The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-19

crate line at the faulty angle at dawn of
day. So dense was the darkness, aided
by i thick fog, that nothing could be
seen, and there was great danger that
the enterprise might become bad pun
der. The troops dared not wait unit! day
began to break, for then they would be
rwhelmed.
The evening before the assault Gen;
Hancock rode over most of the ground
alone, and succeeded In making very
| satisfactory examination. A residence,
called the Landrum house, he noticed,
was prominent LANDMARK of the neigh
borhood He fixed its location carefully
In his mind. 1t was we'll he did so.
II guided my movements by that
house." he said to Col. Richard Lee years
after,' and do not know how could
have found my way but for it,
| Gen. Ed Johnson's division of EWells
corps was holding the difficult place.
Poor fellows, they were dog tired with
three days OF hard fighting, and weak,
| for they had NO food but parched corn:
so the Federal advance absolutely stepped
lines without waking them, and finally
reached the work itself. There they en-
oountered vigilant line 6f sentinels,
who gave the alarm.
The battle then began. The darkness
and fog made 1t difficult to distinguish
friend from foe. But the kept OF the
Union soldier marked him, while the
Confederate was clearly indicated by his
gray slouche hat. Not much firing CO.
| CURED after the rush. 1t was man to
man, with hayonet and dubbed musket.
"The dead were piled SO high that they
| formed breastworks for both Sides" says
| Gen. United States Senator-John
B Gordon. "In the history OF modern
war there is nc record OF an assault so
bloody nor Of one so boldly contested as
that of May 10, 1864"
| After repulsing two attacks, the third
rush was not to be overcome, and the
| Army of the Potomac scored it's first
triumph under Grant. Major Gen. Ed
ward Iohnson's division lost very heavily,
and be, with Gen. George H. Steuart,
one of his brigade commanders, was cap
tured.
Chow are you, Ned,' said Hancock
holding out his hand when the two gen
eral officers were brought to his quarters.
| {Hanoock had the rare quality of looking
fresh and clean, no matter how hot the
work might have been in which he was
engaged IAN hour before. Col Osman
Lntrobe of Longstreet's staff was another
who was natty and we'll dressed always,
Pelham, Steuart's chief of artillery, was
of the same Bind.) "I'm sorry for your
misfortune, Ned, but II you had to be
captured, I am pleased thht it is my
good fortune to entertain you"
Johnson's fine eyes filed with tears. He
and Hancock had served together in the
old Sixth Infantry on the plains years be-
fore, and had been like Jonathan and
David. johnson was a Kentuokian, and
was Hanoock's senior by about ten years.
"Thank you, Hancock" he managed to
HHow are you, George9" Hancock said,
turning to Steuart, whom he had also
known we'll in the old army.
Now Steuart, never too amfable at any
time, was Inundated by his misfortune
of capture and mad all through. He did
not notice the outstretched hand Of his
captor, but drawing himself up to his
full five feet seven inch, no replied !:
"Sir, am Gen. Steuart Of the Confeder-
ate armyp
let. Under any other circumstances,
Gen. Steuart, should not have offered
you my hand" was his only reply.
s'Pray be seated, gentlemen" he won't
on: 1--WE will have breakfast directly.
You know Col. Morgan (the corps IN
spector, an old army many, and wish to
present Gen. Walker, my Adjutant Gen
eral."
Hancock gave the two such breakfast
rs they had not Reen for months. save in
dreams. johnson gave Steuart wlgging
at the first opportunity and Steuart, who
knew be had been wrong from the first,
made the amende.
ssMy God, Humphreys, are these men
| fighting like they do and with nothing
but this to eat day after day." said Gen.
Grant to the chief engineer of the army.
the day after the battle. as he finished the
inspection of dozen Confederate hayer-
| sacks.
BE found nothing in them but some
parched corn.
i