Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-11
OUR CONFEDERATE COLUMN.
railroad. mos, Of which had been sent 10
cur rear for safety.
NOT IIScONCEETED

MI DlStON'Isfsi III
The fact Of some Of the force stationed
on the east side % the river being alarm
cd lest our own shell would harm them.
when they were not over two hundred
Yards In front Of US and on the low
grounds OF that side while our guns were
on an elevation OF Of least thirty rect
above them. and had pretty accurate
range OF the enemys position NJ an
average of a half mile. and were deliver
ing most OF the time heavy hre. nio
not discomfort me at all. IL was hoI I'D"
first time | had known troops TO COM
main Of their own artillery tIing over
them. and at close range, no matter What
the elevation OF the guns. Sniu'"fs 81 All
armies VIII attest 1t is disquie1nS anu
uncomfortable POSITION Yet hld any
such suggestion reached me- IA CAPTAIN
Hoyt details, about his sending q man 10
request tha disoontinuaDce or the irlhs
or his being allowed TO take charge OF the
guns I should have considered IL an act
II impertinence and an Insult 70 the eN-
rer..nced artillery officer woo had mount
"a and was well practiced in the use OF
his pieces az shown by his abinty 10
landle them ON this OCCASION
The battle of Staunton-River Bridge
was most important TO the protection or
our army. and its supplies, as II was
great strain on our quarterpASter ana
commissary department. 10 supply Dy
wagon trains the absolute necessities OF
our army. Cntll such OF tho road as was
destroyed could be rebuilt General Lee
was compelled TO issue special and earn
cat requests for aid from all available
private as well as public sources. Had
the Federals succeeded in burning the
bridge and rolling stock we might have
been Obliged to abandon our lines in front
OF Richmond nine months earlier
Having served from start 10 finish In
every engagement Of ArInisteads Brigade
Pickett's Division; and. having received
on numerous occasions the commentator
Of my superior officers on fields where
more lives were given up in our conntrys
cause than the total OF those engaged on
both sides at this stanton river AFFAIR,
/ could well afford TO pass in silence the
criticism Of the Greenvillc writer and
the grave mistake which he would at
tribute TO me Of omission and cOmmis-
sion. la not being able to carry out or
conduct an engage mcnt for which ! had
so earnestly, labOrlously. and yet hastily,
prepared. ! say now, as i wished thei
that the duty on which so serious results
rested could have fallen 10 abier hands.
for | fully cOmprehended that failure
meant death or capture for me and my
command; for. as brave, whte-haired, old
Mr.. William Clark remarked to me. as
| returned from dispatching REINFORCE
ments over the bridge, you hays placed
a portion of your command between
the devil and the deep sea-" meaning
the enemy in front and stanton river
behind. Yet. to those who bore them
selves most calamity during this fight
70 some Of whom II was their maiden
engagement, and 10 others already scared
and wounded, who. as readily took active
part and obeyed every order, and barred
themselves TO the severity Of the hour.
l am sure the thanks OF General Lee
expressed in general orders Is no less due
than to this South CaIolnian. 10 whose
gallantry l would cheerfully accord all
rightful honors. but not al the expense
of others equally, II not. as il would
seem, to conspicuously Spartan.
MANY OTHER MISTAKES
There are many points on which my
critic is clearly mistaken-viZ.: That did
not wish or direct the east end of the
bridge defended. / knew IL was vital
point and should have spared more than
half our force there but for believing it
possible for the enemy 10 overcome and
probably capture Colonel Flournoys or
Captain I1dmunds's small cavalry com
mand with their better equipped and SUI
perlOr cavalry, and thus turn our right
or left flank.
Again, the young Episcopal minister
whot was killed at the intersection OF
some piling and heavy timber ! had placed
at the east side of the bridge. making. as
il were, loopholes through which 10 fire.
was not that | have ever known. n
brother-in-law Of Colonel Coleman's. but,
! think. an assistant TO the Rev. DR.. John
Clark in his parochial duties. and whom
4 tk a IL
bilty, believing from his tone and man
ner when presented 10 me lust on the
eve of the engagement. that he would
prOye true at any place.
But why prolong this nrticle7 Have we
not all been bird hunting. and WHEN the
covey was mp, bang" bang" bang.
ana have we not had one or two OF our
companions claim all the birds? II is not
an uncommon falling. We honor their
vanity on occasions by gracioualy yielding
our own part of the game. but when
others are Of the party. equally our
friends and under our protection. ~ well
as beingour guests as III this instance-oGr
fellow soldiers from Charlotte. Pittsylva-
nia Halifax, or Mecklenburg-we must be
lust before being generous. L do here
fairly and honestly assert that 10 the lat
ter is no less due the victory at stanton
river than 10 any force sent 10 their ala.
and j should be glad to see monument
erected at the bridge to the memory Of
these brave men. Should this be done |
promise to give Captain Hoyt a whole
broad-side of it-not Of grape and can
Mister. but Of imperishable granite-if he
can substantiate all he claims.
| am through with this subject, and
YOU will pardon me for the length of this
article: but really a battle can be fought
more easily-to say nothing about more
satisfactorily-than described. 1t is said
DR.. Kane could never have written 50
pleasantly and facetiously about his arctic
expedition except by a pleasant fire at his
own home.
AS TO ROSTERS.
Now. Mr.. Editor, while our mind is d.
rected TO military subjects. allow me 10
second your very appropriate suggestion
that we at once take action 10 obtain
a complete roster of all Virginia COM
mands. companies. battalions. regiments,
and brigades In any branch of the Con-
federate service Soon ii will be too late.
as already. perhaps. we shall have 10 de-
pend upon tradition for a great deal Of In
formation. Respectfully.
Il. l.. FARINHOLT.
THE Bed n. T.. REGIMENT.
"