The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-06-26
ANDERSON, S. c., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNE 26, 1896.
McLaws also pressed forward with

McLaws also pressed forward with
great determination and by 10 o'clock
a. m., the federals were driven from
their works with great loss. Hooker
fell back another mile to his third line
of entrenchment, having been driven
from one Of the strongest positions his
army ever occupied.
"While the Confederates were rear
ranging their lines, which had become
more or less disorganized by the inter
mingling of the men Of different COM
mands during the advance, tidings
reached General Lee that Sedgwick
had captured the heights in front of
fredericksburg and was approaching
his rear from that direction. Sedg:
wick, with about thirty thousand
troops, had massed three columns
against Barksdale and his heroic Mis-
sissippians, who were attempting to
hold nearly two'miles of the Confed-
crate line in front the city and below.
After two unsuccessful assaults, flag
of truce was sent forward to the Con-
federates on Mayre's Heights, ostensi.
bly, to gain permission to remove the
wounded and bury the dead. The
federal bearing the flag of truce was
permitted to enter the Confederate
line, or so near it that he discovered
what thin line of men were there to
defend our position. He reported the
situation to his commander upon his
return to their lines and instantly
their columns were ordered forward.
The dead and wounded were left as
they had fallen. Three columns Of
Howe's division advanced below May
res Heights while two other columns,
of ten full regiments, assaulted the
entrenchments in front of the city.
The four regiments Of Mississippians,
numbering about 1,25O men, were thus
assailed by twenty-five regiments, ag-
gregating about 10000 men, and the
result was not remarkable. A portion
of two of Barksdale's regiments were
run over and made prisoners; the rest
of the command were driven from the
position; six pieces Of artillery were
captured, and the event was heralded
as most remarkably brilliant affair.
''This success appeared to open the
road to Charlottesville to General
Sedgwick, and in his praiseworthy
effort to hurry to the rescue of his
chief, who was calling upon him hour
ly for help, he pushed his army out
upon the plank road in that direction
until he was confronted by Wilcox in
the front and assailed by Early on his
left flank. This caused him to halt
and form his lines for offensive move
ments, and delayed his advance until
General Lee could turn upon him.
Early's division, comprising the bri-
gades of Generals John B. Gordon, R.
T. Hoke, Harry Hays and ex-Governor
William Smith, moved up from Ham
ilton's crossing, below the point where
Sedgwick had broken through, and as:
sailed his column as he moved toward
Charlottesville. Wilco1's brigade Of
Anderson's division, which had been
guarding Banks ford, fell back from
that place, and, deploying across the
road in front of Sedgwick, held him in
check from point to point until he
reached Salem Church, four miles
from Fredericksburg. Here he was
reinforced by three brigades Of Nc
Laws division and subsequently by
Anderson's division. Sedgwick was
steadily driven back toward Banks
ford, his only unobstructed route, and
during the night of May 4th, and
morning Of the 9Th, he was driven
across the river, having lost, accord
ing to his own report, over i've thous-
and men.
ALI during Monday, the 4th, while
Sedgwick was struggling to resuce his
army from its perilous position, Jack
sons corps, under Stuart, held Eight
ing joe with his Six army corps
crouched down in their third defen-
sive line waiting to be assailed for the
third time. Of course, Hooker did
not understand that he was confronted
by only three divisions under caval,
ryman, while he had massed behitss
his double line Of entrenchments t:s.
First army corps, under Reynolds; tx.
Second, under Couch; the Third, un-
der Sickles; the Fifth, under Meade;
the Eleventh, under Howard, and the
Twelfth, under Slocum. Such, how
ever, was the fact.
"Hooker telegraphed Sedgwick that
he would advance Tuesday morning,
but when Tuesday came he felt more
urgent necessity to follow Sedgwick'
example and cross the river. Having
been whipped twice under cover Of
breastworks, he was not nervy enough
to venture out into open country to
find the army he had so recently ridi,
culed.
"To return to Sedgwick's column
again: The records show that on the
afternoon of May Sd Early's division
struck the rear of Sedgwick's column
as it ascended the heights in front Of
Fredericksburg. Gordon's brigade,
led by its newly made brigadier, swept
the enemy from the heights, driving
part of them back toward the town,
the others up the plank road toward.
Salem Church. The Thirty-6rst Geor,
gia, Colonel Evans in command, de-
ployed as skirmishers, covering Cor:
don's brigade, led the charge and
captured a number Of prisoners,
wagons, ambulances, and part of the
signal corps. The entrenchments were
reoccupied by Barksdale's brigade.
supported by Hays Louisianians,
while Gordon's and the other brigades
of Early's division wheeled to the left,
following Sedgwick's column, d driving
his rear line towards Salem Church.
Sedgwick, who had been summoned to
Hooker's relief, now called for assis-
tance, but Hooker made no effort to
aid him.
"When Gordon first advanced his
1;no on tbat afternoon If was discover