with
their swords alone. Desiring to spare
NAAS +-AAN9 Va Ailb lew remaining Survivors,.
and tied my handkerchief to my sword
already broken by bullet and waved il
Immediately they came out from behind
the trees and began to fire on the wounded
men as they lay on the ground. Perceiv-
ing this, seized the nearest man by the
throat and made him fire his gun in the air,
at the same time calling to their officers
. 10 stop the firing as we had surrendered,
to which they paid no attention. and I
charge and assert on my word as an Of
hcer and gentleman that they fired on
and slaughtered my wounded men after
we had surrendered. and without an effort
on the part of their officers to prevent it.
We did not learn of Ewells surrender I'M
I'll AFTER we were prisoners. My command
only numbered IS rank and file on the
morning of the fight
can add but little to Mai Basinger's
graphic account of the part his command
played in that struggle and its unfortunate
and terrible ending. We had not met
them or served with them before. and
knew little of their record. But 1 can
freely give my testimony that on that day
they acquitted themselves like men, and
surrounded and attacked by superior num-
bers, and fighting without hope of success
they proved themselves worthy comrades
of the veterans of the Army of Northern
| Virginia, and the honor and glory of
their gallant struggle on that fatal day.
luminous with an ever-enduring ra-
dance. this beautiful building erected in
their name from turrett to foundation
stone, and casts a halo of glory and duty
until death Ger the ranks of the Volunteer
| Guards that 1 know and trust they will
| ever keep undimmed and bright"
| The enemy failing to dislodge Gen Nc
! Glashan's command by their infantry at
lacks brought up artillery. At this juno
| ture a staff officer arrived and informed
him that Ewell had surrendered his whole
/ force. Gen. McGlashan gave the order
| to cease firing and withdrew his men to a
| swampy decline in the rear. He was I'M
/ willing to surrender them. OF a COM
mand originally LOO strong, there were
/ only 80 left. He described the closing
! scene as follows:
said: MEN, Gen. Ewell has surrendered
! his force. We are cut off and surrounded
! yet 1 cannot, will not. surrender you.
! Bring me the colors. The color guard
| advanced and placed the colors in my
hand. Tearing it off the staff broke the
! staff against tree and tearing the flag
| into fragments l scattered them in the
| brush. then said: Men, l will dismiss
/ you right here in the hope you may sue
coed in escaping and joining the army
under Lee. Break ranks! March, The
men looked at me moment, then the line
wavered, broke and melted in the brush
and ] was left alone. Suffering from I'M
| healed wounds I could not accompany
them. None escaped but one my Sergt
Mai. James S. Bailey. whom many of you
know as the late proprietor of Bailey's
| Mills in Camden county Three days af.
terward 5000 half-starved, ragged men
| hunted down and surrounded by 40, 00C
men under Grant, were surrendered by
| their chief to save further slaughter OF
| lives so precious to the south. The once
famous Army of Northern Virginia ceased
to exist, and the sun of southern hopes
| set forever"
There was a round of applause at the
close of Gen. McGlashan's address. Mr.
Clement Saussy moved that the member.
of the Confederate Veterans Association
| and others present extend rising vote Of
thinks to Gen. McGlashan for his abb,
effort. The motion was carried unani
| mously.
The Modern Mother
Has found that her little ones are i'm
| nrOVed more nv the pleasant laxative